DGS Druckguss Systeme AG

DGS Druckguss Systeme AG is a Swiss industrial company headquartered in St. Gallen, specializing in the development and manufacture of complex, high-quality die casting components made from aluminum and magnesium alloys. The company traces its origins to 1925, when it was established as an experimental laboratory for the die casting department of Bühler AG in Uzwil. In 1950, the foundry moved to its current location in St. Gallen-Winkeln. Over the decades, it evolved from a captive die casting operation into an independent international supplier. In 1999, the company was taken over by the Von Roll Group, and in 2003 it was acquired by management and renowned entrepreneurs from Eastern Switzerland, after which it became known as DGS Druckguss Systeme AG. Today, DGS operates five production plants worldwide: its headquarters and main plant in St. Gallen, Switzerland; two plants in the Czech Republic (Liberec and Frýdlant); and two plants in China (Nansha and Rizhao). The company employs approximately 1,500 people and generated revenue of around 240 million Swiss francs in 2023. Its core business is high-pressure die casting of aluminum and magnesium, with a strong focus on the automotive industry, which accounts for about 95% of its output, while the remaining 5% serves industrial and consumer goods applications. DGS offers a comprehensive range of services along the entire process chain, including pre-development, consulting and engineering, rapid prototyping, tool design and manufacturing, heat treatment, CNC machining, surface coating, assembly of components and systems, as well as packaging, transport, and logistics. The company operates 54 die casting machines with closing forces ranging from 250 to 4,400 tons. Its product portfolio includes structural parts, powertrain components, steering and power unit parts, and battery components for electric vehicles. Major customers include Mercedes and BMW, for which DGS produces aggregate and battery components for battery electric vehicles. DGS positions itself as a system supplier with material, product, and process development capabilities. The company emphasizes quality and modern management, operating under an integrated management system certified according to IATF 16949:2016, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018. Its St. Gallen plant houses the largest and heaviest die casting machine ever installed in Switzerland, weighing 168 tons. DGS has received recognition for its technical achievements, winning first prizes at the EUROGUSS international die casting competition in 2008, 2010, and 2012.

The history of DGS Druckguss Systeme AG begins in 1925, when it was established as an "experimental laboratory" for the die casting department of Bühler AG in Uzwil, Switzerland. Bühler had begun using die casting technology in the 1920s to produce aluminum parts for its own milling equipment. Unsatisfied with die casting machines purchased from the United States, Bühler started developing and building its own die casting systems. The first metal die casting machine was put into operation in 1927. In 1950, the foundry was moved to its current location in St. Gallen-Winkeln. In 1999, the Swiss industrial group Von Roll took over the die casting and injection molding plant in St. Gallen from Bühler Druckguss AG, forming Von Roll Druckguss AG. In 2000, Von Roll acquired the plant in Liberec, Czech Republic, from Frantisek Svobodnik – Alupress, founded in 1991, and integrated the activities into the newly founded Von Roll Alupress s.r.o. As part of its restructuring, Von Roll had to divest both plants in 2003. They were acquired by the St. Gallen industrialists Karl Felix Stürm and Hans Huber and merged into DGS Druckguss Systeme AG. Since then, the company has operated under this name. In the following years, DGS expanded internationally. A plant in Nansha, China, started production in 2007. In 2021, serial production began at the new plant in Rizhao, China, after successful customer audits, with four large die casting cells up to 4,400 tons installed. In the same year, groundbreaking for a new foundry in Frýdlant, Czech Republic, took place on April 28, 2021. Production in Frýdlant started on April 28, 2022, exactly one year after groundbreaking, and series deliveries of aggregate and battery components for BEV vehicles from Mercedes and BMW began in November 2022. The company has received recognition for its technical achievements, winning first prizes at the EUROGUSS international die casting competition in 2008 (for an air outlet grille for the Audi R8), 2010 (for a complex aluminum valve block), and 2012 (for a thin-walled structural casting). Today, DGS operates five plants worldwide: St. Gallen (Switzerland), Liberec and Frýdlant (Czech Republic), and Nansha and Rizhao (China). The company employs around 1,500 people and generated revenue of approximately 240 million Swiss francs in 2023. Its St. Gallen plant houses the largest and heaviest die casting machine ever installed in Switzerland, weighing 168 tons.

• 2023

  Start of production in DGS Frýdlant; revenue of 240 million Swiss francs.

• 2022

  Production started in Frýdlant on April 28; series deliveries of aggregate and battery components for BEV vehicles from Mercedes and BMW began in November.

• 2021

  Serial production started at the new plant in Rizhao, China; groundbreaking for new foundry in Frýdlant, Czech Republic.

• 2012

  Won first prize at EUROGUSS for a thin-walled structural casting.

• 2010

  Won first prize at EUROGUSS for a complex aluminum valve block.

• 2008

  Won first prize at EUROGUSS for the air outlet grille for the Audi R8.

• 2007

  Production started at the Nansha plant in China.

• 2003

  Acquired by management and Eastern Switzerland entrepreneurs; renamed DGS Druckguss Systeme AG.

• 2000

  Von Roll acquired the plant in Liberec, Czech Republic, from Frantisek Svobodnik – Alupress.

• 1999

  Taken over by the Von Roll Group; became Von Roll Druckguss AG.

• 1950

  Foundry moved to its current location in St. Gallen-Winkeln.

• 1927

  First metal die casting machine put into operation.

• 1925

  Established as an experimental laboratory for the die casting department of Bühler AG in Uzwil.

System supplier with material, product and process development; reliable partner for lightweight solutions in medium and large series.

• Aluminum die casting parts

  High-pressure die cast components in various aluminum alloys including AlSi9Cu3(Fe)Z, AlSi12, AlSi12(Cu), AlSi10Mg(Fe), and structural casting AlSi10MnMgSr.

• Magnesium die casting parts

  High-pressure die cast components in magnesium alloys including AZ91, AMZ40, and AM50.

• Structural parts

  Structural castings for automotive applications, including thin-walled structural castings.

• Powertrain components

  Die cast parts for powertrain systems.

• Steering and power unit parts

  Die cast components for steering and power units.

• Battery components for electric vehicles

  Aggregate and battery components for battery electric vehicles, supplied to Mercedes and BMW.

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5. 5DGS Druckguss Systeme - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6DGS Druckguss Systeme - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org