The only Swiss HPL manufacturer: laminated sheets, compact panels and composite panels for architecture, interior fitting and industry.
Argolite AG
Willisau (Headquarters & HPL Plant)New on Amplifa
About Argolite
Argolite AG has been producing High Pressure Laminate (HPL) at its Willisau site since 1953 and is the only Swiss manufacturer of this material in accordance with EN 438. The range includes thin laminates from 0.8 mm, compact panels up to 30 mm, aluminium compact composite panels, flame-retardant, magnetic, writable and antibacterial (Sanitized®) grades as well as outdoor panels for facades. On multi-daylight presses, individual small series are produced from a lot size of 1 – including pressing of customer prints (Argoprint) and textiles (Argotex), multi-colour layered compact panels as well as facing of carriers such as chipboard, MDF, gypsum fibre and rigid foam panels. In addition, Argolite offers a cutting and facing service, postforming products and the general agency for Polyrey and Dekodur for Switzerland. Customers include interior fitting, furniture and kitchen construction, hospitals, schools, public buildings, retail fit-out, the transport industry (lift, rail vehicle, bus, aircraft and shipbuilding) as well as outdoor applications. Since 2024 the AG has belonged to the Swisskrono Group, but remains independent.
- Site
- Willisau
- Processes
- HPL production (High Pressure Laminate, multi-daylight presses), Postforming (postformable HPL), Manufacture of compact panels up to 30 mm, Pressing of individually printed sheets (Argoprint), Pressing of fabrics (Argotex), Manufacture of multi-colour layered compact panels, Facing of carrier panels (chipboard, MDF, rigid foam) with HPL, Cutting service
- Materials
- HPL (High Pressure Laminate), HPL Compact, HPL Compact Plus, HPL Compact Prime, Compact Outdoor / Outdoor 2.0, Alukompakt, Alukompakt Outdoor & Outdoor 2.0, HPL 0.8 mm Postforming
- Certificates
- ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), ecobau / Minergie-Eco ecoBasis (Argolite HPL flame-retardant/magnetic), Sanitized® (antibacterial, tested annually), Fire behaviour EN 45545-2 R1 (rail vehicle construction), NFPA 130 (USA), ISO 9001, ISO 14001, EN 45545-2 R1 / NFPA 130, ecobau / Minergie-Eco ecoBasis, Sanitized® (tested annually)
- Founded
- 1953
- Employees
- approx. 75 (plus 2
- Industries
- Interior fitting, Furniture construction/kitchens, Bathroom/wellness, Public spaces, Hotels & gastronomy, Hospitals, care homes & laboratories
- 01
Storage of paper rolls
- 02
Resin impregnation (impregnating with melamine, drying, cutting)
- 03
Production on multi-daylight presses
- 04
Cutting (3 systems)
- 05
Finishing
- 06
Facing/lamination
- 07
Laboratory testing & final inspection of every panel
- 08
Logistics/delivery service
Products, Processes & Materials
High Pressure Laminate (SN EN 438 / ISO 4586)
Core product in 0.8–1.3 mm for furniture, walls, worktops and doors.
HPL Compact / Compact Plus / Prime
Self-supporting compact panels up to 30 mm for wet rooms, partition walls and direct bonding.
Alukompakt
With aluminium layers for increased stiffness and dimensional stability for door leaves and outdoor applications.
Flame-retardant HPL (RF2 / BKZ 5.3 / EN 45545-2 R1 / NFPA 130)
For escape routes, rail vehicles and public buildings.
Argoplax (Chipboard P2, MDF, Norit Gypsum Fibre)
Carrier panels faced with HPL on both sides for furniture and object construction.
Argoprint / Argotex / Natural Fibre
Pressing of individual prints, textiles and natural fibres into the HPL.
Polyrey & Dekodur HPL
General agency for Switzerland including solid-metal decors.
Compact & Alukompakt Outdoor 2.0
For facades, balcony cladding and horizontally stressed outdoor surfaces.
Sites
Willisau
CHHeadquarters, HPL plant: production, administration, warehouse
- Lot size
- from lot size 1
- Materials
- HPL, Compact, Alukompakt, Argoplax, Argoprint/Argotex
- Multi-daylight presses
- 3 cutting systems
- Finishing systems (2016/2018)
- Facing system (2022)
- Foil laminating system (2020)
- Cross-cut saw
- In-house laboratory
- Wood pellet energy centre
- Photovoltaic system 1'100 kWp
Components & Applications
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HPL production (High Pressure Laminate, multi-daylight presses)Plastics | – | – | – | Lot size 1 | Paper, Melamine resin, Phenolic resin |
| Postforming (postformable HPL)Plastics | – | – | – | – | HPL |
| Manufacture of compact panels up to 30 mmPlastics | – | – | – | – | HPL |
| Pressing of individually printed sheets (Argoprint)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Paper, Synthetic resin, Textile |
| Pressing of fabrics (Argotex)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Textile, Synthetic resin |
| Manufacture of multi-colour layered compact panelsPlastics | – | – | – | – | HPL |
| Facing of carrier panels (chipboard, MDF, rigid foam) with HPLPlastics | – | – | – | – | Chipboard, MDF, Polystyrene rigid foam, Gypsum fibre board |
| Cutting serviceMachining | – | – | – | – | HPL, Composite panels |
| Facing serviceJoining | – | – | – | – | HPL, Wood-based materials |
| Foil laminatingSurface | – | – | – | – | HPL, Foil |
| Individual small-batch production Just in Time (from lot size 1, 10 working days)Plastics | – | – | – | 1 | HPL |
| Product development and laboratory testing (including fluorescent materials)Engineering | – | – | – | – | HPL |
| Quality testing/final inspection according to EN 438 / ISO 4586Testing | – | – | – | – | HPL |
6 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-daylight presses | – | – | – | – | Willisau |
| Cutting system | – | 3 | – | 1999 (drit | Willisau |
| Finishing system | – | 2 | – | 2016 / 201 | Willisau |
| Facing system | – | 1 | – | 2022 | Willisau |
| Foil laminating system | – | 1 | – | 2020 | Willisau |
| Cross-cut saw | – | 1 | – | 2020 | Willisau |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
Permanent laboratory controls and a systematic final inspection of every single panel ensure product quality in accordance with EN 438 or ISO 4586; the internal standard regarding cleanliness is stricter. The quality management system is certified according to ISO 9001.
| Evidence | Willisau |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| ISO 14001 | |
| EN 45545-2 R1 / NFPA 130 | |
| ecobau / Minergie-Eco ecoBasis | |
| Sanitized® (tested annually) |
History
- 1937
Founding of the plywood factory 'Gebrüder Höchli' in Buchs AG by Adolf and Arthur Höchli
- 1951
Start of chipboard production with integrated facing system
- 1953
Start of synthetic resin panel production under the brand name Argolite
- 1961
Renaming to Argolite AG, new building in Willisau
- 1967
Membership in ICDLI
- 1978
New building for small-format production
- 1987
Strategic cooperation with Polyrey, takeover of the general agency for Switzerland
- 1989
New administration wing
- 1999
Installation of a third cutting system
- 2002
Certification according to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001
- 2010
Argolite collection with 40 new designs, custom product 'Argolite Architecture'
- 2012
New warehouse building with office wing
- 2016
New finishing system
- 2018
HPL BOX collection with STRATO Anti-Fingerprint; new automated finishing system
- 2019
New energy centre with wood pellets
- 2020
New foil laminating system + cross-cut saw; own pellet system
- 2022
Commissioning of new facing system
- 2023
Photovoltaic system with 5'500 m² and 1'100 kWp
- 2024
Change of ownership: Swisskrono buys shares of Argolite AG while ensuring independence
- 2025
Launch of the HPL BOX collection with over 200 solid colour decors, mineral decors and design lines 'HPL kreativ'