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SWISS BUSINESS NEWS

 

 

WINTER 2001 - 2002

 

 

 

Top of the News

 

Switzerland moved from 4th to 2nd place behind Ireland in the 2nd annual Foreign Policy/ATKearney globalization index ranking economic and political integration in 62 countries. The U.S. retained its 12th position. The index brings globalization into sharper focus by assessing changes in its most important components, whether engagement in international relations and policymaking, trade and financial flows, or the movement of people, ideas, and information across borders.

Switzerland's main strengths are shown in the economic integration and personal contact sectors. Integration tracks trade, foreign direct investment, portfolio capital flows, income payments and receipts. Personal contact encompasses international travel and tourism, international telephone traffic and cross-border transfers. Switzerland also compared favorably among the top three countries in technology and political engagement.

 

 

Wins and Updates

 

First Circle Medical, Inc., a privately held Minneapolis-based biotechnology company, has opened its European headquarters in Préverenges, Vaud. The office will take the lead in aggressively developing the marketing and service infrastructure necessary to capitalize on the European CE approval for FCM's proprietary system to treat Hepatitis-C (HCV).

 

Israel-based Lumenis Ltd., formerly known as ESC Medical Systems, has opened a branch in Schaffhausen to manage its portfolio of intellectual property and other intangible assets outside the United States. Hadar Solomon has been appointed Managing Director of Lumenis Schaffhausen.

 

Also from the "overseas desk," Danish IT security concern EuroTrust has opened a branch office in Zurich. The company sees Switzerland as a strategic IT market.

 

Further Scandinavian activity is reported by EQT Northern Europe (an equity fund belonging to the Wallenberg Foundation) which is acquiring the Leybold Optics Division of Unaxis (the former Oerlikon-Buehrle). Plans are to reportedly undertake a future public offering of Leybold.

 

Canadian mobile communications provider WMode Inc. has established operations in Bollingen. Plans are to grow the business as a European headquarters starting with personnel in development and sales.

 

Florida-based American Medical Testing Laboratories has established ALCAT Diagnostics International in the capital. The facility's eight employees are involved in the manufacture and worldwide distribution of ALCAT Test® diagnostic equipment measuring patient intolerance of foods, medicines or medical substances.

 

Berne was also selected as the European strategic marketing center for United Electronic Industries, Inc., a Canton, MA - based information technology firm. Operating as Amitech trading GmBH, the Berne facility is responsible for marketing UEI's data-acquisition boards including its flagship PowerDAQ line for the PCI bus

 

In the world of charities and not-for profit enterprises, the new Global Foundation to Fight Aids will set up shop in Geneva. The foundation, which will be staffed by 30 to 40 persons, chose the Swiss international city over Brussels and Paris. In a separate development, London-based Oxfam, a leading international non-governmental organization and one of the U.K.'s leading charities, opened a two-person office in Geneva. It currently works in more than 70 countries has 4,000 staff and 23,000 volunteers and delivers a humanitarian program worth about $150 million.

 

 

Other News

 

On January 1, Mario Brossi, who headed the Swiss foreign investment promotion program in North America for five years, handed over day-to-day operational responsibilities to Andre Guedel, who has been associated with Location: Switzerland+ for four years. Andre was named the organization's Program Director for North America. A professional economist, he has extensive experience in marketing and event promotion. Mr. Brossi will continue as a Senior Advisor to the program, providing on-going strategic advice, serving as a speaker at conferences and other external events and maintaining and further developing key contacts in the existing investment network.

 

On the legislative front, substantial progress has been achieved in the US Congress to ease previous restrictions enabling spouses of international transferees to work in the United States. The Swiss-American Chamber, among others, has for 10 years steadfastly worked to enact such a law change, which will make it easier to transfer dual income families to the US. The legislation has passed the House and Senate and awaits the President's signature.

 

United Dominion Realty Trust, Richmond, VA, has purchased Credit Suisse First Boston's 75% interest in three newly completed apartment complexes from a joint venture between the two companies. The $46 million transaction was for two properties in Texas and one in Arizona.

 

Also on this side of the Atlantic, the Phonak Group purchased the CROS brand from Telex Communications to strengthen its wireless interests. The CROS line of hearing instruments is expected to add some $3.5 million to the group's consolidated sales.

 

In addition, Novartis announced the purchase of two separate American companies specializing in animal vaccines. The two US companies are ImmTech Biologics based in Kansas and Grand Laboratories based in Iowa. These acquisitions are the latest of a series of expansions for the animal health division, which employs 2000 people worldwide and has sales in excess of SFr 1 billion.

 

 

Publicity and Promotion

 

Our 5th Media Tour - this one focusing on nanotechnology - has been rescheduled for the week of April 7. The tour will cover sites in the Neuchatel, Vaud, Basel, the Greater Zurich area and Central Switzerland. Journalists on the tour include Karen Thuermer, Expansion Management; William Spence, NanoTechnology Magazine; Michael Forbes, NanoComputer DreamTeam Video Series; Andy Shaw representing several Canadian publications; John Morrow, Genetic Engineering News and American Biotechnology Laboratory; Ken McNaughton, Industrial Physicist; Steve Benka, Physics Today; Steve Mraz, Machine Design and American Machinist; Art Gill, Advanced Manufacturing, consulting editor Steve Krar; Steve Herrera, Red Herring; Paul Holister, CMP Scientifica and from Switzerland, Bill Hall, Financial Times.

 

Press releases distributed since our last newsletter covered the management change at Location: Switzerland+ in North America, First Circle Medical's new European headquarters in Vaud; Switzerland's ranking in the Foreign Policy/ATKearney globalization index, and UEI and AMTL investments in Berne

 

In the queue: Brocade's expansion in Geneva and opening a new office in Zurich, WMode in Berne and Lumenis Ltd. in Schaffhausen.

 

The January 1 issue of Business News New Jersey, in an article "Exports Find Markets, Defying the Slump," ranked Switzerland 3rd after Hong Kong and Columbia as destinations with largest increases in New Jersey exports. Switzerland scored a 38% gain in the first 9 months of 2001 over 2000.

 

London-based risk-assessment firm World Markets Research Centre conducted a post-September 11 ranking of the best place in which to do business. Compared to pre-September 11, the United States dropped to 28th from 13th. Switzerland ranks 3rd in both assessments, behind tied Luxembourg and the Netherlands. (Business 2.0, December 2001)

 

 

News from Location Promotion Switzerland