The company was founded in 1964 by Siegfried Schertler and was at first based in the town of Flawil next to St.Gallen (Switzerland). In the beginning the market focus was on scientific research. Later the company moved its premises to Haag in the municipality of Sennwald in the Rhine valley (Switzerland). In 1984 Dr. Richard Fischer assumed the leadership of VAT. Subsequently the company entered the field of semiconductor technology. Together with the patenting of the MONOVAT technology, this was the basis for an enormous growth spurt. Another innovation, the development of control valves with intelligent and self-learning control components, led to further sustained growth. After the turn of the millennium, the company expanded into the flat screen and photovoltaic markets.