The roots of Culatti go back to the autumn of 1938, when Josef Culatti founded a small precision mechanics workshop in Zürich. From the very beginning, innovation and craftsmanship defined his work. Early commissions included an electrically animated model of a honeybee’s hind leg collecting pollen — exhibited at Landi 1939 — and a 100-fold magnified wooden model of a bark beetle for the Entomological Institute of ETH Zürich.

Soon, larger projects followed: foldable skis, rescue sledges, and the installation of the headlight system for the Landi 1939 festival hall. In mid-1939, the first Culatti resistors and laboratory burners entered the market — laying the foundation for what would become a long-standing Swiss family enterprise.

With the entry of his son Alfred Culatti, the company grew steadily. Despite the challenges of material shortages during the Second World War, new employees were hired, and in 1947 the business moved into its own premises at Limmatstrasse 285 in Zürich. Custom-engineered solutions for leading companies and educational institutions soon earned Culatti a strong reputation both in Switzerland and internationally.

In 1971, the third generation joined when Bruno Culatti entered the business. The rise of electronic devices brought new challenges, yet the company continued to thrive through a consistent commitment to quality, precision, and customer-specific manufacturing. After Josef Culatti’s passing in 1981, Alfred and Bruno Culatti took over management and continued to expand operations.

From 2009 onwards, Bruno and Patricia Culatti led the company into a new era. Alongside rheostats, potentiometers, and power resistors, Culatti became a trusted specialist in laboratory micro-impact mills.

Since 2017, Claudio Culatti has represented the fourth generation at the helm of the company. Under his leadership, production was relocated from Zürich to Steinen (Canton Schwyz), ensuring continued innovation, Swiss-made precision, and sustainable growth for the future.