Company History

In 1924, Hermann Friedrich Bauer, goldsmith and supervisor, demonstrates entrepreneurial courage and drive and produces the first watch case and strap in gold supported by his sons Robert, Gustav and Eugen and a workforce of 3 employees.

In 1932 the first factory building is rented where 40 workers are employed and the production range is expanded.
Ruth Anneliese Bauer, daughter of Robert, takes up an apprenticeship in the company.

In May 1946 Edwin Walser enters the H. F. Bauer company and shortly after marries Ruth A. Bauer.

On the 25th anniversary of the company, exports are a substantial part of the
business and in 1948 the company has 200 employees.

In 1974 Edwin Walser founds the Walser-Bauer KG company for precious metal semifinished products, trading with precious metals and the production of dental alloys.

In 1999 the 75th anniversary of the H.F. Bauer company is celebrated together with the 25th anniversary of Walser-Bauer.

In 2003 Mr. Karlheinz Karner is the sole managing director of the company.

In 2004 The two companies merge to form the Bauer-Walser AG company.
Since the merger the focus of the company is once again clearly on the recycling of
precious metal waste and the manufacture of high quality precious metal semifinished
products for the jewellery and watchmaking industries.

2014 Bauer-Walser AG acquires the Geschwister Scheytt GmbH in Munich as a wholly-owned subsidiary - distribution of semi-finished precious metal products in Bavaria.

2015 Foundation of Hanauer Schmuckhalbzeug GmbH - sales company for precious
metal semi-finished products.

2017 In January, a new additional building with plenty of production and office space will be moved into. This measure added more than 1,500 m² of new production and office space. In another new building, an ashing plant for residues with state-of-the-art waste air purification technology was installed.

2019 Bauer-Walser AG acquires the Company R. Götze GmbH & Co. KG in Berlin as
awholly-owned subsidiary - distribution of semi-finished precious metal products
and goldsmith supplies.

2021 Bauer-Walser AG acquires the traditional Gold and Silver refinery
Carl Schaefer GmbH, Pforzheim.

In April 2023, Bauer-Walser AG took over the casting service, recycling and semi-finished products area of Franz Brenk GmbH & Co. KG from Kampfelbach.

After more than 20 years as chairman of the board, Mr. Karlheinz Karner withdrew from the active day-to-day business of Bauer-Walser AG in October 2023 and moved to the position of chairman of the board of trustees of the Bauer-Walser Foundation. The two board members of Bauer-Walser AG Bernd Augenstein and Timo Müller now form the dual leadership of the company.