On July 14, 1905, master locksmith Josef Haas was granted the license to run a building and machine fitting business in Vienna. The business activities comprised the repair of machines and engines, the installation of gas engines and constructional ironwork. His sons Franz, Josef and Karl learned from him the locksmith trade and took over the small company after qualifying as master craftsmen in 1933.

They introduced new ideas and produced steel rounds and flats on self-built rolling mills. The Haas brothers were mainly engaged in tool making and the construction of jigs and fixtures. In 1943, the greater part of the production equipment was relocated to Kaplice in today’s Czech Republic, and Franz Haas was entrusted with the management at the new location.

There, he became interested in wafer machines when repairing wafer irons and developed new concepts for the production of wafers. In 1948, after returning to Vienna, he built the first self-designed wafer machine and – encouraged by continuous sales success – realized systematically his ideas for the manufacture of modern wafer production lines.

In 1966 he founded the company Franz Haas together with his wife Maria. During the 60's their children Josef, Margarete and Johann began to work in the company. By opening up new export markets and by the rapidly growing demand for wafer production the company was able to expand its manufacturing capacities.

In 1975, all production facilities were shifted from Vienna to a large new plant in Leobendorf located in Lower Austria. This was followed by the foundation of subsidiaries in several countries and by the acquisition of companies with products usefully supplementing the wafer machine program. Today, Haas represents an international group of companies.