Prix SVC Espace Mittelland 2023 goes to Sanitized AG

The six finalized companies for the Prix SVC Espace Mittelland have probably never had to wait so long: The prize should actually have been awarded in August 2021. But the pandemic meant that the award ceremony had to be postponed twice. On March 15, 2023, the time had finally come: the ceremony was held in dignified style in the Kursaal in Bern in front of 1300 guests. The Swiss Venture Club (SVC) thus honored exemplary SMEs for the fourteenth time. The six finalists not only survived the years of the Corona pandemic, but all emerged from the crisis stronger than before, as they stated in unison.

First place for Sanitized AG from Burgdorf

Moderated by Patrick Rohr, the finalists - Hugentobler Schweizer Kochsysteme, Kästli & Co. AG, mb-microtec AG, Molkerei Lanz AG, Sanitized AG and Thommen Medical - presented themselves to the audience in words and pictures. It was striking that two of the companies, Sanitized and Molkerei Lanz, are headed by siblings. All six companies emerged from a multi-stage nomination process involving 250 companies. In the end, Sanitized AG from Burgdorf won the race: the company has been doing pioneering work for over 80 years, developing innovative, effective and safe technologies for antimicrobial finishes. It has an international network for distribution, production support and quality control. More than 300 brand manufacturers worldwide use Sanitized® as a valued "ingredient brand". The family-owned company, led by fourth-generation CEO Michael Lüthi, employs 65 people. "Sanitized convinced us by its scientific professionalism, translated into discreet high-tech, for a basic human need: Hygiene and by its environmental awareness - with deeds instead of words - with nature-based technologies, recently even with mint extract!" as Walter Steinlin, jury president, pointed out in his laudation.

mb-microtec ag and Molkerei Lanz AG in second and third place

The light show by the duo "In Motion" could have served as an indication that perhaps mb-microtec AG would come out on top in the end. But CEO Roger Siegenthaler was just as happy about his company's second place. mb-microtec is the global market leader in the development, manufacture and distribution of microcomponents for the watch, security and automotive industries, as well as for the space and aviation industries. The in-house watch brand "traser swiss H3 watches" offers uncompromising functionality and robustness with highly resistant materials as well as the self-luminous technology "trigalight". The family-owned company has around one hundred employees and has been led by CEO Roger Siegenthaler since 2014. This company was also recognized by jury president Walter Steinlin in his laudation as a shining example of entrepreneurship indeed.

The bronze rank went to Molkerei Lanz AG. Following the principles of quality, milk from the region, natural ingredients and gentle processing, the private dairy produces dairy products, yogurt, whipped cream and other milk-based specialties in the modern production building at its headquarters in Obergerlafingen. Founded in 1941, the family business is now run by the third generation of siblings Olivia and Gregor Lanz and employs 67 people.

Everyone can feel like a winner at the Prix SVC Espace Mittelland

Also awarded a diploma were Hugentobler Schweizer Kochsysteme AG from Schönbühl, market-leading total provider of development, production, training, sales and service of modern large-scale kitchen equipment and cooking systems; the third-generation SME run by Marc Kästli, Kästli & Co. AG from Belp, market leader for custom-made products in textile sun protection; and Thommen Medical AG from Grenchen, an independent Swiss manufacturer of dental implants. These three companies can also feel like winners, as they are just as innovative in their fields.

Business rendezvous

The event offered the 1,300 invited guests from business, science, politics and the media insights into the region's impressive and diverse entrepreneurship. Reto Portmann, the new SVC Espace Mittelland Regional Director since January 2023, emphasized: "It was wonderful to be able to use this platform to showcase the outstanding achievements of SMEs, which are often too little noticed by the general public. I was particularly pleased with the many meetings with personalities from the Mittelland entrepreneurial community at the networking afterwards." SVC President Andreas Gerber also announced that the contract between the main sponsor Credit Suisse and the Swiss Venture Club had been extended until 2028 - certainly a positive signal given the currently less than uplifting news surrounding the big bank.

Prix SVC as a climate-neutral event

Together with myclimate "Cause We Care", an initiative for climate protection and sustainable tourism in Switzerland, the Kursaal Bern offers CO2-neutral events. The SVC also supports this initiative and is committed with conviction to sustainability in the event sector. With an additional contribution of 1 % on the net invoice amount, the Prix SVC becomes climate neutral and supports the Kursaal's own myclimate "Cause We Care" sustainability fund. The Kursaal Bern doubles the payment into this fund. From this, local sustainability and climate protection measures are financed and at the same time the CO2 emissions of the event are offset with a carbon offset project.

More information: www.svc.swiss