Ravensburger Str. 128–134
88276 Berg/Ravensburg
Germany
P +49 751 89-0
F +49 751 89-1300
How it all began…
with around 1.65 billion people inhabiting the Earth. The second industrial revolution is now poised to take the world by storm, ushering in a new era of assembly line production. The World’s Fair in Paris showcases fantastic technological advancements, while RAFI in Ravensburg sets out on its own unique path of innovation.
Some 125 years later, we reflect on all that has transpired since then – with a sense of pride rather than nostalgia. We do so because the future has to come from somewhere, while also demanding ideas, inspiration, and vision – but most importantly, the future needs courage and the unyielding determination to abandon obsolete ways of doing things while breaking new ground.
Join us on an exhilarating journey through time and allow us to ignite your inspiration along the way – with milestones that have made history.
On November 15, Ernst Bucher ventured into self-employment by starting an electrical company in Ravensburg, laying the cornerstone for the entire RAFI enterprise to come.
Under the name “Institut für Elektrotechnik Optik & Mechanik,” the company became known for its development and manufacturing of switches and nurse call systems.
At the same time, the Paris World’s Fair presented incredible technical innovations that went on to revolutionize the 20th century, including the diesel engine, films accompanied by sound (the first talkies), and the opening of the Paris Metro.
Was the “Maggi” bouillon cube the favorite spice of the person who lent our company its name? We don’t know exactly – but in the same year 1908 that the world-famous Maggi bouillon cube saw its initial market launch, Raimund Finsterhölzl acquired ownership of the Institut für Elektrotechnik Optik & Mechanik.
He wasn’t just our company’s owner but also its #namesake. “RAFI” is derived from the first two letters of his first and last name – RA-imund FI-nsterhölzl. A pretty RAFI-ned name, don’t you think?
Both left their mark on history in 1912: In the same year that the Titanic went down in the frigid North Atlantic, RAFI was also officially registered as a trademark at the Imperial Patent Office. Registration of the “RAFI” brand and products provided them with legal protection. Then as now, the RAFI brand stands for quality and stability.
While the Titanic found its tragic end, RAFI took the opportunity to accelerate to full speed.
RAFI supplied made-to-order pushbuttons to the Vatican in 1935. However, these were no ordinary switches, as they were adorned with the Vatican logo and also seamlessly integrated into the existing furnishings. The switches were positioned at the ends of the curtain rods that housed the cables leading to the lamps, so that the switches and cables remained nearly invisible.
The following year, American athlete Jesse Owens set a new record at the Olympic Games held in Berlin, winning a gold medal with a long jump of 8.06 meters.
In 1947, turbulent weather conditions were experienced throughout Germany, with a harsh winter resulting in famine. This was followed by an exceptionally hot summer that brought with it failed harvests, malnutrition, and disease.
In the midst of these challenging times, Werner Raimund Finsterhölzl-Vernière, the son of Raimund Finsterhölzl, assumed control of the company and guided RAFI into a new era.
From crisis to the largest industrial trade fair: In 1958, RAFI exhibited its electromechanical components at the Hannover Messe, marking the beginning of its journey to becoming an international enterprise.
The first “LUMOTAST” illuminated pushbuttons and the square “DOMINO program” were shown. At the same time, the hula hoop conquered Europe and became a popular toy for adults and children alike. Just as with the hula hoop, RAFI brought a certain degree of speed and momentum to the game!
The removal boxes were packed and RAFI relocated from the city to a countryside location near the river in 1966, moving from Ravensburg to Berg on the Schussen.
The country air provided a refreshing change, just as RAFI switches were becoming ever more prevalent in the high-tech applications of the era. The image depicts the control room of a coal-fired power plant – operated with RAFI key switches.
Once a true sensation, now an essential part of everyday life: keyboards. The first RAFI keyboard was designed and manufactured in 1970.
Fun fact: Special nail protection was developed for keyboards to prevent longer fingernails from breaking off during typing. Not only were the keyboards of the time optimized, but television also saw significant progress: the German news program Tagesschau was broadcast in color for the first time.
This was a sentiment shared both by the astronauts of the Apollo 17 mission, who journeyed to the moon for the first time in 1972, and RAFI, which relocated all of its branch offices (previously scattered around Weingarten/Ravensburg) to Berg in the very same year.
Fun fact: At the new location, there was even a company-owned filling station for all RAFI employees, complete with its own gas station attendant to pump the gas for you. Maybe something people would still appreciate today?
Up until then, key switches and signal lamps had been attached separately to machines. The RAFI illuminated pushbutton “LUMOTAST 75” integrates a lamp and key switch into a single component. Launched in 1975, it remains available today. The company marked its 50th anniversary that year.
The Vietnam War ended 50 years ago: Following the victory of the communists, many South Vietnamese sought refuge in the US embassy as the last Americans fled the country.
… and gets started with computer systems! In 1981, American company IBM brought the first personal computer to the market, the “PC 5150.” You would need pretty strong muscles to take this computer home with you and work on a mobile basis, as is common today.
The focus at the time was on key switches, but now complete systems were being manufactured. It’s remarkable that the first “RF15” and “RF19” systems – basically the ancestors of all RAFI systems – are still in use today.
In 1982, RAFI became the first company in the region to implement flex-time and part-time work, a groundbreaking concept so innovative that German newspaper Bild am Sonntag reported on it. The RAFI Works Council Heads were even invited to appear on talk shows.
On September 19 of the same year, student Scott E. Fahlman invented the smiley-face emoji :-) and proposed that the combination of characters be used for e-mail communication. And it’s a good thing he did, because without this cute emoji, our e-mail communications would often take on a more serious tone than we intended, right? :-)
Up until this point, TV-based teletext sites were used exclusively for information retrieval. However, since 1984 it has been possible to communicate with the system interactively. Users needed special terminals, keyboards, and decoders to do so.
RAFI developed a complete package of all three components, which even enabled teleshopping in the form of low-res “block graphics.” RAFI was one of five suppliers of BTX devices (for on-screen text) in Europe.
The fascination with “blocks” extended beyond teletext to the popular video game “Tetris,” a classic that remains a cultural staple to this very day, first taking off in the Soviet Union and then conquering the entire world.
In 1987, the two owners of RAFI, Werner Finsterhölzl-Verniere and Rolf Kreeb, made the decision to sell the company. RAFI was acquired by the Hoesch steel group, which was diversifying its business at the time. This is how our company became part of Hoesch AG, later Krupp-Hoesch AG.
At the same time, American programmer Steve Wilhite created the first “GIF” file. What sort of GIF might RAFI employees have sent upon learning about the news?
In 1988, American computer scientist R.T. Morris unleashed chaos when a programming error resulted in the unintended spread of malware that damaged computer systems through system overloads and failures. The destructive code is known today as the “Morris Worm”.
Fortunately, there were no bugs in the software when RAFI produced the BTX-ISDN adapter for the first time for the company AVM Berlin, marking the initial step taken toward today’s Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS). The adapter facilitated quicker and more dependable connections through the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), reducing the number of necessary devices from three to one. Magic! We continue to mass-produce FRITZ! boxes for AVM today.
Most likely everyone, as the Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989 – a significant historical event that paved the way to the reunification of Germany. At the same time, Hoesch AG invested heavily in RAFI and put state-of-the-art equipment for sheet metal processing, film technology, and SMD assembly into operation. The result was a heightened level of quality with new possibilities.
Two great reasons to let the champagne corks pop!
That’s Hungarian for “Welcome to the team.” In 1991, we used these words to welcome our new location in Hungary. The strategic decision to expand into this market laid the groundwork for our international presence.
The World Wide Web was also launched in 1991. Tim Berners-Lee published the first website, ushering in a new era of interconnection – the Internet as we know it today.
– and we’ve been doing so since 1993. The quality management system in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001 was rolled out here to ensure the highest standards across all areas of the enterprise. This vision was brought to life with the help of 650 dedicated employees.
In that same year, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk for ending apartheid in South Africa – a monumental step towards peace and reconciliation.
In 1994, RAFI returned to its roots, transforming itself back into a private enterprise. Former head of design at RAFI Albert Wasmeier repurchased the company from Hoesch AG and subsequently brought Gerhard Schenk and Michael Holeczek on board as co-shareholders in the venture.
Rail transport also experienced a turning point in its history with the merger of Deutsche Bundesbahn (West Germany) with Deutsche Reichsbahn (East Germany). The result is today’s Deutsche Bahn AG.
1996: As the Spice Girls dominated the charts with their iconic and unforgettable anthem “Wannabe,” another star appeared on the horizon at RAFI: the RACON 12 tactile switch!
Following its market launch, the tactile switch was rapidly adopted for use with a wide variety of operating systems thanks to its great versatility. It features an unmistakable key switch click, excellent switching reliability, a tightly engineered contact system, and readiness for encapsulation. Our star has thus become the benchmark in many industries.
In 2005, RAFI expanded to include two more locations. First, Elcoteq in Überlingen, now known as RAFI Eltec GmbH, joined the RAFI Group. In addition, the new RAFI Systec GmbH & Co. KG location was established in Bad Waldsee.
Historic events were also taking place on the global stage: Angela Merkel was elected Germany’s first female chancellor after Gerhard Schröder’s missteps in handling the crucial ‘C’ (‘chancellor’) question. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, originally from Marktl in Upper Bavaria, was elected as Pope by the conclave. He chose the name Benedict XVI for himself.
In 2008, when Barack Obama became the first African-American president in the USA, RAFI achieved a significant milestone as well: international expansion with the founding of RAFI Electronics Co. Ltd. in Shanghai, China!
More than 140 employees now work on site in the areas of electronics production, material processing, assembly, testing, qualification, and traceability.
Obama said, “Yes, we can!” – and we thought, “Yes, we can expand!”
In 2012, South Korean artist Psy released the music video for “Gangnam Style,” the first video on YouTube to surpass one billion views. While the world danced to “Gangnam Style,” RAFI went about creating a “touch style” of its own, building its own touch sensor production facility for capacitive operating systems known as GLASSCAPE. Standard sensors with touch controller boards, custom designs, or touchscreens featuring force detection, all presented in the distinctive “RAFI style.”
In 2020, the world was turned upside down: lockdowns, working from home, and online classes. Suddenly, “normal life” was anything but. Amidst masks, disinfectants, and vaccine development, it was crucial to stand firm in the face of the storm.
In these challenging times, our new owner in the form of global investment firm @Oaktree provided support and unveiled new perspectives for the future. The year challenged us all but also demonstrated the extent of potential change.
… is the color of our brand-new location. We have started building our new plant in Bad Waldsee - with plenty of green power. Our energy concept relies entirely on geothermal energy and does not use any fossil fuels. We were awarded a gold medal for sustainability and social responsibility (CSR) by the assessment agency EcoVadis 2024. This puts us in the top five percent of companies assessed. The global rating platform has produced more than two million sustainability assessments to date, evaluating around 130,000 companies from over 220 sectors according to leading standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and ISO 26000. And the same applies for 2025: we're staying tuned!
