Fully automatic, precise, flexible: timber / metal window production for the future
G. Baumgartner AG has long been renowned for its fully automated production of timber / metal windows. This involves mechanically installing hardware solutions from the Roto NX range. Over the past year, an impressive growth initiative has been taking shape at the Swiss family-run business.
In 2025, the year marking the 200th anniversary of the company’s founding, a construction measure for doubling the production space was successfully concluded. Frames with dimensions of up to 4800 mm x 3000 mm and sashes up to 3000 mm x 3000 mm are now being produced fully automatically on the new systems. By doing so, the company achieved its aim of producing all current standard window formats fully automatically. The extension of the buildings and the new production facilities were planned by Thomas Baumgartner and his three sons, Adrian, Fabian and Stefan. Stefan Baumgartner spoke to Roto Inside about what’s in store for 2026 and 2027.
Plant construction for the future
“We essentially never stop developing our systems because we want to adopt every efficiency- and quality-boosting future technology as our own,” he highlights. The family has been working closely with its plant manufacturer Lemuth and its hardware supplier Roto for more than 20 years now to continuously develop its fully automatic timber window production.
Roto is always ready to listen whenever staff and decision-makers at G. Baumgartner AG share their experiences from their daily support and planning activities. This makes a difference, as it’s how we manage to continuously improve. “In our opinion, Roto is a pioneer when it comes to hardware, which is why it’s so important to us.” Together, we’ve given ourselves an edge over the competition.
State-of-the-art technology on three storeys
In 2026, a new, digitised finished goods warehouse equipped with sliding shelving will be set up on the basement level of the extended company buildings, while a new machining installation will be added to the ground floor and a new surface coating system to the first floor. These are set to be followed in 2027 by new systems for timber cutting and sash hardware. Roger Schaer, Managing Director of Roto Frank (Switzerland) GmbH, reports that the number of adjustments required has decreased over the years, as the Design team considers all possible processing methods in their work.
“Roto designs every single component so that it can be processed reliably, whether manually, partially or fully automatically.”
A robot can grip, turn, position and bolt each component.
Fully automatic hardware installation of Roto NX
Regardless of whether it’s ground-floor windows in RC 2, windows for a high-rise building with extreme wind loads in RC 1 or windows with standard security that are being produced – all of the required components from the Roto NX hardware product range are installed fully automatically.
The number of orders for elements with a concealed hinge side is also constantly increasing. Baumgartner is in a good position to meet this trend in demand too. The Roto NX | C concealed hinge side will be integrated into production over the course of the year.
Short delivery times, outstanding reliability
The production line, commissioned in 2024, for installing frame hardware components and a large finished goods warehouse for preproduced elements mean that customers can always expect short delivery times and ultimate reliability. “We generally work so closely with our customers that windows are delivered to the construction site as soon after production as possible,” underlines Stefan Baumgartner. He is personally involved in sales, planning and project organisation. “But if there are ever construction delays, we can keep the elements in our finished goods warehouse, where they’re protected until they’re installed. This service is just as important as the planning we provide before production.”
Expert planning included
“Comprehensive technical support is playing an increasingly important role when collaborating with construction companies and investors,” reports the businessman. Window manufacturers increasingly need to be well-versed in preventive fire protection, in particular, when communicating with the project and construction managers. Collaboration with Roto helps us with this.
“Our fire protection elements with Roto NX have undergone extensive testing and approval processes.”
This offers crucial added value for planners and investors – and makes Baumgartner the number one choice, especially when projects have to meet particular fire protection requirements.
Measurably better
For clients, the life cycle assessment of Baumgartner’s elements is just as important as the range of windows with tested fire and burglary protection. Stefan Baumgartner points out that this is more than 70% better than an average timber / aluminium window, a statistic that can be proved.
Since as early as the end of the last millennium, the window factory in Cham has held a reputation as a “green factory” even beyond national borders. The recent expansions were also fully geared towards protecting the environment and our local area. The family believes: “The promise we make to our customers is that we’ll give them certified, extremely sustainable timber windows produced in an eco-friendly way. After all, we think it’s our duty to do everything in our power to minimise emissions caused by our production and to ensure our own buildings are sustainably constructed.”
The plans were devised gradually over many years in conjunction with experts and the authorities. The public’s opinion was taken seriously at all times. This paid off for the Baumgartners when a clear majority voted in favour of the factory extension during a referendum. “That made us very happy because, at the end of the day, it’s not about the future of our company, but the future of all of us and the planet we’re living on.”
This article was published in Roto Inside 61