THE HISTORY OF H.G. BRUNNER

H.G. Brunner was founded in 1898 by the Swiss entrepreneur Henri Brunner, operating from premises in Croydon, Surrey.

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For many years the company imported Swiss made clock and watch components, selling to the then thriving UK timepiece industry.

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Over time the range expanded to include precision turned components for other instrument and industrial applications.

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Through the 1940s and 1950s the business continued to be operated by family members of the founder, but steady decline in the UK clock and watch industry caused a fall in the demand for the traditional products.

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1962 saw the business pass to the control of Mr John Gilliver, who sought to expand sales by entering into the rapidly growing automotive instrumentation market from new larger premises in Leatherhead, Surrey.

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By the late 1960s close to 100% of the supply of instrument magneto shafts, pointers, and hairsprings into the UK were through H.G. Brunner, who then began handling the volume business as manufacturers agents, retaining the distribution operation for smaller customers.

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The business grew during the following twenty years as passenger car production in the UK expanded and by the addition of electrical bobbins and componentry for pressure gauges to the range, for which specialist technical support was provided by Mr John Livey.

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In 1989 the company was approached by Switec, a division of the Swatch group, who were introducing new technology (electronically controlled stepper motors) which, over the next ten years, would replace the mechanical and electrical instrument components previously supplied.

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The business re-located in 1990 to premises in Hersham, Surrey and in 1996 saw accreditation to ISO 9000, subsequently upgraded to ISO 9001:2000 at the turn of the century.

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In 2001 the company was bought by Autotec Marketing Ltd, re-locating to the parent company's premises in East Malling, Kent.

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In 2008 the company relocated again to its current location in Ryarsh, Kent.