40 Years Haws EMEA

40 Years of Haws EMEA

How It All Began

In 1985, a bold idea became reality.

Two pioneers from San Francisco — Mike Traynor, Chairman of Haws Corporation, and Walter Neuweiler, Financial Director with Swiss roots — came to Switzerland with a clear vision: to establish a production site in Europe and provide high-quality emergency showers and eye wash stations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

With the help of local advisor Walter Brönnimann, they found the ideal location: a former furniture factory in Kirchberg. And so, Haws EMEA was born.

The early view of Kirchberg, home of the first Haws EMEA site.

The very first employees, Kurt Bütikofer and Klaus Wittwer, set up the office and production facilities from scratch. Klaus focused more on sales and administration, while Kurt took charge of production and purchasing. But with a team of just two, everyone had to pitch in wherever needed.

Excitement and uncertainty went hand in hand in those early days. On their very first day after the company's founding, they received a nerve-wracking (and thankfully false) message about missing payments — a dramatic start to an incredible journey.

At that time, the products were completely new to both Kurt and Klaus. Yet they quickly embraced the challenge of building a company and adapting these life-saving solutions for the European market.

Soon after, containers full of materials and components arrived from the USA. One of the first tasks was to modify the products to meet European metric thread standards — an important step to ensure local compatibility. They sourced local suppliers for pipes, valves, and other components, and soon started manufacturing emergency showers and eye wash stations tailored to the European market.

Manfred, Walter, and Klaus at the original factory loading dock.

Despite the initial hurdles, Haws EMEA grew steadily. With passion and perseverance, Klaus and his colleagues laid the foundation for a thriving export business, initially serving Western and Eastern Europe, then expanding into Africa, and the Middle East.

When Kurt Bütikofer left the company in 1989, Klaus Wittwer officially took the lead. In 1990, Manfred Hügli joined as Head of Production — and remained a loyal cornerstone of Haws EMEA until his retirement in 2013.

From a small, determined team to a trusted leader across the EMEA region, our story is one of vision, teamwork, and innovation.

👉 Stay tuned — more fascinating insights will follow in the next edition of our Partner Newsletter!

From a small, determined team to a trusted leader across the EMEA region, our story is one of vision, teamwork, and innovation.

👉 Stay tuned — more fascinating insights will follow in the next edition of our Partner Newsletter!

40 Years of Haws EMEA (Part 2)

The Only Constant Was Change

In the early days, everything worked a little differently – and a lot slower. Forty years ago, our office operated without computers. Customer records were kept on index cards, and letters were typed on a typewriter and then sent by post. Urgent messages? Those arrived by telefax or telex. And due to the high cost of this "modern" equipment, we even shared it with a neighboring company.

At the drawing board: First Managing Director Klaus planned every installation by hand – with precision and passion, without digital tools

From the very beginning, we believed in strong partnerships. And like today, we worked closely with distribution partners in each country. Our very first partners included Modern Plant in Ireland and Caspar Labora in Germany who worked directly with our Haws North America company before the founding of Haws EMEA 40 years ago, Once our European branch was established, cooperation became faster, easier – and simply closer.

We’ve always been proud of how our brand was represented – together with our partners

Many of these partnerships are still strong today. Others were an important part of our journey: for example, Carlos Arboles in Spain and Krusman in Sweden were trusted Haws distribution partners for many years. Now, they regionally manufacture their own emergency equipment – but we look back on our time together with appreciation and respect.

Step by step, we expanded our distribution network. Today, we collaborate with 65 distribution partners in more than 45 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. Some have been with us for decades, some are recent additions – but all are part of the Haws family!

As our team and operations grew, so did the need for space. Our original location in Kirchberg in the Kanton Bern gradually became too small. So, in 1995, we moved 6 km northeast to our current home at Bachweg 3 in Burgdorf. The whole team – along with partners, friends, and even family members – rolled up their sleeves and made it happen.

The whole team helped move Haws EMEA from Kirchberg to Burgdorf – a true team effort!

It was a big effort, but one that paid off. We finally had room to grow, with a proper warehouse and bright, modern offices. And yes – by then, computers and email had become part of everyday work.

Elisabeth, Klaus’ wife, at the office in our new location in Burgdorf.

In 1996, we made another big step and invested in our own powder coating system. Our signature green powder coating not only protected surfaces – it also increased visibility and quickly became a unique feature of Haws safety showers and eyewashes. After all, green is the color of safety.

Green powder-coated safety showers and eyewashes remain a standout feature of Haws EMEA

For several years, we also offered powder coating services for other industries – including parts for a large IKEA store nearby in Kirchberg. However, as environmental regulations became stricter in the 2010s, running our own coating facility was no longer sustainable. We decided to close this chapter – and opened the door for new ideas and developments.

What came next? More on that in the next part of our story. Stay tuned!

40 Years of Haws EMEA (Part 3)

Innovation, Expansion and New Challenges

When we discontinued our in-house powder coating line, we had more space at our facility. This opened the door for something new and ambitious. We used the opportunity to bring an entirely new product concept to life: the Overhead Tank Showers (OTS).

Designed for locations without reliable water supply, the OTS provided a self-contained solution for emergency response in remote and extreme environments. Our first model, the OTS 5000, was made from stainless steel and built to withstand both freezing cold and extreme heat.

A fully assembled Overhead Tank Shower OTS 5000 for use at subzero temperatures is ready to be packed and shipped

One of the most memorable early OTS projects took us far to the east. A refinery in Siberia needed 25 fully equipped overhead tank showers capable of operating in sub-zero temperatures. It was a complex project with tight deadlines and challenging requirements.

This was a milestone order, not only because of its scale and technical demands but also due to the commercial complexity. After weeks of intensive coordination and production, 25 large wooden crates, each nearly one ton in weight, were carefully packed and shipped to one of the coldest regions on earth.

At the same time, we were making strong progress in growing our international presence. We expanded our distribution network and worked to increase the visibility of the Haws brand across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Together with local safety-focused partners, we took part in numerous regional trade shows, presenting our product portfolio to new audiences.

Every trade show and live demonstration helped build trust and reinforced our ambition to support customers far beyond our home market.

But with growth came new technical challenges. In the Middle East, the extreme climate made it essential to find reliable solutions for delivering tepid water for safety showers.

A project in Kuwait became a turning point. The customer required 20 stainless steel safety showers with consistently tepid water, despite high desert temperatures and sand exposure. For us, this was new territory. In addition to reliable water cooling, we had to meet ATEX safety requirements, provide sand protection, and ensure a guaranteed 15-minute shower duration.

Working closely with a trusted partner, we developed a powerful cooling unit that met all specifications.

It was one of the most demanding projects we had faced at that time, but it laid the foundation for future work in hot climates. Today, cooling systems are a standard part of our offering. Back then, it was a major achievement and a defining moment in the evolution of our engineering capabilities.

What happened next?
Stay tuned for the final chapter of 40 Years of Haws EMEA – coming soon!

40 Years of Haws EMEA (Part 4)

From Burgdorf to the world and back again

The history of Haws EMEA has been shaped by strong growth, smart decisions, and a deep commitment to our values. After operating centrally from Switzerland for many years, we began to build a more international presence. In 2016, we opened our Sales Office in the United Arab Emirates to be closer to our customers in the rapidly developing Middle Eastern region. Just one year later, in 2017, we took a strategic step into the EU by acquiring the German company Anton Momm GmbH. Together, these moves strengthened our position in key markets.

We developed AXION® Technology to solve a critical problem: many emergency showers and eyewashes on the market fail to provide reliable first aid. Too often, they miss the mark when it matters most.

AXION® was designed to correct this — with a focus on real-world performance. It ensures simultaneous and balanced rinsing of both eyes, provides a soft, controlled water flow to prevent further injury, and guarantees that both the eyewash and body shower function effectively at the same time.

Independent tests have shown that 77% of emergency fixtures fail to meet basic first aid standards. AXION® is our answer — and one of the main reasons Haws equipment is trusted by safety professionals worldwide.

A man using a plumbed-in eyewash station - Haws EMEA

Innovation at Haws also means smart, practical design. The development of the OTS 4000 — the more compact sibling of our proven OTS 5000 tank shower — was a direct response to customer feedback, especially from the Middle East.

Designed for remote and demanding environments, the OTS 4000 offers a wide range of options, including ATEX certification. One of its smartest features: it’s delivered in a flat-pack format that significantly reduces shipping volume and costs. Easy to transport, easy to assemble — and engineered for industrial safety.

One of the most impressive projects in recent years involved a large-scale delivery of tepid water systems. These specialized skids temper hot and cold water to maintain a safe, predefined temperature range for emergency showers and eyewashes – even under extreme conditions.

The systems were so large and complex that they had to be transported using oversized special freight. It was a true demonstration of engineering capacity and logistical expertise.

As we expanded our international presence, we also strengthened our collaboration with other Haws locations around the world. Project teams with colleagues from Sparks, NV, South Africa, Brazil, and Switzerland became increasingly common. Together, we developed products and solutions that met global standards while incorporating local expertise. This kind of cooperation gave rise to a more agile, more responsive, and more globally connected Haws.

At the same time, our connection to Burgdorf never faded. We have always seen ourselves as part of the local community. One of the best examples of this is our long-standing partnership with BEWO – a regional organization that provides meaningful work opportunities for people with disabilities.

For many years now, BEWO has supported us in areas like assembly and packaging, while we support their mission to create inclusive jobs. Fittingly, BEWO is also celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. We’re proud to share this milestone.

And so, the story comes full circle. What began 40 years ago with a bold vision has grown into one of the leading providers of emergency safety equipment across Europe and the Middle East. Our customer focus continues to drive innovation and development. On November 4th, 2025, another important chapter began: Haws, and with it Haws EMEA, became part of Watts Water Technologies. The addition of Haws’ innovative, specified products will enable Watts to offer expanded solutions to customers around the world.

We look forward to what comes next – because this story is far from over.

40 Years of Haws EMEA

How It All Began

40 Years of Haws EMEA (Part 2)

The Only Constant Was Change

40 Years of Haws EMEA (Part 3)

Innovation, Expansion and New Challenges

40 Years of Haws EMEA (Part 4)

From Burgdorf to the world and back again

We look forward to what comes next – because this story is far from over.