Despite the customs hammer: SME MEMs stand by Switzerland as a business location
95% of Swissmechanic member companies are not planning to relocate production to the USA. SME-MEM are proud of their know-how, quality, Swissness and the dual education system and are committed to Switzerland as a workplace.
Swissmechanic has launched a survey of its member companies after the US government announced a 90-day lifting of tariffs down to a general level of 10 percent (except for China, Canada and Mexico). The results are clear: 95% of the SME-MEMs surveyed are not planning to relocate production to the USA despite the threat of a tariff hammer. Only 5 percent are considering such a move, which corresponds to around 65 companies in the member base of 1,350 SMEs.
Indirectly affected by the US customs hammer
50 percent of Swissmechanic member companies export directly to the USA, but to the tune of 1 to 25 percent of their total volume, depending on the company. For half of the SME-MEMs surveyed, the USA is not a direct market in this sense, and for the other half, the significance ranges from marginal to relevant and does not exceed a quarter of their own turnover.
SMEs in the MEM industries are indirectly affected by US tariffs, particularly as suppliers. For them, relocating production to the USA would be complex, as they do not primarily export directly to the USA.
Swissmechanic President takes a critical view of production relocation
Nicola Roberto Tettamanti, President of Swissmechanic and CEO of Tecnopinz SA, emphasizes: "As an SME association, we see the relocation of production to the USA as a loss of know-how and quality for Switzerland as a business location. Competent specialists are the backbone of our SME-MEM, and we are proud of the quality of our products and the importance of "Swiss Made"."
Swissmechanic sees the billion-euro investments in the USA announced by major Swiss companies as an important negotiating tool. Nicola Tettamanti: "It is understandable and right that the Swiss economy continues to confirm its strength as an important investor in the USA, especially in this complex negotiation phase. However, we hope that Swiss value creation will not suffer as a result and that manufacturing capacities will be maintained.
Source: Swissmechanic
