Contract heat treatment company for heat and surface treatment of metal components in Niederwangen near Bern.
Härterei Reinhard AG
3172 Niederwangen (Switzerland) · Headquarters and production siteNew on Amplifa
About Härterei Reinhard AG
Härterei Reinhard AG is a contract heat treatment company in Niederwangen near Bern, which emerged in 1959 from a family business with a tradition in metalworking. The company treats workpieces from metalworking trades and industrial companies – from single parts to series production. The range of processes includes heat treatments such as hardening, case hardening, tempering, carbonitriding, induction hardening, tempering, annealing, cryogenic treatment as well as, since 2024, nitriding and nitrocarburizing on a Nitrex system. The heat treatments are complemented by surface processes such as blackening, blasting, pickling, straightening, washing and brazing, as well as laboratory analyses, testing, consulting and logistics including transport. The company is owner-managed and has been ISO 9001 certified since 1998; in 2023 a new washing system and an ERP system, and in 2025 a nitrogen generator for energy savings, were commissioned.
- Site
- Niederwangen
- Processes
- Hardening, Cryogenic treatment, Case hardening, Tempering, Carbonitriding, Annealing, Induction hardening, Nitriding and nitrocarburizing
- Materials
- Metals (for heat treatment from metalworking trades), Steel, Metals
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1959
- Industries
- Metalworking trades and industrial companies, Basic metals and metalworking, Basic metals and fabricated metal products
- 01
Order acceptance and consulting
- 02
Incoming inspection and registration of workpieces
- 03
Production order creation (MRP)
- 04
Heat treatment (e.g. hardening, induction hardening, nitriding)
- 05
Surface treatment (e.g. blackening, blasting, washing)
- 06
Quality control and inspection
- 07
Packaging, logistics and transport for return shipment
Materials & Processes
Steel
Main material for heat treatment, e.g. for hardening, case hardening, tempering, carbonitriding, induction hardening and nitriding.
Metals
Metallic workpieces from the metalworking trades for annealing, cryogenic treatment, brazing, blackening and blasting.
Sites
Niederwangen
CHHeadquarters, contract heat treatment with heat and surface treatment
- Lot size
- Single parts to series production
- Materials
- Steel, metals
- Protective atmosphere furnaces
- Furnace system 3/3/6
- Nitrex system for nitriding/nitrocarburizing
- Induction hardening machine
- High-frequency generators 12 kW and 50 kW
- 60 kW induction MF generator
- Pressure sandblasting system
- Trough belt sandblasting system
- Cryogenic freezing system (-80 °C)
- Blackening system
- CKW washing system
- Washing system heat treatment department
- Nitrogen generator
- Measuring and testing technology
Treated Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HardeningHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Metals (steel) |
| Cryogenic treatmentHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Metals |
| Case hardeningHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| TemperingHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| CarbonitridingHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| AnnealingHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Metals |
| Induction hardeningHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Nitriding and nitrocarburizingHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| BrazingJoining | – | – | – | – | Metals |
| TemperingHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| AgeingHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Metals |
| PicklingSurface | – | – | – | – | Metals |
| BlackeningSurface | – | – | – | – | Metals (steel) |
| Blasting (pressure sandblasting, trough belt sandblasting)Surface | – | – | – | – | Metals |
| StraighteningForming | – | – | – | – | Metals |
| Washing / CleaningSurface | – | – | – | – | Metals |
| Testing (quality inspection, hardness testing)Inspection | – | – | – | – | Metals |
| Laboratory analysesInspection | – | – | – | – | Metals |
| Consulting on heat treatmentEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Logistics, transportEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
14 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrex system (nitriding/nitrocarburizing) | Nitrex | 1 | – | 2024 | Niederwangen |
| Nitrogen generator | – | 1 | – | 2025 | Niederwangen |
| Washing system (heat treatment department) | – | 1 | – | 2023 | Niederwangen |
| CKW washing system | – | 1 | – | 2001 | Niederwangen |
| Induction hardening machine | – | 1 | – | 2014 | Niederwangen |
| 12 kW high-frequency generator | – | 1 | – | 2008 | Niederwangen |
| 50 kW high-frequency generator | – | 1 | – | 1991 | Niederwangen |
| 60 kW induction MF generator | – | 1 | – | 2005 | Niederwangen |
| Pressure sandblasting system | – | 1 | – | 2005 | Niederwangen |
| Trough belt sandblasting system | – | 1 | – | 2002 | Niederwangen |
| Cryogenic freezing system (-80 °C) | – | 1 | – | 2002 | Niederwangen |
| Blackening system (modernized) | – | 1 | – | 2007 | Niederwangen |
| Furnace system 3/3/6 (expanded by two furnaces) | – | 1 | – | 2006 | Niederwangen |
| Protective atmosphere furnaces (protective atmosphere department) | – | – | – | 1996 | Niederwangen |
Additional services
Quality & Certification
Härterei Reinhard AG has been ISO 9001 certified since 1998 (currently ISO 9001:2015, SQS Reg. No. 41002, valid until 20.10.2026) and inspects incoming goods as well as treated workpieces, including hardness and case hardening depth values, according to in-house standards. Since 2022, investments have been made in new measuring and testing technology to further improve process reliability.
| Evidence | Niederwangen |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1928
Rudolf Reinhard begins producing hardening compounds
- 1937
Production of the first files in Urtenen
- 1942
Foundation of the company Reinhard Söhne in Köniz
- 1951
Conversion into the company Gebr. Reinhard
- 1959
Alfred Reinhard takes over the contract heat treatment business – founding year of Härterei Reinhard
- 1962
New building in Niederwangen
- 1983
Conversion into a public limited company; purchase by Peter and Monika Ellenberger
- 1996
Expansion of the protective atmosphere department and decommissioning of the salt baths
- 1998
Initial certification according to DIN EN ISO 9002
- 2002
Commissioning of trough belt sandblasting system and cryogenic freezing system (-80 °C)
- 2005
Commissioning of 60 kW induction MF generator and pressure sandblasting system
- 2009
50th anniversary
- 2014
55th anniversary; commissioning of induction hardening machine
- 2015
Joined the Metallnetzwerk network
- 2019/2020
60th anniversary; handover of the business to Luis Carlos Porras as of 1.1.2020
- 2022
Klemens Ruoss becomes Chairman of the Board of Directors; investment in measuring and testing technology
- 2023
Recertification ISO 9001:2015; new washing system; introduction of AMS ERP system
- 2024
Nitrex system for nitriding and nitrocarburizing
- 2025
Acquisition of a latest-generation nitrogen generator