In 1997, the Wartmann Group’s last family shareholder stepped down from his operational function and the company’s original focus on the construction industry has taken a backseat to other activities, such as real estate, fuel, and technology. From the year 2000 onwards, the board of administration has been supported by external specialists. In 2002, the first representative of the fourth generation assumed his mandate on the Wartmann Group’s board of administration. In the wake of another generation change, leadership over the family company was transferred to the fourth generation. In 2010, for the first time, a representative of the fourth generation took over the Wartmann Holding AG’s chairmanship.

During the 1970s, a profound structural change took place in the Swiss steelwork and engineering industry since it suffered from the increasing competitive capacity of concrete, which led to a rapid price erosion. Recessive tendencies accelerated this development so that the shareholders decided to back out of the steelwork industry. Consequently, the shares in Zschokke Wartmann AG were sold and any steelwork activity at Wartmann AG in Oberbipp was abandoned. After almost 90 years of such activity by the Wartmann Group, this had been a difficult decision to make for everyone involved. Over the course of the third generation change, a new holding structure was introduced in 1976, in which all the Wartmann Holding AG’s investments were combined. In 1977, the administrative board consisted of Rudolf Wartmann (Jr.)’s three sons, as well as Paul Ramseier, thus finalising the generation change. From 1975 onwards, the company’s property portfolio was advanced, resulting in the newly founded subsidiary Wartmann Immobilien AG.

The company’s spatial conditions became more cramped and necessary rationalisation measures, such as the adjustment of production processes or the introduction of new machinery and procedures, became more problematic. In view of the generation change on the horizon, some family members of the third generation stepped up to (responsible) management positions. These circumstances, as well as bigger and more complex jobs, caused the dissolution of the production site in Brugg, and led to the sale of the vacated premises. Instead, Zschokke Wartmann AG was founded as a result of a merger with the former competitor AG Conrad Zschokke, which had run smoothly. As a consequence, sensible investment alternatives, such as the storing of fuel oil, were explored. In 1969, the Tanklager Oberbipp AG, a fuel depot for domestic fuel and all associated services, was founded. The end of the 1960s was marked by various structural adjustments to the facilities in Brugg and Oberbipp.

It was not until the forties when positive change arrived and the company started expanding; in 1942, they moved into a new headquarter in Brugg and the remodelling of the workshop was finalised. It was now equipped, amongst other things, with the tools to repair warravaged French freight wagons. After the Second World War, a subsidiary dealing with steel welding technology, the steel welding company Wartmann AG, was founded. Benefitting from a continuing economic boom, the company was developing excellently, both in terms of technical and operational capacity. Soon enough it was heading the steel welding industry.