“This is by far the biggest machine tool facility in Switzerland,” says Pascal Boillat, President, GF Machining Solutions. “Our ambition is to be the best and, with our new headquarters, we not only have a fantastic, state-of-the-art facility but also have one that will help us achieve our long-term growth plans and objectives.
“From this new site we will be able to consolidate our position as a global powerhouse and offer best -in-class solutions to our customers worldwide, whilst at the same time underlining our Swiss heritage.”
On September 13, 2019, GF Machining Solutions’ new headquarters in Biel, Switzerland opened for business.
The new building, which took 26 months to construct, will house 450 employees from 29 nationalities and brings together, under one roof, the nearby facilities of Ipsach (the former Competence Centre); Nidau (the former milling production site); and Luterbach (a Step-Tec site).
Hosted by Swiss Sports TV journalist Annette Fetscherin, the opening ceremony was attended by over 300 guests and, in addition to a tour of the facility, included speeches from GF Management as well as from political and business representatives.
Investment in the Swiss Silicon Valley
“When the building project was in its early design stage back in 2015, the Swiss Franc was strong – and was getting stronger. Everybody then was talking about decentralising production operations,” Boillat says.
“We took the opposite view and, now, this position has been vindicated. The ‘Made in Switzerland’ brand is respected throughout the world and is a kite mark for quality and reliability.
“Furthermore the geographical location of the new facility cannot be beaten. We have an excellent education system, a pool of talented young people and first-class universities all on our doorstep – everything we need to make premium machines.”
“Investing here in Switzerland sends a strong signal and reinforces our belief that technological know-how and expertise are closely related to people and geographical location”, says Antonio Faccio, Head of Market Region Europe and South America, GF Machining Solutions. “This combination has contributed to the success, in recent years, of our milling operations which has experienced double-digit growth.”
The decision to build the new facility in Biel was an easy one to make, as Boillat explains. “If you draw a 50km circle around Biel – 90% of the Swiss machine tool industry and 80% of the watchmaking industry will be located within that circle.
“Biel is like the Swiss Silicon Valley for precision manufacturing.”
The location of the site is also strategically important because it is easier to find highly-skilled people working in the precision machining industry.
Universities like EPFL in Lausanne or ETH in Zurich, as well as Biel University of Applied Sciences with its Engineering and Information Technology Department, are all in close proximity.
Andreas Müller, CEO of GF, enthusiastically supports the investment. “This is our biggest investment in Switzerland in over 30 years, and our most modern facility yet for the development and production of milling machines, spindles and automation solutions.”
A new state-of-the-art site
GF has invested over 100 million Swiss francs – around 91 million EUR – building a modern, state-of-the-art facility.
The production plant is intended to manufacture 65 machines per month. It is equipped to comply with all major traceability and certifications’ requirements. The construction and assembly of the milling machines follows strict, step-by-step protocols to ensure quality.
Up to 2,300 spindles will be tested annually at the site, with a test duration from four to eight hours and six employees are dedicated entirely to spindle analysis and diagnosis.
The large Application Centre is evidence of the company’s commitment to milling and automation excellence.
Bringing the different teams and specialisms together under one roof will create synergies and economies of scale whist at the same time delivering constant innovation.
Boillat says, “We will focus all our efforts and resources on innovation. This will ensure market differentiation and competitiveness.”
Vincent Mohni, Head of Technical Unit Milling at GF Machining Solutions, adds, “While many people see this new HQ as an achievement, I personally see it as the beginning of our journey. This site is like a masterpiece for producing high tech, high-quality Swiss five-axis milling machines, spindles and laser machines.”
New machines and a new design
A tour of the production facility provided the guests attending the Opening Ceremony with a sneak preview of the new machines that are going to be available in the next few months.
These include:
- a) The new Mikron MILL P 500 – a three-axis high-precision vertical machining centre with high removal capabilities.
- b) The new five-axis MILL P 1400U, due to be launched in 2020, which is equipped with an axis stroke of 1400mm x 1300mm x 750mm and allows the machining of large and heavy workpieces up to three tonnes in weight.
Both machines feature a brand-new ergonomic design that provides easy access to the machining area/envelope, and enables the easy integration of automation systems.
