Becatron AG Switzerland

Every company and every machine has its own requirements, for which the normal solutions are not sufficient – they need a very determined solution consisting of ideal hardware and software.

Becatron AG cares above all for quality and high-tech products.
Thanks to the big innovation, the continuous aspiration for a practice oriented development of our products, the offer of a big product list and to guarantee to our customers a quick and non-complicated service, we could get world-wide a name in the textile industry. From us you get everything directly.

You take advantage that Becatron AG can apply to years long experience in the development of high-tech products. Projects and new developments are always conceived from the point of view of user and customer, so that a logical and simple course is guaranteed.

Dyehouse manager and electrical engineer Carlos Bernhardsgrütter, together with Rolf Schiess, Owner VSP Textil, Walter Lüber, Personal Director VSP Textil and Rolf Schoch, founded on 1 November 1980 for Becatron AG as a company for the construction of laboratory and dyeing control equipment.
In 1981, the first laboratory machine controller was developed, which is used by the well-known laboratory machine manufacturer Mathis AG in its plants. 1987 at the ITMA in Paris was followed by the presentation of the 1983 developed microprocessor control "Datex 2000". It followed various small controls.

1980 - 1990

1991 - 2000

At the ITMA 1991 in Hanover, the first controllers with dye curve calculation and display were presented on a graphic display. With this presentation in Hanover, Becatron has finally taken a major step in the automation of production and laboratory dyeing machines. Together with the move into the new company building at Frauenfelderstrasse 35 in Müllheim (CH), the course was set for the future.
After the Swiss Mathis AG, immediately after the ITMA Hannover with the Italian company Ugolini from Schio another laboratory machine manufacturer decides to take over control systems from the company Becatron.

In the following years, specific projects for customers from the Swiss textile industry are also repeatedly worked out and realized. These include, for example, customer-specific wastewater systems at the companies Hermann Koller AG and Willy Koller & Co. in Gais, 1996 the first finishing kitchen at the AG Cilander in Herisau, 1997 the finishing kitchen at the company Heberlein AG in Wattwil (this plant was closed at the closure of the operation of purchased from the company Schoeller Textil.), 1998 a dye and chemical dosing at the company Schoeller Textil in Sevelen.

At the ITMA 1999 in Paris, the entire device electronics will be converted to the new NT series (New Technology).

In the year 2000 Becatron succeeds with the "Datex Future NT", another laboratory machine manufacturer, to win the company KMS in Hong Kong as a customer.

The consequences of import pressure from low-wage countries as well as the stagnation and weakening of the US export market are not leaving their mark on Becatron either. Becatron goes in search of additional parts of new Business. One finds 1999 in the co-operation with the company Pataco in Elgg. The company manufactures shop fittings and audio systems for stores such as MediaMarkt and others throughout Europe. Becatron develops the electronics including software for multiple demonstration stations from CD and DVD and handles the production and packaging.

From the problem in the textile industry with different level sensors, Becatron develops its own measuring electrodes - the «Datex Liquimat», a universally applicable liquid sensor with integrated temperature measurement, the level sensor «Liquimat light» and the «LiquiHydro» liquid sensor based on the hydrostatic Measuring principle is constructed. These probes are used today not only in the textile and chemical industries, but also in the printing industry, wastewater engineering and agriculture.

At ITMA 2003 in Birmingham (UK), Becatron introduced its latest "children" to the professional world - among them the "Datex Touch" as the successor to the "Datex 2000" and the "Datex Pico II". The «Datex Touch» has an open operating system with Windows CE and is state-of-the-art. It is an exceptionally flexible controller that is mainly used for the automation of laboratory and production staining machines. Multilingualism of the device (including Chinese) facilitates. The integrated programmable PLC guarantees adaptation to a wide range of machine types, such as laboratory dyeing machines (eg IR dyeing machines) or production equipment such as jets, jiggers, twines, reels, etc. Networking with computers or networks is just as easy as remote diagnostics and maintenance via the World Wide Web. This ensures rapid and uncomplicated customer support worldwide. The «Datex Pico II» is the smallest dyeing machine controller in the world.

In 2007, the Datex Touch family will be expanded at the largest textile machinery fair ITMA in Munich. The Datex Touch 35 for laboratory & pH applications has been introduced. The Datex Touch 480 was developed for production.

Due to the ever-increasing demand, the "Computer" division will again be included in Becatron AG's offer in 2008.

In addition to the various software developments for the textile industry, the trade and support of computers and networks, as well as customer-specific software applications under the name BeCAdata are now also being offered. That's why employees were trained. Today we are Microsoft Certified and also have developers in various programming languages. Furthermore the company Becatron AG was able to conclude dealer contracts with Maxdata and Belinea.

In 2009, a new cooperation in the field of development of hard- & software for the medical sector was concluded. Here, too, Becatron AG takes over the development and production which must be fulfilled under the highest quality standards and standards.

In 2010, Becatron AG celebrated its 30th anniversary with customers and business partners.

2001 - 2010

2011 - 2020

In 2011, Becatron AG developed a new online monitoring system for indigo dyeing. Based on a new technology, the system determines, corrects and documents critical process parameters during an indigo dyeing online. These include the dye and reducing agent concentration as well as the pH. The system was first presented to a wide specialist audience in September 2011 as part of ITMA in Barcelona.

In the following years, Becatron AG continued to expand in sectors outside the textile industry. This enabled hard- and software for various customers and applications:
- Software for confectionery machines
- Hard- & Software for pump control
- Hard- & Software for power plant and reservoir control
- Hard- & Software for textile finishing
- Hardware & software for veterinary and medical devices

Also in the textile sector further installations and developments were made. Thus, various IndiLines could be installed in Spain, Mexico, Brazil or Pakistan.

With the Datex Touch Micro and future, pin and size compatible devices have been developed using the latest technology. With these devices, customers can easily replace the old Datex Micro and Datex Micro graphics or Datex future NT.

At the ITMA in Milan 2015, the new Datex Touch 5 controller was presented. In the following years further projects in the textile industry, such as a new chemical dosing system for the company Sattler in Graz (AT), IndiLine installations in different countries worldwide as well as customer-specific developments.

7 new products were presented at the ITMA 2019 in Barcelona:
- New Datex Touch 5 X86 and Datex Touch Pico control
- new control station software
- new compact dosing system ChemMaster
- first Becatron laboratory dyeing machine LabCUBE
- new pH control system
- new DataLOG system - connect existing sensors to the Internet (IoT)
- new online monitoring system for Denim - IndiLine 2.0

In 2020, a new cooperation in the field of development of hard- & software for a registartion device for aspest renovation was concluded.