Our History

The Schnorf brothers set up a chemicals factory in Uetikon on Lake Zurich and begin to produce sulfuric acid, iron and copper sulfates. The factory is steadily enlarged over the subsequent decades by reclaiming land from the lake, and the company expands into soda and fertilizer production.

The Schnorf family diversifies, acquiring the Perlen paper factory (founded in 1872) as a related field within the chemical-technical process industry

The company “Gebrüder Schnorf” is converted into a joint stock company. By the turn of the century, the chemicals factory is the biggest in Switzerland with a workforce of some 200 personnel. The company has a 50% share of the Swiss sulfuric acid market and a 25% share of its fertilizer market. It is also the only supplier of salt, saltpeter and mixed acids.

New manufacturing unit for silica gels.

The CPH Chemie + Papier Holding AG located in Lucerne is formed.

Manufacturing unit for molecular sieves is added.

Zeochem is founded as a joint venture between Chemische Fabrik Uetikon AG and United Catalysts, a subsidiary of Süd-Chemie, in Louisville, Ky., USA, with a new manufacturing unit for zeolites.

ISO 9001 certificate is awarded.

CU Chemie Uetikon AG buys out Sud Chemie’s shares in United Catalysts and founds Zeochem LLC in Louisville Ky., USA.

CU Chemie Uetikon AG spins off the zeolite and silica gel businesses into a new entity, Zeochem AG.

The CPH Group acquires one of China’s leading manufacturers of molecular sieves, Jiangsu ALSIO Technology of the Jiangsu Feixiang Group.

Zeochem acquires Armar, manufacturer and distributor of deuterated solvents.

New production facility opens in Bosnia and Herzegovina to produce molecular sieves, chromatography gels and specialty zeolites.

Acquired Armar and started producing deuterated solvents at Zeochem’s Rüti, Switzerland facility.

Expanded production capabilities with a second lithium production line in Louisville, KY, doubling the capacity for adsorbents used in industrial and medical applications.

Zeochem moves to its new global headquarters in Rüti near Zurich in Switzerland. The central functions for the production of deuterated solvents are also located on the premises.

Installed a multipurpose reactor in Rüti, Switzerland, significantly increasing production capacity for deuterated compounds.

Enhanced production at Zeochem d.o.o. in Bosnia & Herzegovina with the capacity expansion of the Purmol powder line.

Launched a new line of High-Performance molecular sieves.

Completed construction of a dedicated office building in Louisville, KY, incorporating state-of-the-art Quality Control and R&D laboratories.

Completed construction of a new Zeochem LTD Administration building and dormitories at our production site in Donghai, China to support Zeochem’s growing needs.

CPH Group AG spin-off of paper business and bundling with real estate in Perlen to form Perlen Industrieholding AG.

Strengthened global presence by acquiring Swambe Chemical and Sorbed India, rebranded as Sorbchem, headquartered in Vadodara, India