Swiss manufacturer of the modular USM Haller furniture system made of steel, produced at the Münsingen headquarters.
USM U. Schärer Söhne AG
Münsingen (Headquarters) · Bern · Hamburg · Munich · Paris · Shanghai · Tokyo · New YorkNew on Amplifa
About USM
USM U. Schärer Söhne AG was founded in 1885 by Ulrich Schärer as a metal workshop in Münsingen and is today run as a Swiss public limited company in the fourth generation. The company manufactures the modular USM Haller furniture system with the patented ball connector from steel and sheet steel, complemented by the product lines USM Kitos, USM Display and USM Haller E. Production takes place to order in the purpose-built plant in Münsingen, where robot-assisted manufacturing technology is combined with craftsmanship. Services include individual planning and configuration via an interactive 3D configurator, manufacturing, delivery and assembly, as well as lifelong support and retrofitting of the furniture. With over 900 sales partners in 70 countries, USM supplies customers in office, residential, retail, hospitality, library and aviation sectors; showrooms are located in Bern, Hamburg, Munich, Paris, Shanghai, Tokyo and New York.
- Site
- Münsingen
- Processes
- Modular furniture system (USM Haller) – manufacturing and assembly to order, Window fittings (espagnolette bolts) – manufacturing (historical), Precision machining of sheet steel, Individual planning and configuration of furniture (3D configurator), Configuration/planning (3D configurator), Production, Delivery and assembly, Lifelong support/retrofitting
- Materials
- Steel, Sheet steel
- Certificates
- Greenguard, Cradle to Cradle
- Founded
- 1885
- Employees
- 460
- Industries
- Office/work environments, Residential, Retail, Hospitality, Libraries, Aviation
- 01
Planning and 3D configuration
- 02
Precision machining of steel and sheet steel
- 03
Robot-assisted manufacturing
- 04
Assembly to order
- 05
Delivery and installation
- 06
Lifelong support and retrofitting
Materials & Processes
Steel
Base material of the USM Haller ball connectors and tubes; highly recyclable.
Sheet steel
Precision-machined sheet for panels and insert shelves of the furniture systems.
Locations
Münsingen
CHHeadquarters and production
- Lot size
- Manufacturing to order
- Materials
- Steel, sheet steel
- Robot-assisted manufacturing machines
Bern
CHShowroom
Hamburg
DEShowroom
Munich
DEShowroom
Paris
FRShowroom
Shanghai
CNShowroom
Tokyo
JPShowroom
New York
USShowroom and offices
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modular furniture system (USM Haller) – manufacturing and assembly to orderAssembly | – | – | – | – | Steel, Sheet |
| Window fittings (espagnolette bolts) – manufacturing (historical)Metalworking | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Precision machining of sheet steelMachining | – | – | – | – | Sheet steel |
| Individual planning and configuration of furniture (3D configurator)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
1 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robot-assisted manufacturing machines ("cutting-edge robotic machinery") | – | – | – | – | Münsingen, Switzerland |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
Every door is tested through 40,000 opening and closing cycles; strict internal quality standards ensure decades of use. USM Haller and USM Kitos M are Cradle-to-Cradle certified.
| Evidence | Münsingen |
|---|---|
| Greenguard | |
| Cradle to Cradle |
History
- 1885
Ulrich Schärer founds a metal workshop in Münsingen
- 1920
Start of production of window fittings (espagnolette bolts)
- 1961
Paul Schärer Jr. joins the company; Fritz Haller is commissioned with the new factory building
- 1962
Development of the USM Haller furniture system with Fritz Haller
- 1965
Patent for the ball connectors; new factory in Münsingen opened
- 1969
Start of series production of the USM Haller system; first major order from Rothschild Bank Paris
- 1988
USM Haller recognized as applied art
- 1989
Introduction of the USM Display presentation system
- 1990
Introduction of the modular USM Kitos table system
- 1995
USM equips the new National Library of France
- 1996
Introduction of the USM Inos interior organization system
- 2000
Alexander Schärer becomes CEO
- 2001
USM Haller included in the MoMA design collection
- 2004
USM equips 15 floors of the Gherkin (Swiss Re) in London
- 2007
Greenguard certification as the first European company
- 2017
Launch of USM Haller E with integrated lighting and power supply
- 2018
Cradle-to-Cradle certification for USM Haller and Kitos M
- 2019
Opening of the "future offices" at the Münsingen headquarters
- 2022
Launch of the electromechanical lock C with accompanying app
- 2026
Launch of USM Haller Soft Panel