[1] The eldest son of nine children, he left his family home at the age of eight and at twelve apprenticed as a locksmith in Ptuj.

Having finished his training in 1877, he moved to the Styrian capital Graz, where he did his military service and from 1885 worked for several employers.

[2] In 1889 Puch travelled to a bicycle trade fair in Leipzig, where he concluded a contract with Thomas Humber's cycle company.

Racers on Styria bicycles were successful in long-distance road races, most notably Josef Fischer, winner of the first edition of Paris–Roubaix in 1896.

Up to 1914 Puch developed 21 different types of cars, and also lorries, buses, military and some other special vehicles, including sedan limousines for the imperial Habsburg family.