Hauert
Corporate brand
UnclaimedHauert is a Swiss fertilizer producer serving horticulture, gardening, agriculture, and organic-farming applications.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile yet.
Overview
Hauert is a Swiss fertilizer company whose origins are traced to 1663, when Adam Hauert received permission from the authorities in Bern to operate a tannery. The business later became associated with a bone mill, an important historical link because crushed animal bones were used as both livestock feed and fertilizer. After Alexander Hauert and his brother Fritz were compelled to close the tannery in 1911, the family retained the bone mill and began producing bone meal and fertilizer under the name Gebrüder Hauert. The company’s modern fertilizer business was established more clearly in 1929, when Alexander Hauert and his son Johann formed the general partnership Hauert & Co. on 1 August. The operation moved to a former fruit warehouse in Suberg and concentrated exclusively on fertilizer production. This transition reflected the broader development of the fertilizer industry. Traditional farmyard inputs were increasingly insufficient for agricultural demand, while the growth of mineral fertilizer science and the work associated with Justus von Liebig helped create a more systematic market for industrial fertilizers. Hauert developed products for horticulture, professional cultivation, gardening, and organic farming. A notable technical milestone came in 1972, when the company introduced a resin-coated slow-release fertilizer. The technology allowed nutrients to be released progressively rather than all at once, supporting more controlled fertilization. Since 1985, Hauert has also operated an internal laboratory used for fertilizer development and basic research, with laboratory and field trials applied to raw materials and product formulations. The company faced major challenges in the 1990s. Bone meal was prohibited in the wake of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy crisis, forcing Hauert to dispose of fertilizer worth several million Swiss francs through incineration. In 1998, prices for nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus rose sharply amid strong global demand. Because the company had contractual obligations to major customers, it absorbed the increased input costs in order to meet those commitments. Hauert & Co. was converted into Hauert HBG Dünger AG in 2004. The company expanded beyond Switzerland in 2007 by acquiring the German fertilizer manufacturer Günther Cornufera and establishing Hauert Günther Düngerwerke GmbH in Nuremberg. In 2018, the German company Manna, based in Ammerbuch, was integrated into Hauert Manna Düngerwerke GmbH, reinforcing the group’s presence in the German market. Philipp Hauert has led the company since 2006 and has been its sole owner since 2010. Hauert remains a privately owned fertilizer business with a long family history. Its activities cover fertilizer development and production for horticultural, gardening, agricultural, and organic-farming uses. The company’s business is strongly seasonal: approximately 80 percent of revenue is generated during the first months of the year, while demand normally decreases from late May onward. In 2016, the group produced approximately 30,000 tonnes of fertilizer.
History
Hauert’s recorded origins date to 18 June 1663, when Adam Hauert received a concession from Bern’s Schultheiss and Council to operate a tannery. The tannery used a bark-crushing installation, and the same equipment was also used to crush animal bones. Farmers collected the resulting bone material for use as fertilizer, creating an early connection between the Hauert family business and agricultural nutrient production. The importance of fertilizers increased over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Efforts to improve the collection of manure and urine reflected the limits of traditional farmyard fertilizers. As agricultural demand grew, bone meal, marl, and lime became increasingly important. Developments in mineral fertilizer theory, particularly the work associated with Justus von Liebig in the nineteenth century, helped establish the scientific basis for modern fertilizer production. In 1911, Alexander Hauert and his brother Fritz were forced to close the tannery. They retained the bone mill and shifted the business toward bone meal for livestock feed and fertilizers under the name Gebrüder Hauert. On 1 August 1929, Alexander Hauert and his son Johann, who lived from 1905 to 1988, established Hauert & Co. as a general partnership. The business moved the bone mill to a former fruit warehouse in Suberg and focused entirely on fertilizer production. A major technical development occurred in 1972, when Hauert launched a resin-coated slow-release fertilizer. This product represented a move toward more controlled nutrient availability. In 1985, the company created an internal laboratory for fertilizer development and basic research. Hauert used laboratory experiments and field trials to evaluate raw materials and formulations, linking production more closely with applied research. The company encountered severe disruption during the BSE crisis of the 1990s. Bone meal was banned, removing an important historical raw material and leaving Hauert with fertilizer stocks worth several million Swiss francs that had to be incinerated. Another challenge came in 1998, when the costs of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus increased by 160 percent over a period of only a few months. The company nevertheless paid the higher prices in order to fulfill existing contracts with major customers. In 2004, Hauert & Co. was reorganized as Hauert HBG Dünger AG. The business subsequently pursued international expansion. In 2007 it acquired the German fertilizer manufacturer Günther Cornufera and established Hauert Günther Düngerwerke GmbH in Nuremberg. In 2018, Manna, a fertilizer company based in Ammerbuch, Germany, was integrated into Hauert Manna Düngerwerke GmbH. Philipp Hauert has led the company since 2006 and has been its sole owner since 2010. The business remains privately owned and specializes in fertilizers for horticulture, gardening, professional cultivation, agriculture, and organic farming. Its seasonal pattern is pronounced, with approximately 80 percent of revenue generated during the first months of the year and demand generally declining after late May. The company produced approximately 30,000 tonnes of fertilizer in 2016.
- 2018
Manna is integrated into Hauert’s German group
[1]The German fertilizer company Manna was integrated into Hauert Manna Düngerwerke GmbH.
- 2016
Reported fertilizer production reaches approximately 30,000 tonnes
[1]Hauert produced approximately 30,000 tonnes of fertilizer during the year.
- 2010
Philipp Hauert becomes sole owner
[1]Philipp Hauert became the company’s sole owner.
- 2007
Expansion into Germany through Günther Cornufera
[1]Hauert acquired Günther Cornufera and established Hauert Günther Düngerwerke GmbH in Nuremberg.
- 2006
Philipp Hauert takes company leadership
[1]Philipp Hauert became the company’s leader.
- 2004
Corporate conversion to Hauert HBG Dünger AG
[1]Hauert & Co. was converted into the corporate entity Hauert HBG Dünger AG.
- 1985
Internal research laboratory begins operation
[1]The company established an in-house laboratory for fertilizer development and basic research, supported by field testing.
- 1972
Resin-coated slow-release fertilizer introduced
[1]Hauert introduced a resin-coated fertilizer designed to release nutrients gradually.
- 1929
Hauert & Co. is established
[1]Alexander Hauert and his son Johann founded the general partnership Hauert & Co. on 1 August and relocated fertilizer production to Suberg.
- 1911
The tannery closes and bone-meal production begins
[1]Alexander and Fritz Hauert closed the tannery but retained its bone mill, beginning production of bone meal and fertilizers as Gebrüder Hauert.
Products and positioning
A long-established Swiss fertilizer specialist positioned around horticultural expertise, controlled nutrient delivery, laboratory and field testing, and products for both conventional and organic cultivation.
Controlled-release fertilizer · 1972
Resin-coated slow-release fertilizers
Introduced in 1972, Hauert’s resin-coated slow-release fertilizer represented an early move toward controlled nutrient release. The coating is intended to regulate how nutrients become available rather than delivering the full nutrient load immediately. The product line illustrates the company’s emphasis on formulation technology and its focus on the practical needs of horticultural and cultivation users.
Horticulture
Horticultural fertilizers
Hauert produces fertilizers for horticultural applications, supported by laboratory work and field trials. These products are intended for professional and intensive cultivation settings where nutrient composition, application timing, and predictable plant response are important. Specific current product names are not identified in the supplied reference material.
Organic agriculture
Organic-farming fertilizers
The company’s portfolio includes fertilizers for organic farming. These products form part of Hauert’s broader agricultural and horticultural offering and reflect its positioning as a specialist supplier serving different cultivation systems. Detailed formulations and current product names are not specified in the supplied sources.
Gardening and agriculture
Garden and agricultural fertilizers
Hauert supplies fertilizer products for gardening and agricultural use in addition to professional horticulture. Historically, its range developed from bone-meal production into a broader fertilizer business. The available reference material does not provide enough detail to identify individual contemporary formulations or consumer-facing sub-brands.
Brand decisions
2018
Integrate Manna into the German fertilizer businessM&ABackground
Hauert continued consolidating its German activities after the earlier acquisition of Günther Cornufera.
Action taken
Manna, based in Ammerbuch, was integrated into Hauert Manna Düngerwerke GmbH.
Aftermath
The integration expanded the company’s German business structure, although the supplied source does not quantify its financial or operational impact.
2007
Acquire Günther Cornufera and establish a German operating presenceM&ABackground
Hauert sought to strengthen its position in European fertilizer markets beyond Switzerland.
Action taken
The company acquired German fertilizer manufacturer Günther Cornufera and founded Hauert Günther Düngerwerke GmbH in Nuremberg.
Aftermath
The transaction gave Hauert a German operating platform and preceded the later integration of Manna into its German group.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/hauert · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled