Calag – Who we are

Calag Carrosserie Langenthal AG is a company rich in tradition, which has developed steadily throughout its long history. What began more than 130 years ago in a simple wainwright’s workshop has developed into an impressive company with a wide range of activities in the field of vehicle construction and bodywork.

Calag is one of the leading companies in the craft areas of vehicle construction, cabin construction, bodywork, repair and service, painting and lettering. With our ultra-modern infrastructure and our competent specialists we are a first-class problem solver for complex tasks.

Certifications

We attach great importance to customer-oriented quality and take the environment into consideration. The following labels underline our efforts.

ISO   9001:2015 – Qualitätsmanagement

ISO 9001 describes requirements for a quality management system. The requirements are formulated in such a general way that their application is ensured for companies/organizations/institutions of all branches.

ISO 14001:2015 – Umweltmanagement

Environmental protection is an integral part of our legal system and belongs as a success position in every successful corporate strategy. Operational environmental protection holds great potential for savings, especially in terms of resource consumption and externalised environmental costs.

EUROGARANT

EUROGARANT stands for a high quality standard in the body repair sector. Find out more on the official EUROGARANT homepage.

 

Zertifikat Energie-Agentur der Wirtschaft

Together with the Energy Agency for Industry (EnAW), we maintain a management system to reduce energy consumption. This enables us to meet the requirements of the federal government and the canton.

 

REPANET SUISSE

International network of excellent bodywork and vehicle construction companies.

 

Corporate policy

Corporate policy

  • We attach great importance to quality and environmental compatibility.
  • By quality we mean meeting the expectations of our customers and business partners.
  • Every employee is responsible for the quality of his or her own work and thus contributes to the quality of Calag.
  • We want to comply with all laws, environmental regulations and standards, carry out sensible recycling and distinguish ourselves by environmentally friendly behaviour.
  • We want to constantly improve ourselves.

Corporate goals:

  • In terms of customer satisfaction, we at Calag want to be among the best in the industry.
  • We want to enjoy the trust of our customers and recommend them to us.
  • We want our employees to be satisfied and motivated to contribute to the success of the company.
  • We want to generate an appropriate company profit in order to be able to make future-oriented investments in the company and to ensure the company’s success.

We achieve these goals through:

  • Exemplary attitude of all superiors
  • Qualified employees
  • Commitment of all employees
  • Employees acting independently
  • Honest, consistent and straightforward dealings with business partners
  • Openness to new technologies
  • Ongoing training
  • Consistent implementation of the management system
  • Modern facilities
  • Target and customer-oriented processes

Vision

Calag – independent, high quality, self-confident

  • Calag is independent and independent of brands.
  • We provide high quality services and products.
  • We are open to new ideas.
  • We are proud of our work and our company.

Market: regionally anchored, internationally renowned for vehicle construction and bodywork

  • We are active in attractive niches at home and abroad with vehicle construction and cabin construction.
  • We are leaders in bodywork and paint repairs for passenger cars, vans, buses and trucks.
  • We are the number 1 between Berne and Zurich in the repair of truck bodies and chassis.
  • Our large parts painting as well as vehicle lettering are active nationwide.
  • If opportunities arise, we are examining the expansion of the locations to increase their attractiveness for major customers such as insurance companies and nationally active transport companies.

Products and services:

  • Vehicle construction, cabin construction, bodywork, repair & service, painting, letteringWe are internationally active in the construction of aerial cableways, funiculars and special cabins
  • We are nationally known as a strong partner for customised bodies on vehicle chassis.
  • In contract series construction we concentrate on the skills of engineering, general contractor, purchase of finished components and assembly.
  • We are the market leader for bulk goods transport.
  • We sell technically advanced commercial products and offer service, maintenance and repair for the entire life cycle.
  • We are a leading, nationally renowned bodywork company.

Customers:

  • Logistics companies, federal government, cantons, privateWe seek direct contact with the end customer.
  • Our largest customers are private transport companies and public authorities (defence and civil protection, transport companies, etc.).
  • We are brand independent and work with importers, brand representatives and insurance companies.
  • Our customers know and appreciate our honest, consistent and straightforward manner.

Employees: Qualified and motivated personnel is a high priority

  • As a service and craft enterprise, the employees and their willingness to provide services make Calag what it is.
  • We invest in their training and further education – from apprentice to master craftsman – and thus secure the necessary qualified employees.
  • As an attractive employer, we offer challenging activities, modern employment conditions (flexible working hours, part-time models, etc.), remuneration in line with the market and a secure job as far as possible.
  • It is a reference to work for Calag.

Production bases: technology and infrastructure as the basis for innovation and competitive advantage

  • We are open to new technology so that we can repair and convert modern vehicles.
  • We are constantly looking for possibilities and innovations to improve our services for the customer and to provide them even more efficiently. For this purpose we invest in our infrastructure and encourage independent thinking staff.
  • We meet the automotive standards and requirements.

The history of Calag Carrosserie Langenthal AG

1888
Founding of the Wagner workshop by Fritz Grogg, house with Wagner workshop at the Spitalgasse in Langenthal.

1890
Move to the house of the farmer and carters Aeberhard-Schneeberger on Melchnaustrasse

1894
Transfer of the wainwright’s workshop to the carpentry workshop acquired by Fritz Grogg, which had land reserves up to the “Aufhabengässchen” (today Herzogstrasse).

1895
Building publication for a workshop building with magazine and flat on “Aufhabengässchen”. Commercial vehicles for industry and agriculture are manufactured.

1896
Moving into the new building put out to tender. Later, a wagon smithy was added to the wainwright’s shop, first by renting a nearby workshop, later on its own floor in a subsequent new building.

1914
The son Fritz Grogg jun. joins his father’s business. During the war years the company was engaged in the production of field porters, gunstocks made of walnut wood for the gun factory and meat blocks made of ash wood for American field kitchens. Adaptation to the new conditions: the first bodies on car chassis are built. Transfer of the company to Fritz Grogg jun.
Unexpected death of the company founder, father Grogg.

1926
Conversion of the previous sole proprietorship into a general partnership: active participation of Robert Sommer-Grogg born 1886, businessman and Ernst Grogg, born 1890, master locksmith and graduate of the carriage building school in Hamburg.
Subsequently, the company name was first changed to Grogg & Co. and later to Grogg, Sommer & Cie.

1927
The old property was demolished to make way for a two-storey workshop building.

1929
Acquisition of the building land of 16’000m2 on Aarwangenstrasse from the Burgergemeinde.
Conversion of the previous general partnership into a family limited company. Carrosserie Langenthal AG.

1930/31

Construction of a basement workshop (Hall 1) of 2’200m2 and 2 two-family houses.
As a result of general unemployment, the Federal Council decided to grant considerable customs concessions for car chassis (PW), which were carrosed throughout Switzerland. This gave a welcome boost to the local car body industry. Langenthal became a leader and famous for such bodies, in particular for the “Langenthaler Cabriolet”, which was known throughout Switzerland.

1934
Extension of the factory building to the north, providing an additional 530 m2 of floor space (Hall 1).

1937
Leased at the Carrosserie Geissberger on Wiesenstrasse in Zurich.
Replacement of the classic ash wood car body framework with light steel or light metal. Catastrophic interruption of production due to the outbreak of the Second World War. Operations were maintained by the manufacture and installation of substitute fuel facilities (wood gas) and conversion of motor vehicles to electric traction. Only after the end of the war did military contracts and the construction and repair of railway car bodies offer additional work.

1942
Ernst Grogg-Hiltbrunner takes over the branch in Zurich on his own account.
Expansion of the Board of Directors with the addition of Ms Dr.jur. Elfriede Grogg as a member. The hitherto most important production of convertibles had to be abandoned due to foreign competition. The resulting employment gap was bridged by the production of car bodies and repairs.
Start of the cooperation with Martin Nencki. Production and assembly of Nencki tippers for trucks and trailers.
Dr.jur. Emil Schnell joined the company as a representative of his wife in the function of a VR delegate.

1952
Extension of the workshop in a northerly direction up to the limit of the construction line, thus increasing the floor area to a total of 3,520 m2 (Hall 1).

1962
Construction of an assembly hall, also with a basement, and a courtyard covering 75m in the eastern direction (hall 2).
Takeover of the entire share capital by Fritz Grogg (1895-1974).

1968
Construction of another new assembly hall with basement of 1,550 m2 (Hall 3).

1970
Construction of a basement 2-storey office building of 420 m2 and various modernisation and renovation works.
Construction of hydraulically tiltable truck bridges. Retirement of Fritz Grogg. His son-in-law, Dr. Emil Schnell-Grogg, takes over the overall management.
Takeover of the general management for large orders and general agency for Drögmöller-Car spare parts.
Transfer of the shares to Nencki AG and the management to Sepp Käppeli.
Conversion of assembly hall 2 into a central material cutting shop.
Construction of a new painting shop, according to the latest principles, 18 m long with lifting platforms.
Modification of the old magazine into a showroom with reception hall for workshop customers. Courtyard and rear access road were redesigned and tarred.

1991
Consistent expansion of the coach service department.
Extensive new building planning for the construction of a new straightening plant for large vehicles, wheel alignment, bus service centre.
Start of new building realisation, site renovation.

1996
Completion of the hall for repair centre.

2001
Installation of the labelling studio inside the track hall.

2001
Hall construction for 2 painting cabins and a brake tester.

2002
Partial demolition of Hall 1 due to the open-cast construction of Rail 2000, extension of a repair hall of 1,310 m2, 800 m2 of which has a basement (tunnel hall).

2004
Calag Carrosserie Langenthal AG buys the company. Kurt Späti is the new managing director.

2008
Leasing of a 742 m2 workshop in Oensingen on Dünnernstrasse for service work. Opening of the service centre in Oensingen.

2008
Outsourcing of the lettering studio to a rented property of 625 m2 on Gaswerkstrasse in Langenthal.
Acquisition of the building right from the Burgergemeinde Langenthal for a plot of 27,755 m2 on Chasseralstrasse in Wolfhusenfeld.

2010/11
New building on Chasseralstrasse with a usable area of 12’610m2.
Relocation in December to the new property on Chasseralstrasse.

2013
125th anniversary of the company

2015
Commissioning of the 630.24 kWp strong and 3946.6 m2 large photovoltaic system on the roofs of the factory buildings in Langenthal.

2015
Acquisition of Bernische Carrosserie Gangloff AG and thus takeover of the agency CHEREAU-Kühlfahrzeuge in Switzerland.

2018
Entry into the construction and maintenance of aerial ropeways, funiculars and special cabins by purchasing this division from Gangloff Cabins AG