Omya's roots date back to 1884 when the company was founded by Gottfried Plüss-Staufer in Oftringen, Switzerland. In the beginning, the company was involved in the production of glaziers putty by combining fine chalk with linseed oil.

In 1891, Plüss-Staufer acquired a chalk quarry in France and decided to build a plant in Oftringen to produce chalk powder. After completion of the Oftringen plant in 1894, the business expanded quickly. Putty sales increased significantly, as did the sales of chalk powder.

These successes led Plüss-Staufer to acquire a second chalk quarry at Omey, France in 1894. A chalk plant was built at the port of Omey in 1900.

At the turn of the 20th century, Plüss-Staufer created the Omya brand name. High-quality products and excellent customer relationships quickly established Omya as a highly regarded brand beyond the borders of Switzerland.