The PERI History

PERI is a Greek prefix and means "around". The formwork surrounds the concrete - the scaffold surrounds the building.

The first production hall is built on the 6,000 m² company premises in Weissenhorn.

The first PERI team with Karl Müller, Josef Schwatzer, Josef Madel, Nikolaus Bechthold, Günther Bohatsch, Alfred Fuchs and Bruno Konrad (from the left).

The first girder is produced, the PERI T 70 is born. T stands for the German word "Träger" (girder) - 70 for the chord thickness in millimeters. The first order was for 80 girders with a length of 3.05 m. The girders were impregnated by hand with a sponge over a plastic tub and directly loaded on the waiting truck. The annual output was about 50,000 linear meters.

For the first time, PERI takes part in bauma in Munich and presents the T 70 girder and the Culvert Frame Formwork.

The first issue is distributed at the first bauma in 1971 and it is a little sensation: A comprehensive volume for the formwork market with color photos, tables and work instructions.

PERI expands within Germany. The first subsidiaries are founded in Hamburg and Stuttgart in 1972.

In 1973, the world's first climbing scaffold increases the safety and work speed at the jobsite. The bold design rationalizes the construction of high-rises enormously because formwork and scaffolding can be moved in one crane lift.

The first subsidiaries abroad are established in Switzerland and France in 1974.

Until 1980, the German army hospital Ulm is built. At the time, the trench is the biggest in Southern Germany and allows the construction of a protective shelter for up to 2000 people.

The plant in Weissenhorn is continuously enlarged in order to meet the increasing demand.

In 1976, the PERI plant consists of four production halls, large storage areas and an outdoor product exhibition. PERI buys the first EDP system the same year.

The large order for Germany's largest nuclear power plant in Gundremmingen leads to the foundation of the formwork assembly in Weissenhorn.

The design engineers working in the technical office in Weissenhorn.

After ten years, the black and yellow company logo is replaced by a new one in 1979. For the first time, the logo also shows the color red. Construction work in Weissenhorn goes on, the sixth hall and the main office building are erected.

In 1980, PERI sets another milestone with the MODUL Slab Formwork made of aluminum.

The first subsidiary outside Europe is founded in the United States of America.

The plant grows extremely fast. Large production halls and outdoor storage areas are part of the company premises.

PERI causes a sensation with the RAPID Column Formwork and the innovative Circular Formwork with articulated walers.

"Schalung und Gerüste" (formwork and scaffolding) becomes part of the PERI logo from 1985-1989.

PERI's success has always been based on stable values. Three principles are particularly important to Artur and Christl Schwörer: respect for the individual, the best possible service to the customer and striving for excellence. In 1985, founder Artur Schwörer takes these firmly embedded principles and creates a mission statement.

The movable SKS Single-Sided Climbing Formwork begins its international success story with the construction of the world's third largest dam in Turkey.

The universal TRIO Wall Formwork system is launched and convinces with few different individual components. It stands for fast forming and becomes the market-leading system within a few years.

A milestone in self-climbing technology: PERI introduces the ACS. Climbing takes place with the hydraulic climbing mechanism without the use of a crane. Comfortable working platforms protect site personnel during all weathers.

73 modern CAD work places replace the drawing boards in Weissenhorn. Production robots and PC-controlled warehouse technology are also acquired and the powder-coating system is commissioned.

The PERI logo is adjusted: The words "Schalung und Gerüste" (formwork and scaffolding) become more pronounced against the yellow background and they also remind of the first black-yellow PERI logo

At the bauma 1992, PERI presents the lightweight SKYDECK slab formwork. Designed with a drophead system, it enables true early stripping, so that the amount of material required can be reduced.

Low weight, high load-bearing capacity, an integrated measuring tape and the self-cleaning thread are the basis for the rapid success of MULTIPROP around the world.

The company premises in Weissenhorn are enlarged by 40,000 m² to 150,000 m².

A purpose-built field factory produces the tunnel segments in a dry dock. The individual tunnel elements are towed out to the open sea using pontoons and then sunk to their designated positions on the seabed.

PERI has 13 branch offices in Germany, 22 subsidiaries and supports more than 4,000 customers around the world. The product portfolio includes more than 2,000 products. In Weissenhorn, the new exhibition hall for product demonstrations is finished.

The ELPOS computer program sets new standards in work preparation for the planning and dispatching of PERI standard systems.

The new solution for columns means an enormous reduction of crane time at the jobsite because the complete column including push-pull props and concreting platform can be moved in one lift.

The ACS Self-Climbing System ensures smooth construction progress during the building of the then highest building in the world with 452 m in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

PERI starts its activities in the scaffolding market with the development of the PERI UP Scaffolding System. The PERI UP T 72 facade scaffold with T-frames and guardrail in advance is safe and efficient.

With the Quadragon, an ultra-modern office building for the PERI staff in Weissenhorn is realized.

The 2.5 km long cable-stayed bridge in France is constructed using special steel formwork, which rises upwards cycle-by-cycle with the help of the ACS Self-Climbing System. At that time it is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.

At the Expo 2000 in Hannover, the Japan Pavilion causes a sensation due to its construction being made of paper rolls. PERI UP scaffolding and MULTIPROP shoring enable a secure and precise erection of the paper roll construction.

The horizontal bar symbolizes the increasing market presence and the growing number of satisfied customers. The vertical bar stands for the improvement in quality of all PERI services.

Due to its torsion-like architecture, the 190-m high office and residential complex Turning Torso in Sweden requires a particularly efficient formwork concept with ACS climbing units.

20,000 linear meters of girders are produced per day with the fully automatic production plant.

Varying forms, irregularly placed windows and changes in wall strength are challenges during the construction of the 142-m high Torre Agbar in Barcelona to which the ACS self-climbing system is the safe and fast response.  

The pilot project for serially manufactured 3-D formwork units for the construction of the Mercedes Benz Museum in Stuttgart in Germany sets new standards in formwork technology. 

PERI enlarges its production space by 80% and doubles its logistics and material planning areas. All in all, PERI invests about EUR 80 million in Weissenhorn.

The system, which can be supplied optionally with or without hydraulic technology, can be perfectly adjusted to jobsite-specific requirements.

PERI presents for the first time at bauma the MAXIMO Panel Formwork with single-sided MX tie technology.

In the US federal state of Louisiana, three giant liquefied natural gas tanks are built with PERI know-how. Each structure has a diameter of 80 m and wall heights of 44 m.

The founder of the company, Artur Schwörer (deceased in 2009), hands over the management of the company to his two sons Alexander and Christian in 2007.

For load combinations in tunnel, bridge and building construction, PERI provides for the first time a construction kit consisting of standardized, rentable system components and connecting elements.

With a length of 1.455 km and the impressive width of 60 m, the Sheikh Khalifa Bridge connects the mainland of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates with Saadiyat Island.

In 2008, Artur Schwörer is awarded the "Bayerische Verdienstorden" (Bavarian Order of Merit) for his lifetime achievements, the highest award to be awarded in the German federal state of Bavaria. In 2009, Artur Schwörer dies at the age of 76.

With the flexible modular-type PERI UP Flex Scaffold, PERI starts its activities for industrial scaffold applications.

PERI supports the construction site team with different types of system formwork, among them huge amounts of slab, wall and column formwork. PERI's service also includes the planning and delivery of accordingly adjusted shoring.

The particularly lightweight and easy-to-handle wall formwork system is ideal in places where crane capacities are limited or not available at all.

PERI introduces the UNO for the first time at bauma 2010. Walls, columns, slabs, beams and stairways are shuttered and concreted simultaneously using the monolithic construction method. UNO is the fast and cost-effective solution for forming residential buildings featuring frequently repetitive floor plans.

bauma has turned into the world-leading trade fair for the construction equipment and machinery industry. PERI's impressive exhibition hall has a floor space of more than 4,000 m².

PERI buys the South African trade partner Wiehahn and successfully integrates it into the company group. The external growth strategy in South Africa is the first of its kind in the company's history.

The new construction of the giant lock facilities on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts is the largest single order in the company's history. The use of big SCS climbing units renders the fabrication of the massive lock parts cost-effective.

Up-to-date, transparent and available 24/7! PERI is the first manufacturer of formwork and scaffolding to offer its customers direct access to necessary information. All project documents can be called up online at any time.

PERI introduces new digital developments at bauma 2013. The PERI handbook has its premiere as an application for mobile devices. The company also presents applications to its visitors at the fair which can determine the concreting speed as well as a smartphone and tablet configurator for the MULTIFLEX Slab Formwork.

PERI has developed the lightweight LPS Screen protection panel system for buildings with open facades as an alternative for complete enclosures.

On the one hand, the established and the recently created departments are brought closer to one another and at the same time space for future requirements is created with the new building.

In April 2014, Dr. Fabian Kracht becomes Head of Finance and Organization. From May 2015 on, Leonhard Braig joins PERI as Head of Products and Technology. (from the left) Dr. Fabian Kracht, Alexander Schwörer and Leonhard Braig

Under the names of CENTRIO and CENTRIO CLM, PERI offers sustainable IT solutions for the digitalization of construction processes.

The competitor Schaltec becomes part of the PERI Group. This enlarges PERI's portfolio by the adequate services of refurbishment and trade with used goods.

The unique shape of the reinforced concrete pylons and the complexity of the mounted parts for the construction of the third bridge across the Bosporus in Istanbul, Turkey, have required a very flexible planning process – a complete solution from PERI with the ACS Self-Climbing Formwork.

The new production site in Günzburg, Germany is the latest, ultra-modern main plant for scaffolding systems. At the same time, PERI enlarges its outdoor storage area with 20,000 m² at the company's headquarters in Weissenhorn.

The PERI UP Easy Facade Scaffold is a “lightweight“ among the range of steel facade scaffolds. It is fast and safe to erect, provides extremely high safety standards for every application and proves itself with smart detail solutions.

With great participation of the entire workforce the Schwörer family and the PERI Group management team open a new canteen at the central location in Weissenhorn. 

PERI's identity has grown over the years and is expressed in new words in an updated mission statement. It contributes to the fact that vision, mission, values and success factors are pursued and lived by conviction even in the event of rapid growth.

The new Pumarejo Bridge, Barranquilla/Atlántico, Colombia, with an average span of 380 m and a 38 m wide superstructure, supported by two 80 m high pylons, is considered one of the most representative structures in Colombia.

For scaffolding and enclosure of the gateway building, the PERI UP Flex scaffold solution has been optimally adapted to suit the local site conditions and static requirements. For the first time in scaffolding, heatable roof tarpaulins ensure that the formation of snow loads are prevented.

As of Novermber 1, 2019, the Group Management will be extended by Thomas Imbacher as Managing Director “Innovation & Marketing”.

The Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) is an underground station on the Mumbai Metro, a rapid transit system that is currently under construction.

The canteen at the PERI headquarter in Weissenhorn has achieved 3rd place in the Germany-wide canteen test carried out by the magazine FOCUS and Food & Health e.V.

PERI revolutionizes the construction process with 3D concrete printing and prints Germany's first residential building and the largest apartment building in Europe. While the two-storey single-family house still measures approx. 80 sqm of living space per floor, the 5-family house with 3 floors already comprises around 380 sqm of living space.

PERI's innovation management was thoroughly examined in a demanding competition process using over 100 test criteria from five categories.In the end, the jury of experts was convinced: PERI is one of the TOP 100 most innovative companies in this year's competition.

PERI and "Habitat for Humanity" realise the first fully approved 3D-printed house in the USA in Tempe, Arizona with a living space of approx. 160m².

In September 2020, PERI had printed Germany's first ever residential building in Beckum (North Rhine-Westphalia) with a BOD2 3D concrete printer. Now, this project has been awarded the German Innovation Award by the German Design Council.

With PERI InSite Construction, PERI is bringing various digital solutions to market that optimise the concreting process on the construction site and help to save time and cut costs. The key is a measuring device, a cloud and the sensors themselves. These include the PERI InSite Construction Temperature Monitoring and Concrete Maturity Kit for efficient measurement of the temperature and determination of the maturity of the concrete. 

Austria’s first 3D-printed building is being constructed in Hausleiten, Austria. Construction technology group STRABAG together with PERI is realising a roughly 125 m² office building next to its asphalt mixing plant in Hausleiten. The pure printing time for the building extension is approx. 45 hours. 

The "TwistBlock Moulds" formwork system co-developed by PERI and the non-proft start-up "Start Somewhere" has won the German Innovation Award 2021 in the category "Building & Elements". The new formwork system aims to sustainably improve living conditions in slums all over the world. 

With more than 200,000 visitors, the PERI exhibition hall at bauma 2022 was a complete success. We presented numerous innovations from the formwork and scaffolding sector and were able to hold exciting talks and discussions. A special feature of this year's bauma was also the expansion in the outdoor area, which was dedicated solely to the topic of 3D printing: Visitors were able to experience first-hand how our experts printed a new Tiny House live in Munich every day.

PERI SE and Sika AG invest in the Swiss startup MESH AG. MESH AG has developed the world's first robot-assisted technology for the efficient and cost-effective production of complex reinforced concrete components without formwork.

In our Sustainability Report, we have identified five fields of action to advance the topic of sustainability at PERI. Concrete medium- to long-term goals are presented in an open and transparent manner.

With effect from 1 January 2023, PERI Vertrieb Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG has acquired Implenia Schalungsbau GmbH in Bobenheim-Roxheim, Germany. For the time being, the company will be managed under the name PERI Schalungsbau GmbH as a subsidiary of PERI Germany.

Effective from 1 July 2023, PERI SE has acquired promaintain GmbH & Co. KG in Gaimersheim. The company will continue to operate as an independent unit within the PERI Group, under its previous brand and company name.

With effect from 7 December 2023, PERI SE acquired a majority stake in KERN Tunneltechnik SA, based in Lugano (Switzerland). The company will continue to operate as an independent unit within the PERI Group under its current management, brand and company name. 

With a length of 18 km, the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel will be the longest immersed tunnel in the world and is considered one of the largest infrastructure construction sites in Europe. PERI developed a formwork concept for the central production of the standard tunnel elements.

PERI has joined the United Nations Global Compact, the world's largest initiative for sustainable and responsible corporate management. By joining, PERI commits to aligning its corporate actions with the ten universal sustainability principles of the UN Global Compact.