TÜCHLER – our company with a history
From the stage to the world.
A story in five acts.
Act 1 – Origins: two lives for the stage
Rudi Tüchler was a woman of the stage – with body, soul, and discipline. Born in Vienna in 1922, she studied under Prof. Rosalia Chladek at the Conservatory of the City of Vienna. She soon performed in venues such as the Wiener Volkstheater and the Bürgertheater – the latter was then located at Vorderen Zollamtsstraße 13.
In 1955, she founded her own ballet school. Her students found their way onto theatre stages, into film studios, and into the emerging world of television. Rudi herself choreographed for festivals at Forchtenstein Castle and in Mörbisch, toured Germany and Switzerland, and worked on productions such as the popular ORF show “Jede Sekunde ein Schilling”.
In 1960, her path led her to the Stadttheater Klagenfurt – and to Franz Tüchler, a stage master with technical instincts. What began as an artistic collaboration became a lifelong partnership. Together, they devoted themselves to the stage – in front of it, on it, and behind the scenes.
Act 2 – Behind the curtain: the founding of TÜCHLER
Franz and Rudi Tüchler knew the stage like few others: they understood what matters when the curtain rises – and how nothing must go wrong.
After working in Wuppertal and Wiesbaden, they returned to Vienna, where Franz Tüchler became Technical Director at the Wiener Volkstheater – with Rudi at his side as creative and organizational support.
In the late 1960s, Franz Tüchler founded his own company in Vienna: TÜCHLER – equipment for theatre, stage, and space.
From the beginning, the company focused on flame-retardant treatment and the delivery of specialised textiles for theatres, opera houses, and multi-purpose venues. Rudi remained a formative force in the company – with an uncompromising eye for precision and impact.
After Franz’s early death in 1984, Rudi returned fully to the arts – including work at festivals in Laxenburg, Perchtoldsdorf, and for over 30 years in Stockerau. At age 90, she was still on stage there – in her final role: “They’re playing our song”.
Act 3 – New management: the move toward professionalisation
In 1983, textile chemist and entrepreneur Ing. Gunter Lach took over management of the company. The name TÜCHLER remained – out of respect for its legacy and established reputation in the industry. This marked the beginning of years of continuous growth: from a small warehouse on Neustiftgasse to larger spaces on Abelegasse, and ultimately to planning a dedicated company headquarters.
In 2001, the new headquarters opened at Rennbahnweg 78 in Vienna: 2,000 m² of warehouse and production space, 700 m² of office – thoughtfully designed, functional, and future-ready.
Act 4 – Internationalisation: two brothers, one stage
Even before the generational transition, international expansion was being prepared:
- 1998: founding of the subsidiary in the Czech Republic
- 2003: founding of TÜCHLER Germany
- 2005: Christoph and Georg Lach join as managing directors
Two brothers who led TÜCHLER into new markets without losing sight of its origins. That same year, TÜCHLER Poland launched, and in 2019, the company entered the Russian market.
In 2023, Georg left the company. Since then, Christoph Lach has led the company as sole managing partner – with the same respect for technology, stagecraft, and craftsmanship that Rudy and Franz once embodied.
Act 5 – Today. Function perfected. And a true TÜCHLER at the Wiener Volkstheater.
Today, TÜCHLER employs around 50 people at its Vienna headquarters and serves over 1,000 customers across Europe and Asia – including theatres, multi-purpose venues, TV studios, museums, municipalities, architecture firms, universities, and event technicians.
At the core are textile and mechanical systems that enable spatial structure, functionality, and staging – precise, safe, durable:
- Main curtains, backdrops, masking, and projection surfaces from in-house production
- Acoustic fabrics and acoustic rollers for flexible sound control and zoning
- Roll-up screens and blackout systems, also with automation options
- Scenery fly systems, chain hoists, controls, and stage accessories
- Stage platforms and modular aluminum truss systems – temporary or permanent
- Flame retardants from the ECOGARD® brand – proven and widely used
- Construction, installation, and maintenance
The heart of our production is our in-house sewing workshop, where custom-made products are crafted – whether standard, special dimensions, or textile restoration.
A special moment came in 2021: we had the honour of supplying the new main curtain for the Wiener Volkstheater – the very stage where Rudy and Franz Tüchler had worked more than 65 years earlier.
So today, a true TÜCHLER is still playing at the Wiener Volkstheater.
Whether as a main curtain or in the background – our products deliver: reliably and thoughtfully. Every detail serves a function. Every solution comes from experience. Every project is an expression of our mission to make spaces stage-ready.
That’s why our goal since day one has remained:
To transform spaces into venues – safe, functional, with purpose.
Our promise: We make venues better.