The origins of USM begin in 1885: as a hardware store and locksmiths in Münsingen, near Bern (CH), far removed from the design and furniture world. In the Twenties, the company developed into a small factory specialising in window fittings. After the Second World War the company extended production to include metal work and sheet-metal working. The turning point for the company came in the beginning of the Sixties, when Paul Schärer, junior, joined the family company, and commissioned the construction of a completely new factory. The architectural commission went to Fritz Haller, at that time an architect based in Solothurn (CH), later to become a professor at the University of Karlsruhe (D). The functional building, based on a modular steel construction system, was completely neutral in concept and could be converted or extended according to requirements. It was the inspiration behind the fascinating USM Modular Furniture "Haller" product line which USM originally developed for its own use, by transferring the macro- into the micro-sector.
USM Haller Modular Furniture was launched onto the market in 1965 and since then has become a watchword for timeless design all over the world. In 1988 it was decided in Germany for the first time ever that the USM Haller furniture system is a work of applied art and should be protected by copyright. Its acceptance into the Design Collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York (USA) at the end of 2001 was a high distinction and confirmed the artistic character of the product. The design classic is used in offices and public buildings as well as increasingly in the style conscious home.
USM Haller was first introduced to the UK architect and Design community in the early Eighties commissioned to occupy and enhance the workspace of many prestigious companies including Forster & Partners, Barclays, BUPA and Sony.
The issue of dealing responsibly with energy, emissions, raw materials and production methods was central to the development of the USM Modular Furniture from the very beginning. The service life of the product is of prime importance in ecological considerations, as the longer a product can be used, the smaller the impact on the environment. The durability of the USM Modular Furniture is determined by the quality of the materials, the variability of the function, the timelessness of the design and backward compatibility in product development.
USM is still based in Műnsingen using the original factory design from Haller which has evolved throughout the years to allow for the expansion of the business which now employs around 400 people at its head quarters along with sister companies in Germany, France and the USA and is represented in over 30 countries world wide via sales partners.