Our company history
1972
On July 1, 1972, Karl Simsa obtains his trade license and sets up his own business after almost 20 years of experience in the printing industry. The first "production site" is the family dining table in the kitchen of the private apartment in the Hanson-Siedlung in Vienna's 10th district. The company starts with only one customer, with manual screen printing on plastic parts.
1973
Production is moved to a windowless basement, which gives rise to short-term considerations to additionally start a mushroom farm. There is no telephone connection yet. Customers therefore still send postcards asking to come by to pick up order documents.
1974
The company moves to Himberg in Lower Austria into a house with a garden and a ping-pong table. This spontaneously leads to the invention of the lunch break. First employees are hired as table tennis partners. One of the first among them, Mr. Schippany, even remains loyal to the company until his retirement, 30 years later.
1977
After the house bank does not grant any further credit, one limits oneself with the investments of this year to a baby and a baby dog, which share comradely and cost-saving the same crib.
1982
The company moves to Katharinengasse in the 10th district of Vienna. Production is increasingly expanded to fully automatic and larger equipment, the need for space increases. In addition to classic screen printing, print finishing of paper and cardboard with high-gloss coatings and special-effect inks begins.
1992
Construction of a new building at the current location in Oberlaaerstrasse 226 in Vienna's 10th district.
1996
Acquisition of the first large-format, fully automatic hot foil stamping machine and thus the start of metallization on a larger scale
1999
Entry into digital printing
2002
The baby from 1977 has grown slightly in the meantime, decides to start a career as a bank employee, and takes over the credit liabilities and the management in the 2nd generation.
2003
Development of various forms of security printing. Custom hologram effects are produced for the first time. First anti-counterfeiting features are applied to value printing such as vouchers and stamps.
2004
With a weight of 18 tons, the heaviest acquisition to date comes into the company: a hot foil stamping and die-cutting machine from the Swiss manufacturer Bobst in full-sheet format. When the fitter runs the machine at full speed for the first time, the only thing that escapes one of our long-time machine operators is an awed "Na Prack...". Our customer base expands to include the packaging printing industry.
2005
The increased number of lectures at industry events leads to the first teaching assignments at institutions such as the Advertising Academy of the WIFI Vienna, the advanced course for packaging technicians or the BFI Salzburg. In addition, seminars on print finishing are offered for the first time. These are used both by companies as further training for their employees and by educational institutions such as the HTL for printing technology or the New Design University (FH).
2006
Hall extension and entry into foil lamination through the takeover of the Pavlovsky company. As a result, almost all types and techniques of print finishing are finally covered. Simsa thus becomes the supplier with the largest range of finishing products in Austria.
2007
Our name is now known beyond the borders of Austria: We are invited by the IPFG, the globally active "International Print Finisher Group", for an entrance examination. After extensive hearings and tests, we are accepted into their blood brotherhood (OK, admittedly, maybe it wasn't blood but Cabernet Sauvignon. But what counts is that since then our customers have been able to draw on the problem-solving expertise of a network with members on 5 continents).
2015
Another extension to increase the production area. The storage capacity for major customers with call-off storage for branches is increased.
2016
Major investment in digital printing and digitally controlled finishing. With a fabulous 4.5m length for a printed plate, we push the previous format limits in color printing to the limit. Also the printable material thicknesses are extended to 50mm maximum thickness. After 20 years, computer-controlled cutting is joined by milling and oscillating cutting as separation technology.
2020
After years of purchasing green electricity from Austrian sources, the company builds its own photovoltaic system on the roof. Most of the electricity from our own generation is also consumed by ourselves, which improves the eco-balance of our products.
2021
Simsa invests in another foil stamping machine, this time specializing in the application of single image holograms. This now covers a high-end area in security printing that is usually only mastered by banknote printers and a very small handful of manufacturers of luxury packaging throughout Europe.
2022
Simsa celebrates half a century of company history!