Eugen Elmiger is known among his workforce for his intelligence and spontaneity. We put the maxon CEO through his paces in our rapid-fire interview. Three minutes to talk about the past, present, and future at maxon. Let’s go!

Our experts for aerospace applications, SpaceLab, medical technology, industrial automation, and mobility solutions indulge in visions of the future – five predictions of what is in store for maxon and the world 60 years from now. The future!

After the factory building in Sachseln had been completed, Interelectric LTD began producing shearing foils for electric razors of Braun GmbH. At the time, there were 17 employees. The technological basis of the company was a technical process called galvanoplasty or electroforming.

Soon afterwards, a separate development department for electromechanical devices was created at the Sachseln location. In 1967, Braun GmbH was sold to the American company Gillette.

Following up on the groundbreaking work on DC minimotors that had been carried out in the company's own R&D department, the engineers were able to develop an entire range of models of DC motors in record time. At the same time, the engineers in Sachseln patented the manufacturing process for the ironless rotor with the diamond-shaped winding. The absence of iron in the rotor almost doubled the efficiency of the motor in comparison with traditional DC motors. This laid the cornerstone for all of the company's subsequent innovations.

In 1970, the DC motors were registered under the trademark maxon.

In the 70s, maxon motors were put to use in applications such as calculators or video and cassette devices.

In 1979, Interelectric LTD in Munich launched its first subsidiary under the name maxon motor GmbH. At the time, almost 50 percent of production was sold in the Federal Republic of Germany.

In 1988, the quality system of Interelectric AG was awarded the SQS certification (SQS = Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems). This made Interelectric LTD one of the first seven companies in Switzerland to meet the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard. In the same year, the first electrically commutated motors were introduced under the name “maxon BL motor EC040-070”. The abbreviation BL stood for “brushless”.

In the second half of 1989, Interelectric opened a small production plant in Sexau (Germany) for the manufacturing of planetary and spur gearheads. Interelectric LTD continued to expand internationally. Not just in Europe, but particularly in East Asia.

On July 4, 1997, the NASA probe Pathfinder landed on Mars. On board, it had the “Sojourner,” the first human-built motorized vehicle on the surface of Mars. The mobile robot was driven by 11 maxon DC motors.

The NASA Mars vehicle “Spirit” successfully landed on the red planet on January 4, 2004. “Opportunity,” the second NASA vehicle, reached the surface of Mars on January 25, 2004. The two Mars rovers were both powered by 39 DC drives each, manufactured by maxon motor. Then and now, the motors were used for the drives of the robot arms, the rock abrasion tool (RAT), the control mechanism, and the camera operation. The motors also power the six high-tech wheels. The maxon motors needed only a few small adjustments to get them ready for the extremely tough conditions on Mars. The devices had to be able to withstand the high temperature fluctuations from approx. -120 °C to +25 °C, as well as vibration, impacts and the unique atmosphere.

Also in 2004, the maxon motor group opened the new production building in Veszprém, Hungary, where components for the drive system are manufactured.

In response to the growing importance of medical technology at the beginning of the twenty-first century, the maxon medical division was launched in Sachseln in 2007.

maxon medical is specialized in the production of high-precision drives for the medical field. For example, for insulin pumps, prostheses, or surgical robots. The company strictly adheres to the quality and service requirements of the medical field. Today, maxon medical is certified under ISO 13485.

Shortly after the record sales in 2008 (CHF 300 million), the financial crisis put the brakes on the world economy. In 2009, maxon motor had a difficult business year. The expected fall in revenue was buffered by broad diversification and the acquisition of important projects. At -16%, the decrease in sales was less than originally feared.

In 2011, maxon motor looks back on half a century of history: 50 years of innovation, quality, and continuity. In the 50 years of its existence, maxon motor ag has driven innovation and set new standards for high-precision drive systems.

In January 2013, production of the EC-i 40 brushless DC motors begins at the new maxon motor site in South Korea. The new production site also strengthens the service offering for the entire region of East Asia.

In the same year, Aerosuisse, the umbrella organization for the Swiss aerospace industry, chooses maxon motor ag as the winner of its annual award.

The Heavy Duty motor EC 22 HD, innovation of the year in 2010, is joined by a larger and more powerful version. The new, electronically commutated EC-4pole 32 HD motor has all the features of the award-winning 22 mm motor. It is designed for extremely rough operating conditions, particularly applications in deep drilling. This 480 W powerhouse survives 200 °C, 1000 G, -5000 m, and 1700 bar.

For the first time in history, maxon drives land on a comet. For 10 years, the European space probe Rosetta traveled through space to reach the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The lander Philae now sits on the comet's surface and has already sent a wealth of scientific data. After surviving 10 years in vacuum, two maxon DC motors with a diameter of 13 millimeters have lowered a measuring device to the ground.

In October 2014, maxon strengthens its presence in France by integrating its long-standing sales partner mdp SAS into the group.

The ETH Zurich organizes the the first Cybathlon, an event in which machine-assisted pilots compete against each other in six disciplines. The Cybathlon is attended by more than 80 teams from all over the world. maxon supported the event right from the start as a sponsor and partner. For example, maxon trainees build the elevating podium for wheelchairs. In addition, many participating teams receive technical support by maxon engineers. Due to the great success, the Cybathlon takes place again in 2020—with maxon as a Presenting Partner.

In November 2018, maxon opened its new Innovation Center at its headquarters in Switzerland, after two years of construction. The new facility significantly expands the production of microdrives for use in medical technology. In order to fulfill the highest quality standards, state-of-the-art cleanrooms have been integrated. In addition, various R&D departments find a home in the six-floor building. A solar panel system on the rooftop delivers 180 megawatt-hours of energy every year.

maxon continues its growth by acquiring the British drive motor manufacturer Parvalux Electric Motors Ltd. The company brings more than 70 years of experience to the table and has just under 200 employees. With this step, maxon adds DC motors of up to 1.5 kW to its portfolio, as well as AC motors and worm gears—another important step toward becoming a provider of complete systems.

The first production site in the USA opens in March 2019. The facility in Taunton, Massachusetts, offers space for design engineering, production, and sales. This significantly enhances maxon's presence in North America. Customers in the USA will benefit from even closer cooperation, as well as from a localized supply chain and accelerated order processing.