The Swiss automobile industry constitutes one of the mainstays of the economy; the Swiss economy is mainly dependent upon the production of automotive systems and parts. Switzerland has nearly saturated market. At present, sales volume in Switzerland reached 300,000 units, averagely, 0.5 unit per capital.
Prominent automobiles such as the Mercedes or BMW may have been assembled in Germany and elsewhere but their components such as doors, heating and insulation systems, safety belts, etc. may have been developed and produced in Switzerland. Switzerland's auto-part manufacturing companies are export oriented.
Major Players on the Swiss Market
Georg Fischer Automotive Products Group founded in 1802 and headquartered in Schaffhausen,the automotive products group currently operates 14 plants spread across Germany, Austria, Hungary, the UK and China. It now holds the top spot in Europe of manufacturers of high performance iron, aluminum and magnesium castings for the automotive framework and is known as a global development partner of the vehicle industry for cast machined highly stressed components in iron or light alloys. The group also offers custom designed solutions based upon modern development, new production processes and contemporary operating methods. The Automotive Products Group is only one of the four divisions of the conglomerate.
The Rieter Group another Swiss company plays a pivotal role on the automobile world market. Established in Winterthur in 1795, the Rieter Group – a leading supplier of systems and services for the textile, plastics and automotive industries – has gained prominence on the world market. The group operates over 40 plants across Europe, North and South America as well as South Africa. The typical noise-reducing components made by Rieter include floor, carpet and overhead modules, shelves, luggage compartment treatments, hood liners, engine encapsulation and damping materials. These components are customized and adjusted for each new vehicle that the customers of Rieter Automotives Systems develop.
GK Tool (Georg Kaufmann) has a team responsible for the design and production of precision tools, specializing in back injection and back compression technology. The company employs highly trained experts and provides them with state-of-the-art equipment, ensuring the production of economical and environmentally friendly molds.
Jakob Mueller AG a key player on the world market to produce safety belts, with a 12-year-long tradition of producing processes for fabrics, used garments and technical applications.