SIKA ITALIA S.P.A.

Sika was founded in 1910 in Switzerland by Kaspar Winkler, a brilliant and visionary chemist from humble origins. After numerous attempts to develop chemical products for the construction industry, he succeeded in creating products to protect and clean granite, as well as a waterproofing additive for mortar called Sika®-1. In the years that followed, the commercialisation of Sika products officially began.

Success came in 1918, when the Swiss Federal Railways tested the waterproofing of a section of the Gotthard Tunnel using Sika®-1. Subsequently, the Swiss National Railways waterproofed 67 tunnels with Sika products. In the following years, Winkler—supported by new collaborators—expanded the sales of his renowned products beyond Switzerland. International success began in Durmersheim and continued in London, Milan and Paris.

During the Second World War, Sika continued production in every country where it was present. The additives used for the construction of bunkers in Switzerland and in occupied areas of Germany were produced by Sika. The Allied concrete ships, used to transport war materials and for the Normandy landings, were also built using Sika additives. During the economic boom of the 1950s and 1960s, new subsidiaries were established, from Sweden to Cuba. A second generational change took place with the entry of Romuald Burkard into the company. In 1968, Sika Finanz AG was founded.

In the early 1970s, Sika managed to face and overcome the challenges caused by a severe recession thanks to the development of a new product that became a true bestseller: Sikaflex. With the introduction of this adhesive, Sika entered a new market sector in 1980: the automotive industry.

Between 1990 and 1995, Sika opened 16 subsidiaries and strengthened its presence in Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America, even though the 1990s were not an easy decade.

Sika had to cope with periods of recession and low profitability due to strong competition and rising raw material costs. In 2005, Sarnafil became part of the Sika Group: the Swiss company specialised in membranes was acquired by Sika, marking the beginning of its decade of strongest growth. Between 2000 and 2008, Sika acquired 36 companies, with revenues growing from 2 to over 4.6 billion.

The Italian subsidiary has been active since 1930. Sika Italia has its administrative headquarters in Peschiera Borromeo (MI), production plants in Sassuolo, Calusco d’Adda and Siderno, a widespread presence throughout Italy, and highly professional services.