Manufacturer of cam switches, main switches and switch disconnectors for industrial applications.
Kraus & Naimer Produktion GmbH
Vienna · Weikersdorf am Steinfelde · Karlsruhe · Pereszteg · Wellington · São Paulo · Somerset, NJNew on Amplifa
About Kraus & Naimer
Kraus & Naimer is an Austrian manufacturer of electromechanical low-voltage switching devices headquartered in Vienna. The company produces cam switches, main switches, control and load switches, switch disconnectors, repair and safety switches as well as custom switch solutions based on a modular system with more than 15,000 individual parts. Manufacturing includes plastics processing (injection moulding of thermoplastics such as polyamide for housings), metalworking for switch components, development and assembly. Materials used include plastics, copper, gold as contact material and stainless steel for housings. The products are used in transport (railways, vehicles, ships), conveying systems, elevator systems, mechanical engineering, power generation and distribution, photovoltaics, the food industry and emergency power systems. The family-owned company operates six production plants (Weikersdorf, Karlsruhe, Wellington, São Paulo, Somerset NJ, Pereszteg) and around 19 sales companies with approximately 900 employees worldwide, producing around 4 million switches per year for 62 represented countries.
- Site
- Wien
- Processes
- Manufacture of cam switches based on a modular system, Main switch manufacturing, Control and load switch manufacturing, Switch disconnectors (incl. photovoltaic DC switch disconnector KGD40), Custom switches (mass customization, modular system with over 15,000 individual parts), Plastics processing/injection moulding of thermoplastics (polyamides) for switch housings, Metalworking for switching device components (metal technology as an apprenticed trade/production, Assembly of switching devices (assembly facility Weikersdorf)
- Materials
- Plastic (Bakelite, historical), Polyamide (thermoplastic), Copper, Gold (contact material), Stainless steel (switch housings), Gold, Stainless steel
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001:2015 (Karlsruhe site), UL, CSA, CCC
- Founded
- 1907
- Employees
- 900
- Industries
- Transport (railways, vehicles, ships), Conveying systems, Elevator systems, Mechanical engineering, Power generation and electricity distribution, Photovoltaics
- 01
Engineering/Development
- 02
Plastics processing (thermoplastics)
- 03
Metalworking
- 04
Assembly
- 05
Quality assurance/metrology
- 06
Logistics & Sales
Materials & Processes
Polyamide (thermoplastic)
Injection moulding into housings for switch disconnectors and safety switches.
Copper
Current-carrying components and contacts in switching devices.
Gold
Contact material for reliable electrical contacts.
Stainless steel
Housings for repair and safety switches in the maintenance sector.
Sites
Vienna
ATHeadquarters, sales/administration
Weikersdorf am Steinfelde
ATProduction (largest plant), assembly, apprenticeship training
- Lot size
- From smallest lot sizes to high-volume series
- Materials
- Plastic (polyamide), copper, gold, metal
- Injection moulding systems
- Assembly facility
- Metrology and testing laboratories
- Photovoltaic system (2021)
Karlsruhe
DEProduction (closure announced for April 2026)
Pereszteg
HUProduction
Wellington
NZProduction (since 1978)
São Paulo
BRProduction (since 1979)
Somerset, NJ
USProduction (since 1981)
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacture of cam switches based on a modular systemAssembly | – | – | – | Smallest lot sizes – 4 million switches annually | Plastic, Copper, Gold |
| Main switch manufacturingAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Control and load switch manufacturingAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Switch disconnectors (incl. photovoltaic DC switch disconnector KGD40)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Custom switches (mass customization, modular system with over 15,000 individual parts)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Plastics processing/injection moulding of thermoplastics (polyamides) for switch housingsPlastics | – | – | – | – | Polyamide (thermoplastics) |
| Metalworking for switching device components (metal technology as an apprenticed trade/productionMachining | – | – | – | – | Metal |
| Assembly of switching devices (assembly facility Weikersdorf)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Development of low-voltage switching devicesEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Testing/metrology and quality assurance (production metrology, metrology and testing laboratories)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
Comprehensive quality assurance with production metrology and metrology and testing laboratories; the products comply with international regulations and certifications (ISO 9001:2015, UL, CSA, CCC, IEC/EN 60947).
| Evidence | Vienna | Weikersdorf | Karlsruhe | Pereszteg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 | ||||
| UL | ||||
| CSA | ||||
| CCC |
History
- 1907
Founded by Franz Kraus and Lorenz Naimer in Vienna (Wattgasse 53)
- 1909
Renamed Kraus & Naimer; headquarters on Schumanngasse
- 1912
Relocation to Schumanngasse 35, Währing
- 1947
Hubert Laurenz Naimer takes over management
- 1948
World's first cam switch in modular design (C15)
- 1962
Second production plant in Karlsruhe (Germany)
- 1968-1970
Construction of the largest production site in Weikersdorf (Lower Austria)
- 1978
Production plant Wellington, New Zealand
- 1979
Production plant São Paulo, Brazil
- 1981
Production plant Somerset NJ, USA; Joachim Laurenz Naimer joins the executive board
- 1989/1990
Assembly facility in Weikersdorf added
- 1994
World's smallest cam switch (CA4N) introduced
- 2000
Production plant Pereszteg, Hungary
- 2004
Joachim Laurenz Naimer leads the company in the third generation
- 2013
Weikersdorf plant expanded to roughly double its size
- 2021
Photovoltaic system commissioned at the Weikersdorf plant
- 2026
Announcement of the closure of the Karlsruhe plant and consolidation on Austria and Hungary