Urs Bühler, owner and former CEO of food processing equipment manufacturer Bühler, died August 1 at age 82. Bühler served as chairman of the executive board and chairman of the board of directors since 1970, leading the company's expansion into a global technology group serving the food and mobility industries.
Born in 1943 in Uzwil, Bühler studied mechanical engineering at ETH Zurich before joining the family company in 1970. He was appointed CEO in 1986 and became chairman of the board of directors in 1994. From 1990, he served as the company's sole owner.
Under Bühler's leadership, the mechanical engineering company expanded internationally and entered new technology areas including extrusion processing. The company adopted early information and automation technologies that became standard in food manufacturing.
"We are committed to the legacy of our father and predecessors and will continue to run Bühler as a family business. The strategic focus on innovation, training and development, and sustainability also has our full support," said his three daughters Karin, Maya, and Jeannine Bühler.
In 2014, Bühler transferred company ownership to his daughters, representing the fifth generation of family ownership. He had previously transferred operational responsibility to Calvin Grieder in 2001, who became chairman of the board in 2014.
Bühler's tenure included the company's global expansion, development of extrusion technology, and establishment of the Urs Bühler Innovation Fund. Recent company initiatives under his guidance included construction of the Cubic Innovation Campus and the Bühler Energy Center.
The executive also served on boards of Swiss Bank Corporation, Sulzer Group and Winterthur Insurance, and held a 30-year position on the Swissmem board.
Founded in 1860, Bühler operates processing equipment and services for food production, including grain processing, animal feed, and pet food manufacturing systems.
