Founded in Wattwil in 1835 by Georg Philipp Heberlein, the well-known Swiss company was for decades first and foremost one of the leading printed fabrics specialists, later also a prominent producer of synthetic fibers (Helanca) and textile machinery. With the foundation of Gummiwerke Richterswil, hence the name Gurit, the Group started to build a second core competence in the field of synthetic materials. Apart from the automotive industry, where Gurit in cooperation with Essex/Dow during the last decades repeatedly triggered new developments in European car manufacturing by e.g. introducing the direct glazing technique or innovative sealing applications, Gurit built increasingly strong positions also in the fields of Health Care and Industrial Applications. In 2000 Gurit sold its stake in Gurit-Essex as a consequence of the globalisation trend to its JV-partner Dow Chemical. Gurit uses the resulting liquidity for the strategic expansion of the promising activities in the Health Care and Industrial Applications Divisions.