The Debrunner Koenig Group is a leading supplier of steel for construction, industry and trade. It is worth taking a closer look at the St.Gallen-based company, which is rich in tradition, because its history begins as early as 1755 in St.Gallen.
Foundation stone laid in St.Gallen
The Debrunner Koenig Group was founded in 1755 as "Hochreutinersche Eisenwarenhandlung" in St.Gallen. 130 years later, Jean Debrunner took over the company, gave it the name "Debrunner & Cie." and continued to expand. In 1970, the company headquarters were moved from Marktgasse to Hinterlauben 8 - to the birthplace of the St. Gallen reformer Joachim Vadian.
Then and now
A location steeped in history as headquarters
In the heart of St.Gallen's city center: the Debrunner Koenig Group's headquarters have been located at Hinterlauben 8 for over 50 years. It's worth taking a look inside. Murals, old wooden walls, sandstone stairs and beautiful wooden windows. The fact that these contemporary witnesses are so well preserved is thanks to the Debrunner Koenig Group, which, with the involvement of experts, is specifically committed to preserving the property. In this way, the history of the city of St.Gallen continues to live on and is being brought into the modern age.
From hardware store to wholesale company
Today, the Debrunner Koenig Group is one of the leading Swiss wholesale companies for construction, industry and commerce with over 30 locations. It employs over 1,400 people throughout Switzerland and trains around 100 apprentices.
The product range is divided into four business areas and extends from reinforcing steel and technology, steel and metals to an extensive range of over 160,000 items for tradesmen and women.
Digitalization does not stop at the Debrunner Koenig Group. For years, it has been consciously investing in digital solutions for customers and employees. This includes a powerful e-shop for the "Steel & Metals" and "Technical Products" divisions.
In 2022, the Debrunner Koenig Group was awarded third place in the retail sector for its digital transformation by the data company Statista and the business journals "Finanz und Wirtschaft" and "Bilanz".
With the bws® management systems, the Debrunner Koenig Group has recognized the potential of optimized warehouse and materials management. The company has already developed various solutions together with customers.
Future-oriented and sustainable
For the Debrunner Koenig Group and its 1,400 employees, sustainability means acting responsibly. In its activities, it always keeps an eye on environmental aspects and optimizes its processes as quickly as possible - and not just through regular audits. For example, the company is CO2-neutral, implements energy-saving measures and increasingly uses renewable sources.
The Group is committed to dual vocational training and thus promotes young Swiss professionals. Until 2022, the Debrunner Koenig Group was a long-standing gold sponsor of the Swiss national vocational team - the SwissSkills team. The company is now focusing even more strongly on the skilled trades and will continue to award the Debrunner Acifer Trophy, which recognizes the top achievements of Swiss vocational champions.
This article was created in collaboration with the Debrunner Koenig Group.