The Wild (Heerbrugg) company (pronounced "vilt") was founded in 1921 in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. The company manufactured optical instruments, such as

surveying Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. A land surveying professional is ca ...

instruments,

microscope A microscope () is a laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic means being invisibl ...

s and instruments for

photogrammetry Photogrammetry is the science and technology of obtaining reliable information about physical objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring and interpreting photographic images and patterns of electromagnetic radiant ima ...

among others. The company changed its name several times, first being known as "Heinrich Wild, Werkstätte für Feinmechanik und Optik", then "Verkaufs-Aktiengesellschaft Heinrich Wild's Geodätische Instrumente", later "Wild Heerbrugg AG", later "Wild-Leitz". The company was linked with Leica in 1989, then it became part of Leica Holding B.V. Its subsidiary

Leica Geosystems Leica Geosystems (formerly known as Wild Heerbrugg or just Wild) based in eastern Switzerland produces products and systems for surveying and geographical measurement (geomatics). Its products employ a variety of technologies including GPS sa ...

AG became part of the Swedish

Hexagon AB Hexagon AB is a publicly listed global information technology company specializing in hardware and software digital reality that was founded in 1992 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. Hexagon's B share is listed on the list of large companie ...

Group of companies in 2005.

History

On 26 April 1921 the company Heinrich Wild, Werkstätte für Feinmechanik und Optik was founded in Heerbrugg by three Swiss personalities: * the surveyor and inventor Heinrich Wild from Glarus * the investor Jacob Schmidheiny from Balgach * and the geologist Dr. Robert Helbling from Flums.

Heinrich Wild Heinrich Wild (Mitlödi, Canton of Glarus, November 15, 1877 – Baden, Switzerland, Baden, Switzerland, December 26, 1951) was a Swiss businessman, industrial designer, and inventor who was the Entrepreneur, founder of Wild Heerbrugg, a Swiss opt ...

(1877–1951), a leading designer of geodetic and astronomical instruments, was born in

and began his career as an apprentice

surveyor Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. A land surveying professional is ca ...

. In 1908, having invented a military rangefinder and convinced Zeiss to manufacture it, Wild moved to Jena and became head of GEO, the new Zeiss branch responsible for surveying instruments. Wild returned to Switzerland after the First World War. In 1921, with the help of Swiss financiers, he established a Werkstätte für Feinmechanik und Optik in Heerbrugg, in the Rhine Valley. As the first major product, Wild developed the

Theodolite A theodolite () is a precision optical instrument for measuring angles between designated visible points in the horizontal and vertical planes. The traditional use has been for land surveying, but it is also used extensively for building and i ...

Wild T2. Later models were launched when Wild already had left the company, still bearing his name, such as the theodolite WILD Heerbrugg T4. Another important new product engineered by Wild was an

aerial camera Aerial may refer to: Music * ''Aerial'' (album), by Kate Bush * ''Aerials'' (song), from the album ''Toxicity'' by System of a Down Bands *Aerial (Canadian band) * Aerial (Scottish band) *Aerial (Swedish band) Performance art *Aerial silk, ...

, later called "Aviophot" for

cartography Cartography (; from grc, χάρτης , "papyrus, sheet of paper, map"; and , "write") is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an im ...

. In the early 1930s, having recognized that he was not cut out to be a factory manager, Wild moved to Zurich, severed his connections with the firm in Heerbrugg, and designed instruments for Kern & Co in

Aarau Aarau (, ) is a List of towns in Switzerland, town, a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality, and the capital of the northern Swiss Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Aargau. The List of towns in Switzerland, town is also the capital of the dis ...

. His old firm became Wild Heerbrugg in 1937. It merged with the optical firm of

Ernst Leitz GmbH Ernst Leitz GmbH was a German corporation based in Wetzlar, a German centre for optics as well as an important location for the precision engineering industry, now divided into four independent companies: * Leica Camera, manufacturer of camera a ...

of Wetzlar in 1987. It also acquired a majority interest in Kern in 1988, was renamed Wild-Leitz AG in 1989. The combined company had about 8000 employees and revenues of approx. one billion Swiss Francs (CHF). Then, it became part of the Leica holding company in 1990. Starting from 1996 the company was divided gradually again into smaller units. Thus 1996 the

Leica Camera Leica Camera AG () is a German company that manufactures cameras, optical lenses, photographic lenses, binoculars, Telescopic sight, rifle scopes and microscopes. The company was founded by Ernst Leitz in 1869 (Ernst Leitz Wetzlar), in Wetz ...

AG developed, in October 1997 the

AG and on 1 April 1998 the

Leica Microsystems Leica Microsystems GmbH is a German microscope manufacturing company. It is a manufacturer of optical microscopes, equipment for the preparation of microscopic specimens and related products. There are ten plants in eight countries with distribu ...

AG. Leica Geosystems produced—in continuation of Wild Heerbrugg—the geodetic instruments and is the global market leader in this sector as part of the new parent company Hexagon AB. The brand name "Wild Heerbrugg" is still in use for stereo microscopes and precision level measuring such as the WILD Heerbrugg N3 Level."WILD Heerbrugg N3 Level." Argonne National Laboratory
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References

External links

History of Wild Heerbrugg
a
Leica Geosystems

Virtual Archiv of Wild Heerbrugg AG

Projekt: Wild Heerbrugg 1921–1990
{{Authority control Manufacturing companies of Switzerland Geographic data and information equipment companies

History

See also

References

External links