PRECISION INDUSTRIES A cutting-edge industry of the canton of Vaud 2 VAUD ECONOMIC PROMOTION / PRECISION INDUSTRIES A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN MICROTECHNOLOGIES Watches made by Vaud companies, just like robots and medical sensors, are used every day around the world. As a world leader in the export of watches, Switzerland and gems (22%), precision instruments and tools (5.5%) ac- sells around 95% of its production overseas. Following counted for almost half of the countries exports. They em- in the footsteps of some 700 successful watchmaking ploy over 320,000 people throughout the country. businesses, thousands of companies are active in microtechnology, microelectromechanical systems or Microtechnology refers more specifically to processes that nanotechnologies. This industry of exceptional precision enable work to be done on a micron scale. In Western can count on the country’s numerous assets in this sector: Switzerland alone, 900 companies, laboratories and its international perspective, central geographic location, support organizations feature in the directory of those multilingual population, first-class professional training involved in micro-precision stakeholders. Nanotechnology in the various trades of the industry, R&D projects with encompasses processes whose precision is less than or the region’s leading research institutes, etc. equal to 100 nanometers. Despite its elevated costs, Switzerland has many highly automated production plants, thus bolstering the competi- tiveness of the Swiss industrial sector internationally. The reputation for quality of Swiss products all around the world makes the “Swiss Made” label one that can be relied on when it comes to developing activities and products with high added value. Many foreign companies (most notably from emerging countries like Russia or Turkey for example) choose Switzerland and the canton of Vaud to develop a new range of products with higher added value. This is particu- 30% larly the case in industry and medical technologies. The machinery, electrical equipment and metals industry totals more than 13,000 firms in Switzerland, which are of Switzerland’s total merchandise exports mainly active in the manufacturing of metal products (55%). come from the MEM industry, which amounts to 63 billion Swiss francs. More Of the total Swiss merchandise exports in 2018, manufac- than 59% of the products exported by the turing of machinery and electronics (11%), precious metals MEM industry are destined for EU countries. Source: Panorama 2017, Swissmem 2017, Panorama Source: Ruag Photo: “The University of Lausanne and the EPFL provide us with highly qualified and passionate staff who are at the origins of our discoveries and products. (...) The Vaud authorities have also provided a great deal of assistance through their economic promotion activities in the region, allowing us to prosper in the YVES EMERY global market.” CEO of Lyncee Tec, Lausanne VAUD ECONOMIC PROMOTION / PRECISION INDUSTRIES 3 At regional and national levels, the benchmark organiza- tions in the field are the Swiss industry leader Swissmem, the Swiss Association of Mechanical Engineering (GIM-CH) and the Micronarc platform, to which a considerable num- ber of Vaud companies in the sector are affiliated. In the canton of Vaud, the significant expertise in the area of miniaturization, micromechanics and mechatronics is now being expanded in a dozen sectors of activity, such as the manufacture of industrial machinery and medical technologies. Vaud’s research centers and companies are also renowned in the areas of robotics, aerospace, me- trology and drones. The success of companies in the canton active in mi- cro-precision and nanotechnology can be attributed in par- ticular to the presence in Vaud of leading research institutes at the EPFL and HEIG-VD. Some business support partners have purposely established themselves in this sector, such as the Sainte-Croix Technology Park, a national center of excellence in micro-welding, and the AddiPole, an ad- vanced manufacturing center specialized in reverse engi- neering and additive manufacturing. The canton of Vaud is deeply committed to highly innova- tive fields such as additive manufacturing, 3D printing and industrial design. The latter is a booming innovation hub. Source: Panorama 2017, Swissmem 2017, Panorama Source: Ruag Photo: AN IDEAL ENVIRONMENT FOR INVESTING Located in the heart of Europe, Vaud, the largest of the French- There are some 50,000 companies in Switzerland never ceases to amaze speaking cantons, is also the most the canton, mainly operating in the with its diversity and prosperity. Its populated, with more than 800,000 service sector, but they also lead the political system is based on direct inhabitants. An illustration of its way in technology sectors with high democracy and consensus, giving rise openness is that nearly a third of its added value such as precision to productive stability that greatly population hails from abroad. A instruments, medical equipment and benefits the economy. The country significant proportion of these people information technology. regularly ranks among the most are highly qualified and were attracted competitive in the world. by the working conditions and excellence of the region’s institutions. 4 VAUD ECONOMIC PROMOTION / PRECISION INDUSTRIES AREAS OF EXPERTISE Vaud’s expertise in micro and nanotechnology is illustrated in many areas, of which the main ones are: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing, industrial design Industrial machinery and equipment This sector encompasses computer-aided manufacturing, a Switzerland ranks second in the world in machinery exports new production method undergoing rapid growth. In the per capita, just behind Singapore. Swiss companies are canton of Vaud, several institutes as well as companies are leaders in a number of fields. Vaud company BOBST, for dedicated to this field: the HEIG-VD’s AddiPole based at the example, is one of the primary international suppliers of Sainte-Croix Technology Park, the EPFL offering in equipment and services for packaging and label manufac- engineering sciences and methods and that of the École turers. Its machines are sold all around the world and ap- cantonale d’art de Lausanne (ECAL), the MakerSpace of the proximately 6% of its revenue is allocated to R&D activities. Les Ateliers de Renens as well as the offerings of companies The industry can count on various important R&D partners, such as FiveCo and Oxyde in Lausanne. such as the Institute for Design, Materials, Packaging & Packing of the HEIG-VD. Automotive At the forefront of innovation, Vaud companies are working hand-in-hand with the European and international automo- tive industry. An example is connectors manufacturer Fischer Connectors, and Trimos, which produce measuring instru- ments. The EPFL conducts a great deal of useful studies in the fields of: light and resistant nanomaterials, driver assis- tance devices, alternatives to fossil fuels, etc. French group fhs.swiss cpih.ch, admin.ch, Sources: swissmem.ch | Source: Jaeger-LeCoultre Photo: PSA Peugeot Citroën was impressed by the mental resources to be found in Vaud and opened the Science and Technolo- gies Exploratory Lean Laboratory on the EPFL campus. SWISS WATCH Drones MANUFACTURE IN FIGURES Drone technologies is a burgeoning sector and features over 20 Vaud-based companies of the 70 or so Swiss 700 The approximate number of companies businesses active in the field. These technologies are employing a total of 59,000 people emerging in the region thanks to the expertise and research of people at the EPFL, including from the robotics 95% laboratory. Pioneers senseFly design drones for surveyors, of all watches manufactured in Switzerland are exported farmers and quarry operators while Flyability devises unmanned flying vehicles that can access confined spaces. CHF 21.2 billion The total value of Swiss watch exports in 2018 VAUD ECONOMIC PROMOTION / PRECISION INDUSTRIES 5 IT, telecommunications Measuring instruments The Internet of Things requires both software and cloud Many small and medium-sized companies are developing hosting to transmit information to users as well as hardware innovative measuring instruments in the canton of Vaud. and data collection systems. The research institutes and These include tesa, Trimos, Sylvac and Rüeger. The latter, companies in the canton of Vaud are very well positioned for example, is a startup that has developed a microfluidic in both of these fields. The HEIG-VD and the EPFL are tool to collect standardized blood samples. These compa- carrying out R&D projects. The Vaud manufacturer Safran nies have trained staff in the region’s centers, as well as the Colibrys is particularly renowned in the field of MEMS global reputation for quality, reliabi lity and manageability (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems), producing motion of “Made in Switzerland” measurement tools. sensors for the military, avionics and energy sectors. Medical technologies Located in the heart of Health Valley, Vaud’s precision industry develops products in the medical field at the crossroads of in- formation technologies, nanotechnologies and biotechnolo- gies. It benefits both from the expertise of the world-renowned Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and the research insti- tutes of the EPFL and HEIG-VD. Medtronic, the global leader in medical technologies, saw the potential of this and estab- lished its EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) headquarters in the canton of Vaud. The American giant also has