Traditional Swiss glassworks: mouth-blown and hand-cast glass products, custom commissions and awards
Hergiswiler Glas AG
Hergiswil am See (CH)New on Amplifa
About Glasi Hergiswil
Hergiswiler Glas AG, known as Glasi Hergiswil, is a glassworks founded in 1817 on the shores of Lake Lucerne in Hergiswil am See (Canton Nidwalden). The family-owned company produces mouth-blown glass products such as glasses, wine glasses, carafes, plates, bowls, vases, wind lights, glass animals and Christmas items, as well as hand-cast glass panels and objects. In addition, individual custom-made products are offered to measure, such as lamp glass, glass blocks, one-of-a-kind pieces and exclusive awards for honours and companies, as well as engraving and personalisation of glass products. Production takes place in traditional glassblowing and artistic glassblowing (apparatus glassblowing) with tank furnaces (currently 4 tonnes melting capacity), complemented by mould making, quality control and an own warehouse and shipping area. Alongside manufacturing, the Glasi operates a visitor centre with a museum, glass labyrinth, glass archive and Glasi restaurant, as well as a webshop with German- and English-speaking customer service.
- Site
- Hergiswil am See
- Processes
- Mouth-blown glass / glassblowing (glassmaker), Hand casting of glass panels/glass objects, Individual custom commissions made to measure (lamp glass, glass blocks, objects, awards), Engraving of glass products, Apparatus glassblowing / artistic glassblowing (job advertisement), Mould making, Quality control, Custom commissions made to measure (e.g. lamp glass, glass blocks)
- Materials
- Glass (transparent, mouth-blown, hand-cast), Glass (transparent), Mouth-blown glass / glassblowing, Hand casting, Apparatus glassblowing / artistic glassblowing, Engraving / personalisation
- Certificates
- ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1817
- Industries
- Glass manufacturing / glass craft, Gift and decorative items, Corporate gifts / awards, Gastronomy, Tourism, Tourism / excursion destination
- 01
Tank furnace / melting
- 02
Mouth-blown production (glassblowing)
- 03
Hand casting of glass panels and objects
- 04
Mould making
- 05
Engraving / personalisation
- 06
Quality control
- 07
Warehouse and shipping
Materials and Processes
Glass (transparent)
Base material for mouth-blown products, hand-cast panels and objects.
Mouth-blown glass / glassblowing
Core process for glasses, vases, animals and decorative items.
Hand casting
Hand-cast glass panels, including for the glass tower comprising 672 panels.
Apparatus glassblowing / artistic glassblowing
Craft process reserved for special glazing and individual glass objects.
Engraving / personalisation
Individual inscription of glass products, currently with a processing time of approx. 21 days.
Site Hergiswil am See
Hergiswil am See
CHHeadquarters, glassworks, production, museum, shops, gastronomy
- Lot size
- Prototype to small series (custom commissions) as well as series products
- Materials
- Glass
- Tank furnace (4 t, 2020)
- Melting furnace (2004)
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mouth-blown glass / glassblowing (glassmaker)Casting | – | – | – | – | Glas |
| Hand casting of glass panels/glass objectsCasting | – | – | – | – | Glas |
| Individual custom commissions made to measure (lamp glass, glass blocks, objects, awards)Casting | – | – | – | – | Glas |
| Engraving of glass productsSurface | – | – | – | – | Glas |
| Apparatus glassblowing / artistic glassblowing (job advertisement)Casting | – | – | – | – | Glas |
| Mould makingEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Quality controlTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tank furnace (4 tonnes) | – | 1 | – | 2020 | Hergiswil am See, Seestrasse 12 |
| Tank furnace (4 tonnes) | – | 1 | – | 2012 | Hergiswil am See, Seestrasse 12 |
| Melting furnace | – | 1 | – | 2004 | Hergiswil am See, Seestrasse 12 |
Additional services
Quality
Production is accompanied by an in-house quality control; second-choice products are sold separately. Certifications are not documented.
| Evidence | Hergiswil am See |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1723
The Siegwart family builds its first glassworks in the Entlebuch (Flühli).
- 1817
Relocation to Hergiswil; construction of the glassworks on the shore of Lake Lucerne.
- 1975
Rescue of the glassworks, which was on the verge of closure, by Roberto Niederer, the municipality and the workforce; re-establishment as Hergiswiler Glas AG.
- 1988
Death of Roberto Niederer; son Robert Niederer takes over as principal shareholder and general manager.
- 1992
Opening of the museum 'Shaped by Fire'.
- 1994
Acquisition of the 'Adler' inn, opening of the Glasi Park and the adventure tour 'Phenomenal Glass'.
- 1996/1997
Conversion into the 'Glasi Restaurant Adler'; opening of the glass archive.
- 2002
Opening of the exhibition 'Glass Jewels' (largest collection of historic Flühli glasses).
- 2004
Construction of a new melting furnace; furnace journey begins February 2005.
- 2010
Opening of Switzerland's first glass labyrinth (77 glass walls on 100 m²).
- 2012
Construction of a new 4-tonne tank furnace.
- 2017
20 m high glass tower for the 200th anniversary (24 t of steel, 672 hand-cast glass panels).
- 2018
Leandro Niederer is elected to the Board of Directors in the third generation.
- 2020
Leandro Niederer takes over overall management at the age of 29; construction of a new 4-tonne tank furnace.
- 2022
Robert Niederer dies at the age of 68; Leandro Niederer continues to lead the company.
- 2025
Opening of the exhibition 'Glass Garden'; Glasi Restaurant Adler back under own management.