The Alfred Gauthier company was founded by the mechanic Alfred Gauthier from Pforzheim in 1902.
After intensive development work, the first "Koilos" camera shutters were built.
The "ISBO" shutter was the first automatic shutter on the market; its maximum shutter interval was 1 second.
The development of the Machine Engineering department at Gauthier is closely linked to the production of the Gauthier camera shutters.
A limited liability company (GmbH) was founded to generate urgently needed financial resources.
Carl Zeiss had held a minority shareholding in the expanding "Alfred Gauthier GmbH" since 1910.
In 1931, the company’s founder withdrew for age reasons. Carl Zeiss acquired the majority shareholding in the Prontor-Werk Alfred Gauthier GmbH.
Development and production of shutters with significantly faster exposure times under the type name "PRONTOR", the later company name. The word has its origins in the Italian language and means "ready".
Dismantling of the production facilities and loss of all design documents.
The company’s resurgence started only after the currency reform in 1948. In 1959, the company’s workforce increased to around 3,200 employees. Up to 10,000 shutters a day were assembled.
The company is now called "PRONTOR-Werk Alfred Gauthier GmbH". The newly developed GM25 long turning lathe is produced.
In addition, lens grinding machines for the grinding of spectacle lenses are designed and produced for the first time. Today the grinding of spectacle lenses is no longer performed at PRONTOR.