A focus on Swiss machinery engineering
Switzerland ranks globally as number 11 in machinery engineering with an annual volume of around CHF 26 billion, on average more than 60 % is exported and 71.5 % of all exported machinery competes in the high end market according and 25% goes to Germany according to a publication by internationally active Bank Credit Suisse “Sector Handbook 2012”
The publication voices the opinion that the domestic producers have increasingly evolved from mechanical engineers into solution providers, system suppliers and even system operators (tertiarisation) in order to secure long-term supply contracts. Remote maintenance systems are gaining momentum because they allow rapid intervention at comparatively low cost. In 2010 the industry employed 81700 persons and the gross added value totalled CHF 10.8 billion and labour productivity was set at CHF 132300.
The value of exported textile and clothing machinery amounted 2011 to CHF 1476 million.
It has to be added that also the textile and clothing sector is highly export oriented (around 80 %) and a share of 32 % is sold to Germany, followed by Italy with 9 % and the U.S.A. with 8 %. In 2011 textile exports were falling around 3.5 % and clothing exports dropped around 4 % and experts voice the opinion that this negative trend will continue in 2012.