Switzerland Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in switzerland, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Equipment and Machinery
Last published date:

Overview

U.S. companies producing equipment and machinery (including ICT equipment) may find opportunities to supply Switzerland’s global corporations in the pharmaceutical (Novartis, Roche), chemical (Syngenta, Clariant, Lonza, Firmenich, Givaudan), machinery (ABB), food processing (Nestlé), financial (UBS, Credit Suisse, Zurich Insurance, SwissRe), and commodity trading (Glencore, Mercuria) sectors; small and medium enterprises; and other sectors requiring high tech and precision machinery and equipment.

Table: Total Market Size for Equipment and Machinery

 

2018

2019

2020

2021 estimated

Total Local Production1

40,875

40,632

41,766

49,937

Total Exports2

37,749

35,435

33,235

37,833

Total Imports2

34,981

34,187

33,931

38,222

Imports from the US2

1,625

1,729

1,517

1,719

Total Market Size

38,107

39,384

42,462

44,326

Exchange Rates

0.978

0.994

0.939

0.914

(total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports)
Units: $ millions
Source:

1Swiss gross value-added in the sectors of electrical equipment, mechanical engineering, equipment repair, data processing equipment, and watches per:  BFS (retrieved on 6/23/2022).   The growth rate for local production for 2021 was estimated at 5.2% in Swiss franc terms, in line with overall GDP growth for the year

2 Includes goods in the category of machinery (HS Codes 84 and 85), per the UN Comtrade database (retrieved on 6/23/22).

Leading Sub-Sectors

Automatic data processing machines, turbines, electric apparatus for telecom.

Opportunities

Opportunities exist in the leading subsectors including in the field of laboratory equipment, batteries, and pumps. Information and Communications Technology-related services (also partially reflected in HS Code 85) include cloud computing (including software from the cloud), cyber security, the construction of data centers, blockchain applications, Internet of Things, Big Data, Health IT, Agro IT and Artificial Intelligence.

Resources

Association of the Swiss mechanical and electrical engineering industries (Swissmem): www.swissmem.ch

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