Thursday, 17 September 2020 From the canton of Nidwalden to the seven seas This year's IHZ Innovation Award is going to a measuring system designed to make sure that ships comply with environmental regulations. potential, the significance for Central Switzerland, Water treatment plants, breweries entrepreneurial achievement as or the Gotthard Base Tunnel: well as the benefit to society and Measuring instruments from the environment. 'The Sigrist-Photometer AG, based in development of a complete the tranquil municipality of system that takes into account the Ennetbürgen in the canton of diverse requirements of the Nidwalden, are used in a wide shipping industry across the variety of places. These world's oceans impressed the instruments measure the turbidity jury', said president of the jury in beer, the purity of water or even and member of the Council of the concentration of smoke in a States for the canton of tunnel using the scattered light Nidwalden Hans Wicki. Markus principle. Since being established Stolz of Sigrist-Photometer AG is in 1946, when founding couple delighted by this: 'This is amazing Willy and Paula Sigrist were recognition for our work over the making the first measuring systems for the beet industry past few years.' themselves at their kitchen table, Recognition Award for the company has grown confectioner Bachmann continuously – to 83 employees – and the internally developed So far, the company is measuring systems are sold in over maintaining a market share of 80 countries via a network of around ten percent with the service and sales partners. The Scrubber Guard, he says. 'Our primary market for the system is company also has a subsidiary in China, where the majority of ships Germany. are built today.' Now, Sigrist- In Switzerland, Sigrist- Photometer would like to continue Photometer AG is the market its growth trajectory with the leader for measuring instruments product. To what extent exactly? 'If in a whole host of application you had asked me before the areas. The products do not come CEO Markus Stolz (on the left) and Sales Manager Felix Joller with the Scrubber Guard. Image: Boris Bürgisser (Ennetbürgen, 9 September 2020) coronavirus pandemic started, I cheap, however, as they are would have been able to say,' CEO developed and produced entirely Stolz tellingly answers. Due to the on site. 'Creating industrial jobs in So that ships can continue to instruments for measuring oil And when visiting platforms, of staff at the company who studied effects of the crisis on the shipping the region has been part of the be operated with heavy fuel oil, traces. These systems measure he noticed time and again that mechanical engineering at the industry, he would like to hold company's philosophy since it was they are now equipped with the oil in the water, thereby the process of installing university during the development back on making specific founded,' says Markus Stolz, who exhaust gas cleaning systems or helping platform operators to individual sensors was very period. The Scrubber Guard has projections at the moment. All in came to Ennetbürgen a year ago 'scrubbers'. 'Think of it as a comply with limit values complex and time-consuming been a great success so far, says all however, the corona crisis has after leaving Landis+Gyr in Zug, a chimney in a large shower,' regulated by statutory law,' for operators. Joller started to CEO Stolz. 'Last year alone, our so far not affected the company as company specialising in energy explains Felix Joller, who has explains Joller. However, these think about a complete system revenue grew by approximately 30 significantly as it could have. The metering solutions. 'With our worked at the company as the are not the only sensors used on that would contain all of the percent as a result of the new drop in sales in other business measuring systems, we are looking Business Field Manager for platforms. required sensors and could product; the Scrubber Guard is segments were limited and 'One to achieve the typical qualities that Industrial Processes for twelve additionally be put into driving our growth, which in turn hundred percent equity coverage is Switzerland is renowned for: years now. 'These scrubbers wash operation quickly and easily leads to new opportunities for also part of the company's quality, precision and reliability.' out harmful substances,' says without any installation work. professionalisation.' Since its philosophy, which gives us the Since the beginning of 2019, the Creating industrial Joller. 'But in order to monitor Joller considered that the perfect launch, ten additional jobs have security we need in such times,' company has had a completely says Stolz. whether the system is jobs in the region has place of operation for such a already been created in new product in its portfolio – a In addition to the Innovation functioning correctly, sensors are system would be merchant ships Ennetbürgen. product that apparently no other been part of the Award, the IHZ jury honoured required.' The Scrubber Guard – and cruise liners. 'There can be The fact that a company from the competitor in the measuring company's philosophy Lucerne confectioner Bachmann instrument sector currently offers. the system monitoring the an awful lot of swaying on ships, region developed such a special with a Recognition Award. The The Scrubber Guard. A system for cleaning process – therefore since it was founded so the entire system has to product also caught the attention of company received the award for its monitoring scrubber wash water measures traces of oil as well as function as a single unit,' says the jury for the Innovation Award virtual 3D cake configurator. With on cargo ships. the turbidity, pH value and Joller. Once the system is organised by the Central this technically complex solution, temperature of wash water. 'This activated, water flows through Switzerland Chamber of the company has developed a The shipping industry is makes it possible to comply with the Scrubber Guard for Commerce and Industry (IHZ). completely new product in the aiming to become greener IMO guidelines.' monitoring purposes. The jury gave the Scrubber Guard – industry. Customers can design This year sees new guidelines Joller got the idea for the The solution was developed one of fourteen products submitted their cakes themselves and order from the International Maritime innovative system when visiting from start to finish together with – this year's Innovation Award. them online at any time. In this Organization (IMO) for oil platforms. 'Since 1968 we have the Lucerne University of The principal assessment criteria way, the company is driving reducing the emissions of offered Applied Sciences and Arts included the originality and degree forward digitisation and securing pollutants from ships. (HSLU) and a current member of innovation, market success and the jobs of specialised staff, the jury said. Original Report Luzerner Zeitung here.