Kyburz Switzerland is winner of the Prix SVC Wirtschaftsraum Zürich 2022

Kyburz Switzerland from Freienstein has been an international leader for high-quality mobility and transport solutions for more than 30 years. What began in the founding year of 1991 with the construction of solar-powered vehicles has since developed into the production of high-quality electric vehicles for delivery and industrial operations. The in-house telematics solution minimizes administrative processes and improves the profitability of large fleets. It is impossible to imagine our streets without the yellow 3-wheeled electric vehicles of Swiss Post, for example. Delivery services in Australia, Finland and Iceland now also rely on Kyburz vehicles. Likewise, the Kyburz recycling process for lithium-ion batteries is probably the most efficient in the world: according to CEO and owner Martin Kyburz, 91 percent of the recyclable materials in a battery can be recovered. The sustainability concept of the Kyburz vehicles is impressive: After eight years of operation, the delivery vehicles are withdrawn, completely overhauled and can then be put back into service as good as new.

Martin Kyburz: "Hey team, this is your prize".

Daniel Läubli, Jury President of the Prix SVC Wirtschaftsraum Zürich and Senior Partner of McKinsey & Company Zurich, paid tribute to the winner of the first prize in his laudation. He said the company's growth story, both nationally and internationally, was impressive - they had been ahead of the curve since their inception. "Above all, the win is an award for the fact that the Kyburz Switzerland team is made up of passionate and experienced tinkerers - always looking to solve the next big problem." Currently, they are dedicated to nothing less than making new batteries from the recovered raw material of the recycling process.

In his acceptance speech, Martin Kyburz focused on his team: "Hey team, this is your prize," he shouted to the colleagues present. He sees winning the trophy as a reward for the passion they put into being innovative and creating jobs every day.

In addition to Kyburz Switzerland, four other companies were honored

Second place went to G. Bopp & Co. AG from Zurich, which for decades has been one of the world's leading manufacturers of metal meshes for demanding and diverse applications. While the company was founded in 1881 to produce high-quality, stable and reliable screens and grids, today the meshes are often important components in highly complex processes in industry or in research and development. With pride, David Rolny, a member of the company's Board of Directors, pointed out that NASA is also one of its customers and that products from G. Bopp & Co. were used in the Apollo missions on the moon.

Third place went to Planzer Transport AG, a family-owned stock corporation since 1966. True to the motto "Everything from a single source," customers benefit from diverse services and total solutions in all aspects of logistics - from warehouse logistics and general cargo transport to parcel services. A special focus is placed on the topic of sustainability. For example, over 60% of the shipments cover the majority of the transport distance in an environmentally friendly manner by rail. The other award winners of the evening are Falu AG from Rüti, the leading manufacturer of equipment for the production and packaging of cotton swabs and cotton pads, and South Pole from Zurich, project developer of almost 1,000 climate protection projects and a leading provider of climate protection solutions.

Jury process, government greeting and business panel

The Swiss Venture Club (SVC) honors successful small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region with the Prix SVC Wirtschaftsraum Zürich. In a multi-stage process, the 20-member jury of experts had nominated the five finalist companies in advance and visited them during a jury trip. The winning company was selected from all the nominated companies according to clearly defined criteria.

The festive and exciting event, which Nik Hartmann once again moderated with wit and expertise, was held at the Kongresshaus Zurich with around 1400 participants. Government Councillor Carmen Walker Späh delivered the welcoming message and emphasized that the innovative developments of SMEs were the backbone of Zurich's economy. It is therefore of fundamental importance to be a leader in innovation. This creates jobs and prosperity. In the economic panel on the topic of "Crisis, war and climate change - Nothing can shake the Swiss economy? Or?", Daniela Bosshardt-Hengartner, management consultant and member of the Board of Directors, Anita Buchli, Director ZHAW entrepreneurship, Andreas Gerber, SVC President and Head of Corporate Clients, Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Ltd. and Valentin Vogt, President Swiss Employers' Association, provided insights into current challenges and approaches to solutions for the Swiss economy.

The afternoon panel discussion with Ancillo Canepa (President FC Zurich) and Marinko Jurendic (Head of Sport FC Zurich) on strategies, emotions and heart and soul in leading FCZ through the ups and downs of sporting success was also a great success.

Source and further information: www.svc.swiss