Swiss manufacturing is often associated with quality and precision. Automation could soon be part of the equation too. (SRF/swissinfo.ch/cp)

According to an index by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Switzerland is top in the world when it comes to innovation, but it’s also faced with some of the highest labour costs in the world. Robots could be the solution.

Martin Frauenfelder, president of the board of directors of Paro AG, which manufactures assembly line production machines in canton Solothurn, points out that if Switzerland is to stay competitive it needs to invest in automation.

This has been the case of the precision mechanics company Aegerter Swiss Technology AG, in canton Bern, which is well on the way to having its whole production line run by robots.

Automation presents Swiss companies also with a niche of opportunities, related with the uninterrupted running of automated production lines. This is the case of the family owned lubricant and coolant manufacturer Blaser AG, with production facilities in Hasle-Rüegsau in canton Bern as well as, in the USA, China and India.