History

In 1983 Hans W. Eifeler founded Eifeler Werkzeuge GmbH in Dusseldorf, Germany.

As a one-man company, the initial focus was on the tool steel market, the marketing of trimming punches and external coatings! From these humble beginnings over a 35 year period a successful and innovative globally represented grew.

1986
CVD system installed in the new upgraded industrial hall in Dusseldorf -Hellerhof

1988
Foundation of Eifeler Politec GmbH in Dusseldorf 1989

1989
Purchase of the 1st PVD ARC-coating system

1990
Start of proprietary PVD system manufacturing

1991
Eifeler Sued Coating GmbH (ESC) in Ettlingen

1992
Eifeler Nord Coating GmbH (ENC), Syke
Research and development for coating machine technology and layer systems starts; foundation of the Aero-Coating GmbH

1994
Eifeler Beschichtungs Center GmbH (EBC) in Rueckersdorf
Purchase of the PVD department of the company SOT GmbH, Salzgitter

1995
Eifeler Nord Coating GmbH moves from Syke to Salzgitter.
Research and development centralized in Dusseldorf.
Aero-coating moves into a new building in Wismar
Eifeler Plasma Beschichtungsgesellschaft mbH in Vienna

1996
Eifeler Lasertechnik GmbH, Salzgitter

1997
Eifeler France (EF) in Creutzwald

2000
Eifeler Beschichtungs Center GmbH (EBC) moves into a new building in Schnaittach

2001
Eifeler Lafer Inc. in St. Charles, our 1st location in the USA, near Chicago

2002
Eifeler Lasertechnik GmbH, second branch factory begins operation in Ingersheim

2003
Eifeler GmbH Balzheim, in Balzheim near Ulm

2004
Eifeler Sued Coating GmbH (ESC) Korntal-Münchingen branch factory starts

2005
Eifeler Coating Services, USA / California
Brasimet-Eifeler in Brazil with PVD coating center in Sao Paulo and Joinville

2006
Eifeler Swiss AG, CH-Dulliken
Eifeler takes over the Swiss vacuum machine manufacturer VACOTEC – La-Chaux-de-Fonds
Investment in Sucotec – Hirschbach / Eschenfelden

2007
In September 2007 Eifeler presents the PVD layer SISTRAL® at the EMO in Hanover, the new standard for hard-machining

2008
Eifeler Werkzeuge GmbH  – 25th Anniversary

2009
Move of the R&D department into new, larger building
Introduction of the new layers TIGRAL®, TOPMATIC and FORMATIC
VACOTEC S. A. completes the PVD arc coating machine series with the small Alpha-200 PVD machine

2011
Introduction of the new PVD layer DUMATIC for the processing of high-strength metal sheets
Central spare parts store for PVD systems set up at the Dusseldorf location
Extension of the global service

2013
At the end of march 2103 the voestalpine High Performance Metals division acquires the heat treatment, PVD, CVD polishing and laser treatment of the eifeler group.

2014
All activities regarding the PVD machine building and the coating development are concentrated at one location on the Areal Boehler in Dusseldorf.
During the leading trade show for cutting tools AMB eifeler presents new PVD coatings: CROSAL® for high performance cutting and the smooth arc coatings under the trade name “ultrafine”.

2015
eifeler-Vacotec introduces the large PVD magnetron-sputter system alpha1000C for the deposition of tribological coatings based on MoSand DLC.
eifeler’s portfolio of smooth “ultrafine” PVD coatings based on the SPCS-technology is extended by EXXTRAL®-ultrafine and SISTRAL®-ultrafine.

2016
eifeler extends its portfolio with the new high performance coatings CROSAL® Plus and CARBON-X®

2018
After 35 years the eifeler group has been renamed to voestalpine eifeler group.eifeler Werkzeuge GmbH is now named voestalpine eifeler Coating GmbH, eifeler Vacotec GmbH is named voestalpine eifeler Vacotec GmbH and eifeler Lasertechnik GmbH has the new name voestalpine eifeler Lasertechnik GmbH.