Belimo is the leading global manufacturer of innovative actuators, valves and sensor solutions to control heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
How do you assess Switzerland’s business ecosystem?
Switzerland is an effective business location from an administration point of view. The business-friendly environment facilitates global networking and offers excellent access to the European market. An additional benefit is the lack of bureaucracy often found in neighboring countries.
What is the role of apprenticeships in building national human capital?
The apprenticeship program is a huge benefit for employees and companies. At Belimo, we have incoming apprentices that are 16 years old. After the program, they tend to continue their education while staying on as part-time workers. By the time they are 25 years old they have a Masters in automation or IT, and nine years of hands-on experience within Belimo. This kind of youthful talent and expertise are the cornerstone of Switzerland continuously achieving top ranks in regards to human capital.
What are your ambitions for the USA market?
We are the clear market leader in the USA, and have our regional headquarters in Connecticut, close to New York. Our headquarters, R&D and manufacturing facilities are currently being expanded. We are installing an impressively large one megawatt solar energy system, that will soon be one of the largest photovoltaic systems in Connecticut.
How is Belimo growing as a company?
As a company, Belimo works on a global basis with a global perspective. We are present in 80 markets and export 97% of our turnover. Our strategy is set to grow sales by a rate of 6% annually. We have become the global leader in a niche segment, and are adding new competences to our product line. This targeted approach has become crucial to our competitiveness as a company. Belimo’s global headquarters are based in Switzerland, where we opened a new operations wing filled with automation and robotics and will continue to implement state-of-the-art digital solutions to maximize efficiency.