Hüni + Co

HÜNI + CO (formally Hüni GmbH + Co. KG) is a German family-owned industrial company based in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance. Founded in 1859 by Hans Heinrich Hüni as a leather factory, it is the oldest industrial enterprise in the city of Friedrichshafen and today operates as a contract coater (Lohnbeschichter) for functional high-performance surfaces. The company has been active in plastic coatings and surface technology since 1959 and is described as Germany's oldest business for plastic coatings. The company applies organic plastic coatings such as PTFE, PFA, FEP, ECTFE and ETFE, as well as zinc-flake coatings and PFAS-free coating alternatives. Its coatings are used wherever non-stick properties, chemical resistance, corrosion protection, sliding properties, electrical conductivity or food- and pharma-compliant surfaces are required. HÜNI + CO serves customers across many industries and, since 2007, has built up its tank container interior coating business to become Europe's number one coater for this niche product. HÜNI + CO is a family business now led by the sixth generation. After the leather production was discontinued in 1965, the company focused on the Hüni PROTEC plastic coating division. The company markets its coatings under the Proco brand name and offers surface and corrosion protection for nearly all areas of process engineering across Europe. It is headquartered at its historic site in Friedrichshafen and serves customers throughout Europe. Sustainability efforts include a photovoltaic system planned from 2025 to cover about 35% of its electricity demand.

The history of HÜNI + CO goes back to 1859, when Hans Heinrich Hüni founded the leather factory Hüni & Cie. in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance. Hüni had developed a rapid tanning process that allowed sole leather to be tanned within 14 days, compared with the 12–18 months required by traditional pit tanning. Together with his partner Heinrich Abegg from Horgen, Switzerland, he received permission to build a tannery with a steam boiler, despite resistance from Swabian tanners. The company was founded on 1 August 1859 and built on a roughly six-hectare site, becoming the oldest and, until 1914, the largest industrial enterprise in Friedrichshafen, with 100 employees. The first leather sales in 1860 went to Munich, Berlin, Reichenberg, Prague and Stuttgart, later extending to Greece and Turkey. Abegg left the company in 1861. In 1866 a fire destroyed major parts of the factory, including the warehouse and the residential building; King Karl of Württemberg expressed his sympathy by telegram the same day. The buildings were rebuilt and a new factory villa was erected in 1867. In 1871 the company tanned 6,600 hides and 7,629 skins, mainly for the domestic market. Two years later, Hüni & Cie. exhibited its products at the 1873 Vienna World's Fair. In 1876 Eduard Hüni-Beder joined the management, and from then on the company was led by three family members. In 1888 the company contributed 50,000 gold marks to finance more than a third of the construction costs of Friedrichshafen's spring water supply, in return for a perpetual daily water supply of 300 cubic meters. Hans Heinrich Hüni was named an honorary citizen of Friedrichshafen in 1888, and Jacques Leuthold-Hüni posthumously in 1895. Heinrich Hüni retired from management in 1890 and died in 1894. In 1897 a large new factory was built to add vache leather to production, using modern pit tanning experience from Sweden. By the early 20th century, the Hüni leather factory was the second-largest employer in Friedrichshafen. After Jacques Leuthold-Hüni's death in 1914, Eduard Hüni became sole managing director. From 1936, Hüni & Co produced leather equipment for the Wehrmacht and was listed as an armaments enterprise with its own mobilization number, which made it a target of British bombing raids from 1943. In 1944 the company was severely damaged in World War II and nearly ceased operations. Otto P. W. Hüni took over operational management in 1943. In 1959 the company celebrated its 100th anniversary. In 1965, after 106 years, leather production was discontinued; machinery was sold abroad and employees were gradually retrained for the new business areas PROTEC and metal ceilings. The metal ceilings division was discontinued after only ten years, but Hüni PROTEC in plastic coating established itself successfully and remains the company's core business to this day. In 1986 Peter Hüni took over management after the sudden death of his father Otto P. W. Hüni. In 2007 HÜNI + CO successfully expanded its tank container interior coating business and became Europe's number one coater for this niche product. In 2009 the company celebrated its 150th anniversary. In 2016 Alexa Hüni joined the management as part of the succession plan. Today the family business is led by the sixth generation and operates from Friedrichshafen, serving customers throughout Europe with high-performance plastic coatings.

• 2016

  Alexa Hüni joins the management as part of the succession plan.

• 2009

  HÜNI + CO celebrates its 150th anniversary.

• 2007

  HÜNI + CO becomes Europe's number one coater for tank container interior coatings.

• 1986

  Peter Hüni takes over management after the death of his father Otto P. W. Hüni.

• 1965

  Leather production is discontinued after 106 years; the company focuses on Hüni PROTEC plastic coatings.

• 1959

  HÜNI + CO celebrates its 100th anniversary and enters plastic coatings and surface technology.

• 1944

  The company is severely damaged in World War II and nearly ceases operations.

• 1943

  Otto P. W. Hüni takes over operational management.

• 1936

  Hüni & Co begins producing leather equipment for the Wehrmacht.

• 1897

  A large new factory is built to add vache leather to production.

• 1888

  The company co-finances Friedrichshafen's spring water supply and secures a perpetual daily water supply.

• 1873

  Hüni & Cie. exhibits at the Vienna World's Fair.

• 1866

  A fire destroys major parts of the factory; the company rebuilds.

• 1859

  Hans Heinrich Hüni and Heinrich Abegg found the leather factory Hüni & Cie. in Friedrichshafen on 1 August.

Contract coater for functional high-performance surfaces, specializing in plastic coatings for corrosion protection, non-stick and sliding applications, and tank container interiors.

• PTFE coatings

  Non-stick and chemical-resistant coatings.

• PFA coatings

  High-performance fluoropolymer coatings.

• FEP coatings

  Fluoropolymer coatings for chemical resistance.

• ECTFE coatings

  Coatings for corrosion protection.

• ETFE coatings

  Durable fluoropolymer coatings.

• Zinc-flake coatings

  Corrosion protection coatings.

• PFAS-free coating alternatives

  Alternative coatings without PFAS.

• Tank container interior coatings

  Interior coatings for tank containers.

1. 1Kunststoffbeschichtungen & Oberflächentechnik | HÜNI+COhueni.de
2. 2Historie | HÜNI+COhueni.de
3. 3Beschichtungen aus Friedrichshafen | HÜNI+COhueni.de
4. 4Hüni + Cowikidata.org
5. 5Hüni + Code.wikipedia.org