Keller Swiss Group – A family tradition
Foundation
Coachman Rudolf Keller, born in Thayngen, Schaffhausen (Switzerland) on December 1st 1822; travelled by horse drawn carriage throughout all of Switzerland and the neighbouring counties Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria (southern Germany) as well as Vorarlberg (western Austria). During his travels he came through the town of Basel and was impressed by its traffic system. In 1846 he settled there and purchased his first horses and coach.
After the opening in 1849 of the train tracks connecting Germany’s Freiburg und Efringen (close to the Swiss border near Basel), the tracks were extended to the north side of Basel in 1855.
To provide a connection for passengers between this northern train station the eastern station and central station Rudolf Keller and his brother Heinrich applied to the cities police department to acquire four cab concessions and thus “Cabs and Hauliers Rudolf Keller” was founded in 1855.
Development
Already in 1870 the first international moves were undertaken, during the German-French war. Residences of French nobility were to be transferred, away from the war, to the backcountry.
Cavalry colonel Jean Keller-Stünzi managed the enterprise in its second generation through the troubled times of world wars and the great depression.
During the years of recovery after World war II the association of international movers was founded: FIDI (Fédération Internationale des Déménageurs Internationaux). Hans E. Keller, son of Rudolf Keller, was one of the first entrepreneurs who saw a need to strengthen relationships between movers in different countries.
Operations of the cabs and garage were separated from the moving and storage business after the war. The cabs and garage remained at Margarethenstrasse and the moving and storage business moved to the new purpose built headquarters at Reinacherstrasse (also in Basel). The flourishing post-war years brought new technology and modern designs into the business.
Recent History
In 1988 Keller Ltd acquired the traditional and over one hundred year-old well established moving company W.H. Hofmann & Co Ltd in Zurich. Through the takeover the affiliated companies in Bern and Geneva were won. All four branches received a unified and fresh face with the “Keller Swiss Group” branding in 2007.
The Relocation branch of the business was established in 2003 and an registered as subsidiary enterprise in 2004.
Meanwhile Lorenz Amiet is representing the family enterprise as CEO in its 5th generation. Innovation, new technology, communication and flexibility as well as quality awareness form the pillars of Keller Swiss Group today.