Origins
USM is founded in 1885 as an ironmongery and metalworking company. The name “USM” combines the initials of its founder, Ulrich Schärer, and the place in which it was founded, Münsingen. In the early decades of the twentieth century, USM begins to specialise in window fittings before moving on to ornamental hinges and precision ironware.
1960s
Becoming a furniture business
Paul Schärer joins the family company in 1961, the third generation to do so. Having studied engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, he is determined to modernise the company – starting with a dedicated USM factory and headquarters. He commissions the Swiss architect Fritz Haller to design a new factory and an office pavilion. In keeping with his client’s philosophy, Haller uses a modular steel-framed construction system with the flexibility required for various production processes and options to expand the structure.
In 1962, Haller and Schärer begin to develop a modular furniture system system to match the modularity and versatility of the new building. This furniture, like the building, is based not on individual pieces, but on a system of adaptable steel modules that can be reconfigured to fulfil the various requirements of the company’s factory and office rooms, both today and in the future. The heart of the system is the elegant and ingenious ball joint, patented in 1965.
Initially intended only for USM’s own offices, the visionary combination of a unique aesthetic, versatility and durability soon attracts great attention. The commercial production and sale of the USM Haller system begins in 1969 with an order for 600 workstations for the Rothschild bank in Paris. The furniture system quickly becomes a fixture in administration departments and offices around the world.
1970 – 2000
A global company
In 1988, USM Haller is recognised as a work of applied art due to its visionary pairing of technical finesse and outstanding design quality.
In the final decades of the twentieth century, USM spreads its wings around the world, opening subsidiaries in Germany, France and the USA. The first USM showroom opens in Hamburg in 1998.
In 1993, Alexander Schärer becomes the fourth generation of the family to join the company, and is appointed CEO in 2000.
2001 – present
World leader in sustainable design
Today, USM is synonymous with timeless, sustainable design that can be tailored to requirements at any time – across generations, in offices and in private residences. Its status as an icon of modern design is solidified in 2001 when it is included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
The system is sustainable by nature. USM furniture is extremely long-lasting and is handed down from generation to generation. Steel is a highly recyclable material. The coating does not contain any solvents or heavy metals. USM is awarded Greenguard environmental certification in 2008 and receives the Cradle-to-Cradle® environmental label in 2018. Its vision is to become a fully circular company by 2030.
Alexander Schärer becomes the head of the family business, now in its fourth generation, in 2000. Its products are still manufactured in Münsingen. USM employs 450 people between its headquarters in Switzerland and its subsidiaries in the USA, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan and China. The modular furniture systems are sold in around 40 countries worldwide by 430 dealers.
In a world in motion, USM Haller is also changing, integrating innovation while staying true to its iconic aesthetic. With light and energy embedded in its structure, USM Haller E is completely wireless, marking a revolutionary step into a new era. Then we have USM Haller lock C, an electromechanical locking system operated via app.
USM is evolving, its system is open – while remaining true to itself.
And it invites users to continually challenge their own creativity.
