ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019

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2 SHORT PORTRAIT

EDITORIAL

Economic growth continued in 2018, bringing the MEM industries one of their most successful years ever. Companies in the Precision Tools specialist group have done especially well from the strong econo­my. Member companies' success figures have set new records.

Now, since the first months of 2019, the economy has been gradually cooling down. Order intake at global machine manufac­turers in Switzerland and Germany is con­tracting somewhat, which will sooner or later impact on sales figures for the tool industry. Moreover, the Swiss franc has again strengthened significantly against the euro, putting pressure on export mar­gins in the EU region.

Thanks to strong revenues and innovative capacity, the companies in the Precision Tools specialist group are well­prepared for a normal period of economic stagnation which is expected to be temporary.

Even under these economic conditions, they are investing in new products, state­of­the­art highly automated production equipment, infrastructure, and expanding their presence in global markets. The sec­tor's SMEs, for example, are successfully engaging with the U.S. and China mar­kets, whether through dealers or with their own subsidiaries. This also makes the members of the Precision Tools specialist group very attractive employers for highly skilled and motivated employees.

For the current year, economic forecasts for our industry expect stagnation or a slight contraction toward the end of the calendar year. In addition, the impacts of punitive tariffs between the United States and China remain difficult to gauge.

We do not know what the future will bring. But we do know that economic fit­ness vastly enhances a company's adapt­ability. In this respect the companies of the Precision Tools specialist group are in good

shape, and I am convinced that they will successfully master the challenges of the global economy in the coming months.

Thomas NägelinFRAISA SA, President of the Swissmem Precision Tools specialist group

3SHORT PORTRAIT

CONTENTS

Review of the year 4Market 6

Company profileBimu 8DC Swiss 9DUNNER 10FRAISA 11Oerlikon Balzers 12REGO-FIX 13URMA 14DIXI Polytool 15

Membership directory 16

THE PRECISION TOOLS SPECIALIST GROUP

The Precision Tools specialist group in its current form was founded in 2003 and currently comprises 50 members from var­ious segments of the industry. Along with

manufacturers of machining tools for mill­ing, drilling, turning, reaming and thread­ing, it also includes members from adja­cent fields such as producers of grinding tools, clamping devices and hard coatings. Thanks to their sophisticated geometries and innovative coatings, tools from Swit­zerland are characterized by precision and utmost productivity. As a result, they can help substantially reduce user costs and provide a competitive advantage. This is re­

flected in the segment's exceptionally high export rate of 85%. Internationally, the specialist group is affiliated with the Euro­pean Cutting Tool Association (ECTA).

The committee members, l. to r.: René Näf, Urma AG, Pascal Streiff (Secretary), Swissmem, Marc Schuler (Vice Chairman), Dixi-Polytool SA, Thomas Nägelin

(Chairman), Fraisa SA, Richard Weber, Rego-Fix AG, Mario Macario Utilis AG

4 REVIEW OF THE YEAR

LOOKING BACK ON AN INTENSE YEAR

2018 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGThe 15th Annual General Meeting was dedicated to medical device technology. Medartis in Basel is a leader in production of high­precision implants for surgical im­mobilization of broken bones and osteoto­mies. Since being spun off from Strau­mann, Medartis has had an extraordinary success story. The quality expectations for these implants, and especially for immobi­lizing screws, speak for themselves, as do their machining requirements.

2018 AUTUMN MEETING“Innovation Management in the Age of Digitalization” was the theme of this year's annual meeting, held at the Hotel Astoria in Olten. A presentation by Dr Christoph Meister, CEO of BGW Management Ad­visory Group (a spin­off of the University of St. Gallen), revealed how innovations not only need to be discovered but also, and especially, successfully managed. Moreover, the step from product innova­tion to business models is becoming in­

creasingly important. After a successful close of the year, the industry looks to 2019 with guarded optimism.

2019 SPRING MEETINGTogether with IG Hartmetall, industry representatives gathered at Hotel Seerose in Meisterschwanden on Lake Hallwil. The mood was upbeat; 2018 had been an out­standing year for these companies, for some the best ever. The first forecasts pre­sented by the new organization hpo fore­casting, however, suggested that we may have peaked and should not expect any major gains in 2019. Afterwards, in lieu of a presentation, interested attendees took part in a seminar on the topic of resilience, which continued on the Friday. Looking ahead to turbulent times, the topic drew considerable interest.

2019 MACHINING SEMINARThe industry gathered at the “Meeting of Machining Specialists” for the 13th time. Interested attendees were exposed to many

innovative topics over three days in three locations. One focus was high­strength, difficult­to­machine materials and more efficient methods for working with them. The topic is of much interest for the future as these materials are finding increasing use in applications such as medical devices and aerospace and automotive manufac­turing.

The 14th Machining Seminar will once again take place in Pfäffikon (Canton Schwyz), Olten and Yverdon from 19 to 21 January 2021.

Dominik Blösch presents the world's most flexible coating system at CIMT in Beijing

Gianluca Bara of Urma presents the latest generation

of reaming tools at the Machining Seminar

5REVIEW OF THE YEAR

TRADE FAIRSSwiss pavilions were organized at TIM­TOS in Taipei, CIMT in Beijing and Me­ talloobrabotka in Moscow. In addition, most members were represented at IMTS in Chicago, AMB in Stuttgart and JIMTOF in Tokyo. Switzerland's domestic fair Pro­dex in May was dominated by exciting presentations and events from Swissmem.

WCTC CONFERENCE 2019 AT TEGERNSEE, BAVARIAJune's World Cutting Tool Conference at Tegernsee, Bavaria saw a record number of international attendees. The event takes place every three years in a different region of the globe. This time the host region was Europe with the event held in Germany. The next WCTC will take place in Tokyo in 2022.

Enthusiastic employees explain what matters at Medartis.

The machining seminar has established itself in the French-speaking Switzerland and is well attended.

Quality education hands-on at

the annual meeting at Medartis.

Rego-Fix introduce themselves to the Chinese

clientele at the CIMT.

Thomas Nägelin of Fraisa SA with

his local booth staff.

The machining seminar is an excellent place not

only for monologues, but also for dialogues.

6 MARKET

RECORD YEAR IN 2018

For the precision tools industry, 2018 was a record year for exports, which ex­ceeded the CHF 1.2 billion mark for the first time at CHF 1228.4 million (+6.1%), surpassing even the boom year of 2007. The market was euphoric last year, result­ing in very high capacity utilization for the companies. The boom appears to have peaked, however, and the industry is preparing for a sideways trajectory, albeit at a high level.

EXPORT MARKET FORECASTSA downturn is steadily becoming more likely: 4 reasons why hpo forecasting thinks so.

First: According to internal analyses, con­sumer and producer cycles have reached or even clearly passed their peak as expected in every major economic region. This is a reliable indicator of an imminent econom­ic crisis of the sort that occurs only once every 7–12 years.

Second: In nearly every capital goods in­dustry we now see order intake figures de­clining, although mostly still high for the moment. In early­cyclical industries such as semiconductors, order intake has al­ready fallen sharply. Global demand for semiconductors has already contracted by 22% in the past two quarters, the steepest decline since the 2008 economic crisis.

Third: In the past quarter we have ob­served a sharp drop in business confidence in Europe, the United States and Asia alike (see chart of the OECD Business Confi­dence Index BCI). In the past, such an abrupt simultaneous dip in business con­ fidence has normally been seen only before a major economic crisis. The BCI reached 100 in the United States and Europe at the end of April 2019. Values below 100 indicate a negative outlook.

Fourth: The American yield curve, much discussed in the economic press, has flat­tened considerably and turned negative on 13 May 2019 (U.S. Treasury securities with maturities of 10 years vs. 3 months). In the past, an inverted yield curve has been a highly reliable indicator of a com­ing economic crisis, although the inver­sion would have to be sharper and last longer for a reliable signal.

The fact that financial markets have not yet come under greater pressure, in our view, has more to do with central banks' monetary policy and less with the real economy. The question is how long the financial markets can resist the pressure from the real economy.

Cutting tool exports have returned to the level of early 2018, in line with current expectations. Sideways to slightly positive movement remains likely for 2019. The outlook becomes gloomier from 2020 on­ward.

Grinding tool exports have shown a strong recovery, lifting total exports which had

EXPORT STATISTICS PRECISION TOOLS 2018

Exports, CHF million

Exports ± CHF %

Precision tools 1,228.4 + 6.1 %Cutting tools for metal 804.6 + 13.3 %Circular and slitting saw blades 6.4 + 8.1 %Straight saw blades for working metal 56.7 + 224.7 %Thread taps 29.6 – 0.4 %Drilling tools 263.4 + 8.5 %Reaming, boring and broaching tools 8.3 + 25.3 %Milling tools, interchangeable 184.1 + 0.2 %Turning tools, interchangeable 13.0 + 15.1 %Other interchangeable machine and hand tools 137.4 + 12.9 %

Cutters, blades for machines 14.1 + 19.6 %Die plates for tools 91.6 + 15.5 %Other cutting tools 115.5 + 10.0 %Grinding tools, abradants 308.3 – 10.0 %Millstones, grindstones, etc. 180.7 + 4.8 %Abrasives 127.7 – 24.9 %

7MARKET

flattened. The figure is in line with expec­tations. On average, a sideways, slightly negative movement is anticipated for 2019. Exports are likely to decline from 2020 onward.

Source: www.hpoforecasting.ch

Rank Country Exports, CHF million

Export ± CHF %

Export rate, CHF

Worldwide 1 228.4 +6.1 % 100.0 %1 Germany 495.4 +11.8 % 40.3 %2 United States 140.2 +25.9 % 11.4 %3 France 67.7 –10.1 % 5.5 %4 Poland 64.7 +99.4 % 5.3 %5 Italy 51.6 –9.4 % 4.2 %6 Austria 39.9 –6.5 % 3.3 %7 China 36.5 –5.2 % 3.0 %8 United Kingdom 21.7 –12.5 % 1.8 %9 Russia 20.4 –11.9 % 1.7 %10 Spain 19.4 –7.2 % 1.6 %

KEY EXPORT MARKETS (PT, precision tools, Jan–Dec 2018 vs. Jan–Dec 2017)

18-MONTH EXPORT FORECAST Cutting tools Grinding tools

8 COMPANY PROFILE: BIMU

FOCUSING ON TOOLS FOR SWISS-STYLE AUTOMATIC LATHESBased in the Bernese Jura, Bimu SA cur-rently has 22 employees. For over 20 years the company has specialized in de-veloping, manufacturing and distribut-ing inserts and accessories for automat-ed turning. Tools made to order are a speciality.

Developed and made in Tavannes, these tools are distributed in over 30 countries worldwide. In Switzerland and Spain they are distributed directly from company headquarters. In the rest of Europe and overseas they are sold by local resellers.

The tools are used in various industries, notably medical and dental devices, the watch industry, electrical connectors, aeronautics and automotive.

Independent, innovative and fastBimu's top priority is developing propri­etary products. By carefully listening and building partnerships with our customers, we continually develop innovations for Swiss­style lathe work. These collaborations have resulted in systems for expanding and simplifying the machining capabilities of automated lathes, for example by increasing the number of available tools, making tool changes easier, or integrating a high­pressure system.

Bimu also takes advantage of its own small size with very high responsiveness and privi­leged access to its products' users.

Custom solutionsIt is precisely this closeness to the customer that has led Bimu to specialize in made­to­order tools. Complex form cutting profiles transferred directly from blueprint to insert are a perfect example.

Personal consultations with customers are key in ensuring optimal use of tools in terms of cutting geometry, coating and machining parameters, thus delivering added value for the customer. Bimu has understood this from the beginning. Today the company has a distribution structure to match, designed to solve customers' technical challenges.

Modern manufacturingThree­quarters of the workforce works in production, which consists of a CNC grind ­ ing department for producing carbide in­serts and a mechanical department for making tool holders and machine tool ac­

cessories. Prototypes can be produced in­ternally for testing using 3D printing. The entire machine pool has been completely replaced over the past ten years and is now mostly automated.

www.bimu.ch

Bimu SA in Tavannes

Machining insert on

modern grinding centres

Optical measurement

of the tool profile

Automatic loading

of a CNC grinding machine

9COMPANY PROFILE: DC SWISS

THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT THREAD

FOCUSING ON TOOLS FOR SWISS-STYLE AUTOMATIC LATHES

1940: Daniel Charpilloz was looking for the right tool for his application. When he couldn't find one, he decided to make his own thread taps. By found-ing his company in the Bernese Jura, he laid the foundation for a success story that continues to this day, with innova-tive technology, certified measuring in-struments and comprehensive customer service.

Today, DC Swiss SA is a leading specialist in threading technology. Its products meet the highest standards of quality and con­sistency. The company's tools cover manu­facturing needs in diameters ranging from 0.3 to 160 mm and can be used to work any material.

A strong product range for nano-range machiningMicro­manufacturing is an area where the company has greatly expanded its offering in recent years. Out of more than 5,700 items sold, 2,000 are in the nano range. Its latest development is whirling cutters whose degree of precision in a solid profile guarantee a perfect thread with a flawless surface. The company's patented Safelock system offers a unique technology for se­curely seated screws. Gone are the days when vibration, temperature fluctuations or twisting could loosen screws. The tech­nology also allows screws to be 30% short­er, saving material and expense.

Quality control with certified measuring instrumentsDC SWISS SA is the first thread specialist to offer a comprehensive quality assurance solution for microthreads. Since its gauges are fully SCS­certified, consumers get ab­solutely reliable instruments with a con­formity certificate. These modular, prod­uct­specific gauges can be used anywhere from workshop to quality assurance. Master gauges are also available.

Customers benefit from expertise along the entire value chainDC Swiss SA supplies customers from vari­ous branches of industry: Watches, medi­cine, automotive, aviation, general me­

chanics and other industries. Around 70 percent of its products are exported. The company attaches great importance not only to developing and selling products, but also to implementing complete solu­tions for thread technology. Depending on the customer's requirements, technical advice is provided as early as possible in the development, design and production stages. The company invests a considerable proportion of its annual turnover in re­search and development in order to be able to offer its customers innovative solutions tomorrow.

DC Swiss SA employs some 130 people at its production site in Malleray and in Bévilard, and has sales offices in Germany, Italy and the UK.

www.dcswiss.ch

The DC Swiss QTAP thread tap sets new standards

in NC thread cutting.

Martin Künzi, Sales Director for DC Swiss, with the new Nano test set.

10 COMPANY PROFILE: DUNNER

A SMALL COMPANY – BUT A GIANT IN ITS PRECISION TECHNOLOGY NICHE

Moutier is the place to go for collet chucks and guide bushes. With just 13 employees, DUNNER SA has been supplying innovative, top-quality tools for automatic lathes for generations. Its key products include the DunnAir and NewSurf systems.

DUNNER SA was founded in 1935 and is still family­owned today. The fourth gen­eration to carry the torch started to take over at the end of 2017. The company also relocated that same year, enabling opti­mized and more flexible production opera­tions. For now Daniel and Pascale Dünner are still assisting their sons Yoni and Sé­ bastien; the former is now head of produc­tion while the latter has taken charge of development and administration.

Two flagship products: No-jam guide bushesThe company can look back on several successful milestones in its history. In 2001 DUNNER SA developed a new, ex­ceptionally tough, low­friction ceramic material for guide bushes. The material's advantages are particularly apparent at small diameters. With the NewSurf tech­nology, guide bushes never jam or mar the material through excessive pressure. Ceramic is harder than carbide and is espe­

cially advantageous where the choice of materials is limited or the machining pro­cess is exceptionally challenging, as in medical and dental devices or the watch­making industry.

… and flexible collet chucks that absorb vibrations in the materialIn 2008 the company developed the cir­cumferential DunnAir system. This easy replacement for the standard rotary bushes supplied by machine tool manufacturers offers significant advantages by comparison. The system comprises a rubberized AirFlex guide bush requiring no adjustment. Even when the bar being machined meets gener­

The third and fourth generations at Dünner SA. L. to r.: Sébastien, Yoni, Daniel and Pascale Dünner

Soldering carbide inserts into guide bushes

is one operation

Laser engraving

of the final product

ally accepted tolerances, its diameter may not be uniform along its entire length. Even minor differences can cause vibrations that often cause tools to break. DunnAir with AirFlex uses compressed air to adjust for vibrations in the material with a flexibility of up to 0.5 mm. At present the product is mainly used on Citizen, Star and Tornos machines. It can, of course, also be pro­duced for other brands on request.

In addition to a strong domestic market, DUNNER SA exports around 57% of its products, mainly within Europe. The com­pany has representatives in France, Italy and Germany. It is also active in the U.S. and Brazilian markets, where it hopes to become better established. DUNNER SA recently began representing the U.S. brand Masa Tool in Europe.

www.dunner.ch

11COMPANY PROFILE: FRAISA

FRAISA RETOOL® – INDUSTRIAL TOOL RECONDITIONING THROUGH DIGITAL TRANSFORMATIONFor over 30 years the Willich production site has been the FRAISA Group's main centre of excellence for industrial tool reconditioning. Currently 360,000 tools are refurbished there each year for cus-tomers in the European and Asian mar-ket, making Willich Europe's biggest service centre for carbide tools. Even today, tool reconditioning is often done using conventional paper-based pro-duction documents. But the huge vari-ety of items and versions makes this ap-proach time-consuming, unreliable and labour-intensive. For FRAISA, it has been clear for years that this way of work-ing was no longer compatible with the industrial requirements of modern production processes.

As part of a comprehensive transformation process, FRAISA's ReTool® recondition­ing operations were completely digitalized in 2015. Since then every tool has been digitally recorded, assigned a DataMatrix code and fed into a tool­specific, custom­ized production process. The production technology is based on the latest CNC grinding centres and proprietary surface treatment and coating equipment. A DMC laser marking operation encodes tool in­formation in accordance with individual customer and order­related specifications and launches a customized, paperless and consistent production process with a batch size of one.

An automatic, unmanned process takes the workpiece to the grinding centre in an RFID carrier with information on the re­quired grinding wheels and programs. The processing date and time, coating batches and machine configuration are all fully auditable at any time. Individual control of the tools also makes it possible to modify the logistical processes for indi­vidual customers, from packaging to delivery mode.

Reconditioning with leading­edge tech­nologies not only guarantees high scala­

Fully automated autonomous CNC grinding with tool-specific programs

Marking the tool with a DataMatrix code which uniquely identifies it throughout

the production process

bility and like­new performance from used cutting tools, it also enables custom­ers to use reconditioned tools with the same performance parameters as new tools. Moreover, wear data delivers valu­able insights for tool manufacturing and especially for process development to FRAISA's experts. And the digital trans­formation of industrial tool recondition­ing has yet another positive impact,

protecting the environment by saving over 30 tonnes of carbide per year.

www.fraisa.com

12 COMPANY PROFILE: OERLIKON BALZERS

INTELLIGENT AND FLEXIBLE: HIGH-END COATING MODIFIED FOR SWISS MARKETMinimal coating thickness, friction-free chip removal without post-treatment, extreme tool precision even under ther-mal stress, no adhesion and edge build-up when machining difficult materials: these are the most important require-ments for micromachining to guarantee high efficiency and product quality. In close collaboration with its Swiss cus-tomers, Oerlikon Balzers has optimized the BALIIQ TISINOS coating to meet precisely these requirements.

Today's hard­to­machine high­end ma­terials such as titanium, Inconel and hard steels up to HRC70 present major chal­lenges in micromachining, ever more com­ plex and tiny component geometries still more so. Surface smoothness is especially important in micro tools to ensure prob­lem­free chip removal and minimize edge build­up. Thus coatings of the highest quality are especially important for minia­ture machining tools to perform their pre­cision work perfectly and efficiently.

The S3p coating technology is emblematic of Oerlikon Balzers' technology leadership and proficiency, combining the advan tages of the arc evaporation and sputtering coat­ing processes. The new BALIQ coating generation is based on S3p. The result is an exceptionally smooth, even surface along with extreme density and hardness to en­sure excellent adhesion and resistance to wear.

In today's micromachining processes, sol­id carbide drills with diameters of 0.3 mm and up are used on complex miniature components with manufacturing toler­ances measured in microns. For precise, sharp cutting edges, these precision tools require an extremely thin, smooth and evenly distributed coating. BALIQ TISI­NOS has found a secure place on the mar­ket as an extremely high­performing tool coating for micromachining with a coat­ing thickness of only 0.5 micrometers.

The investment has already paid off for Swiss customers in the time and money saved by longer tool lives and high process reliability.

Contact, headquarters in Liechtenstein:Oerlikon Balzers Coating AGCoating CentreIramali 18LI­9496 BalzersLiechtensteinT: +423 388 5701info.balzers.li@oerlikon.comwww.oerlikon.com/balzers/li

Contact Brügg, Switzerland Coating Centre:Oerlikon Balzers Coating S.A.Erlenstrasse 39CH­2555 BrüggSwitzerlandT: +41 32 365 7474info.balzers.ch@oerlikon.comwww.oerlikon.com/balzers/ch

The new BALIQ coating generation displays an exceptionally smooth, even surface and extreme density

and hardness.

Micromachining tools need exceptionally smooth

surfaces to ensure problem-free chip removal.

13COMPANY PROFILE: REGO-FIX

REGO-FIX: INTRODUCING THE INVENTOR OF THE ER COLLET CHUCKREGO-FIX, based in Tenniken, Basel-land, is an international family business with over 270 employees, producing and distributing high-precision clamp-ing systems for over 65 years. Sales are handled by distributors in 50 countries and by subsidiaries in the United States, China, Brazil and Southeast Asia. The company's products are successfully used in vehicle manufacturing, aerospace, mould-making, mechanical engineer-ing, medical technology, telecommuni-cations and the watchmaking industry.

A Swiss success storyLong­term business success comes from supporting employees and enabling them to shape the future together in a fast­paced environment. REGO­FIX practices respect­ful coexistence and cultivates cross­cultural collaboration with the objective of jointly developing innovative clamping solutions. Further, ongoing investments in research and development yield a steady stream of new products and keep the product port­ folio competitive. According to Pascal For­rer, Marketing & Sales Director and Execu­tive Board member, the “triangle” brand is continually gaining worldwide recogni­tion: “Today it is known throughout the industry and stands as a seal of quality for reliable and innovative products 'Made in Switzerland'!”

Compelling productsREGO­FIX combines three different tool clamping systems: The ER clamping sys­tem, now established worldwide as the DIN 6499 industrial standard, is the in­ventor's original design. The micRun® MR clamping system is a pioneering improve­ment on the successful ER system, an ideal solution for all high­performance applica­tions thanks to guaranteed whole­system concentricity of ≤3μm at 3xD1. The third system, known as powRgrip®, offers out­standing concentricity, good vibration damping and easy and secure handling. The three systems share the goal of opti­mizing machining while applying each

Pascal Forrer, Marketing & Sales Director, with powRgrip PGU9500

Rego-Fix headquarters in Tenniken, Canton Baselland

one's specific strengths to the individual requirements of modern manufacturing.

Sustainable and successfulFuture focus and long­term success: REGO­FIX's sustainability strategy lies in a long­term commitment to balancing economic, environmental and social per­spectives. It serves as the driver of sustain­able business development and effectively supports the corporate vision.

www.rego­fix.ch

14 COMPANY PROFILE: URMA

AN ALL-ROUND WORRY-FREE PACKAGEWith highly innovative reaming tools, good collaborative relationships and top quality, Lässer AG has found a reliable partner in URMA AG. The result: signifi - cant productivity gains.

At family­managed embroidery machine manufacturer LÄSSER, quality is a recur­ring theme throughout the company. Excel­lence and durability are key factors when buying tools. “URMA reaming tools are very precise, and also lucrative for us in terms of work speed”, says Romeo Stieger, head of production at LÄSSER. “We have parts that are constantly being manufac­tured with them.” Plant manager Markus Fenkart is also satisfied: “We've been using the latest reaming head for six months. I haven't had to change a thing.”

Superior toolsLÄSSER uses URMA reaming tools to produce gearbox housings, couplings and other parts for embroidery machines with continuous drilled holes of depths in the 80 mm range. Most parts are made of alu­minium or steel; some are welded. Previ­ously a single­tooth fine boring head was used for fine boring work. The switch to URMA Reaming RX tools has significant­ly boosted productivity.

Superior serviceBesides the compelling products, Stieger also values the contact with URMA cus­tomer adviser Kim Arnold. “Kim has more than once given us good input on achiev­ing simpler and more precise manufactur­ing processes using reamers”, he says with satisfaction.

When a reaming tool will be used in a new area, Kim Arnold and Stieger each carry out a test together. “An all­round worry­free

The control cam is the heart of the LÄSSER embroidery machine.

Precision drilling is crucial in ensuring the embroidery machine will work properly.

Lässer employees Markus Fenkart (left) and Romeo Stieger (right) in conversation with

URMA applications technician Kim Arnold.

package”, declares Stieger, since “LÄSSER bears no risk whatsoever here. If it didn't work, we could just return the reaming tools.” But this has never been necessary.

To reach his goals, Stieger depends on well­trained personnel. “It takes young people with passion who will apply their intelli­gence. And it takes reliable partners who add value, the way URMA does.” With that, Stieger is convinced, nothing can stand in the way of LÄSSER's future success.

www.urma.ch

15

DIXI POLYTOOL: THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW TODAY

COMPANY PROFILE: DIXI POLYTOOL

DIXI Polytool has a long history of ef-forts to adapt the company to a chang-ing international environment and strengthen its competitiveness.

The aim is to provide even better support for a wide variety of customers without abandoning a focus on niche markets. DIXI is valued in many countries for its “Swiss­made” precision products.

For four years the company has been ap­plying Lean Manufacturing principles to improve the efficiency of its production processes, complemented by a Lean Office organization. The approach is designed to cut delivery times, reduce delivery inter­ruptions, optimize internal processes and, where possible, drop activities that don't produce value.

At the same time the company has invest­ed heavily in its machine pool, in automa­tion and in highly skilled workers. Now DIXI Polytool plans to take the next

step by deepening relationships with cus­tomers in Switzerland and abroad.

For this purpose it will further develop dis­tribution structures to offer customers added value through support and more extensive product information. DIXI re­cently established two branches in Spain and China. Two more distribution organi­zations will be set up in 2019, first in Austria.

Since 2019 DIXI Polytool has also inten­sively supported the distribution network with dedicated product managers for the following sectors:– Micromechanics – Drilling – Aircraft manufacture – Diamond and polycrystalline tools – Plastic processing – Medical sector

With this new organization the company can now focus more closely on specific ap­plications and materials and more inten­Specialized tools for plastic and plexiglass

Precision tools for the watchmaking industry

sively support and advise customers on developing new projects, solving any problems or optimizing processes – includ ­ ing at the various sites abroad.

In addition, DIXI Polytool plans to bol­ster its research and development to equip itself for numerous future challenges aris­ing from new materials and miniaturiza­tion of workpieces in particular.

www.dixipolytool.ch

16 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

APPLITEC SWISS TOOLING Chemin Nicolas-Junker 2CH-2740 Moutierwww.applitec-tools.com

High­quality cutting tools for precision turning parts and micromechanics.

Alesa AG Schulstrasse 11 CH-5707 Seengenwww.alesa.ch

When it comes to high­performance carbide, ceramic or HSS cutting tools for milling, turning and sawing a wide range of materials, we are your specialists.

Argor-Aljba SA Via F. Borromini 20 CH-6850 Mendrisio www.argor-aljba.com

Argor­Aljba specializes in production and development of ultra­hard DLC coatings for tools and wear parts.

BIMU SA Rue du Quai 10CH-2710 Tavanneswww.bimu.ch

Bimu has over 20 years of experience developing, manufacturing and distributing inserts and accessories for Swiss­style automatic lathes.

Böni AGRütihaldenweg 2CH-8714 Feldbachwww.boeni-ag.com

We have a comprehensive product range for rapid, durable marking of turned parts performed right on the lathe. If required, we can develop tools tailored precisely to your needs.

Blösch AG Moosstrasse 68-78 CH-2540 Grenchen www.bloesch.ch

Blösch offers coating services of all kinds. With passion, a spirit of innovation and a unique breadth of available coating technologies for tools, watches, medical devices, components and much more.

DC Swiss SA Grand Rue 19 CH-2735 Malleray www.dcswiss.com

DC SWISS SA possesses extensive capabilities and many years of experience in threading technology and enjoys a strong international reputation in the field.

Deni AG Industriestrasse 18 CH-5106 Veltheim www.denitool.ch

In its Denitool range, Deni AG offers tools and inserts for turning and milling, especially for applications in the smallest dimensions.

DIAMETAL AG Solothurnstrasse 136 CH-2504 Biel/Bienne www.diametal.ch

Specializing in development, manufacturing and distribution of carbide tools, wear parts made of hard materials, and diamond and CBN grinding tools.

DIXI POLYTOOL S.A. 37 Av. du Technicum CH-2400 Le Locle www.dixipolytool.com

Since 1946 DIXI Polytool S.A. has produced precision solid carbide, PCD and diamond tools as well asforming tools and precision reamers in Le Locle, Switzerland.

DUNNER SAChemin des Sources 7CH-2740 Moutier www.dunner.ch

DUNNER SA is a family business founded in 1935 specializing in the production of tools for automatic lathes. Our motto is quality and precision.

Eskenazi SA24, rue Joseph-GirardCH-1227 Carouge/Genèvewww.eskenazi.ch

We make everything from carbide powder to the ideal tools for the following applications: boring, milling, engraving, chamfering, reaming and threading.

Evoset AG Besche Mattenstrasse 1 CH-3940 Steg VS www.evoset.com

Evoset is a tool presetting company with international operations. We combine productivity with the utmost in user­friendliness, including custom solutions.

17MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

EXTRAMET AG Rüttistrasse 42 CH-1716 Plaffeien www.extramet.ch

We are your carbide solutions partner for the high­tech industry, focusing on performance and durability in top­quality specialized products for your needs.

Flury Tools AG Römerstrasse West 32 CH-3296 Arch www.flurytools.ch

Since 1974 Flury Tools AG has been a leader in the profile grinding sector. As a capable supplier and manufacturing partner, we do whatever it takes to meet your requirements in every respect.

passionfor precision

FRAISA SA  Gurzelenstrasse 7 CH-4512 Bellach www.fraisa.com

A Swiss family business founded in 1934 with an international orientation and over 500 employees, FRAISA SA produces high­performance cutting tools for the world market.

Friedrich Gloor AG Lindenweg 15c CH-2543 Lengnau www.gloorag.ch

Development, production and distribution of customer­specific precision solid carbide tools with logarithmic relief grinding for milling, boring and turning of metals.

Harold Habegger S.A. Route de Chaluet 5/9 CH-2738 Court www.habegger-sa.com

Production of thread­rolling dies, knurling tools, burnishing dies and guide bushes with carbide rollers for Swiss­style automatic lathes.

HEULE Werkzeug AGWegenstrasse 11 CH-9436 Balgach www.heule.com

HEULE is the most innovative provider of tools for front and back processing of bore edges in one operation. Deburring, chamfering, countersinking or in combination with drilling.

Ifanger AG Steigstrasse 4a CH-8610 Uster www.ifanger.com

Ifanger AG produces internal turning tools for small drill holes as well as countersinking, turning and knurling tools. Ifanger was founded in 1917 and employs around 30 people.

IHI Ionbond AG Industriestrasse 211 CH-4601 Olten www.ionbond.com

Ionbond is a world leader in PVD, CVD, CVA and PACVD coating technologies.

BIG KAISER Präzisionswerkzeuge AG Glattalstrasse 516CH-8153 Rümlang www.bigkaiser.com

BIG KAISER is a manufacturer of precision tools for the metalworking industry. Founded in 1948, the company has locations in Switzerland, Germany and the United States.

KOMET Schweiz AGVon Rollstrasse 29CH-4702 Oensingen www.kometgroup.com

The KOMET GROUP is a leading full­service provider of precision tools and an innovation leader in the industry. We apply creativity in developing, producing and distributing customer­tailored cutting solutions.

Lamina Technologies SA Rue Pythagore 2CH-1400 Yverdon www.lamina-tech.ch

Manufacturer of carbide tools. Specializing in inserts for milling and turning.

Präzision ist unsere LeidenschaftPräzisionsmechanikLaserbeschriftungen

Marwa Tools AGGlattalstrasse 525 CH-8153 Rümlang www.marwa-tools.ch

With a workforce of ten, Marwa Tools AG produces and markets precision tools developed in­house and recognized worldwide. The company also performs high­precision machining and scale legend marking to order.

Meister Abrasives AG Industriestrasse 10CH-8450 Andelfingen www.meister-abrasives.ch

The innovative Meister Abrasives group of companies has been a world leader in the development, application and optimization of high­volume grinding processes since 1951.

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Mikron Tool SA Agno Via Campagna 1CH-6982 Agno www.mikrontool.com

Mikron Tool is a Swiss manufacturer of high­performance cutting tools with diameters of 0.1 mm and up. The company has a global presence with locations in Switzerland, Germany, the United States and China.

Oerlikon Balzers Coating AG Iramali 18FL-9496 Balzers www.oerlikon.com

Coating service for tools and components.

OERTLI Werkzeuge AGHofstrasse 1CH-8181 Höri www.oertli.ch

We produce woodworking tools ranging from simple profile cutters through high­precision planing tools and planing cutterheads to complex system tools.

PCM WILLEN SA Rte. du Grammont 101CH-1844 Villeneuve www.pcm.ch

PCM Willen SA is one of the leading developers and manufacturers of machining equipment, offering an extensive portfolio of special tools for Swiss­style automatic lathes.

PEERTOOLS AGPräzisionswerkzeuge , MoladüraCH-7551 Ftanwww.peertools.ch

PEERTOOLS AG, Europe's highest tool manufacturer at an altitude of 1648 m, specializes in producing profile, special and custom HSS and carbide tools.

PROFIN Progressive Finish AG Staldenhof 7CH-6014 Lucerne www.profin.ch

Brushing is obsolete – today's technology is FLAKKO­TING! Precisely replicable edge rounding and defined surface characteristics.

RE-AL AG Fritz Oppliger-Strasse 19CH-2500 Biel/Bienne www.re-al.ch

Our company focuses on production, development and worldwide distribution of precision reamers and heavy­duty floating holders.

REGO-FIX AG Obermattweg 60CH-4456 Tenniken www.rego-fix.ch

As a second­generation family business with international operations and over 270 employees, REGO­FIX produces and distributes high­precision tool clamping systems.

ROTOR TOOL GmbHEsslingerstrasse 13CH-8618 Oetwil am Seewww.rotortool.com

ROTOR offers the perfect technical solution for clamping technology with its main centre and high precision chuck products, produced in Oetwil am See in the Zurich Oberland region.

Sandmaster AG Mühlethalstrasse 67CH-4800 Zofingen www.sandmaster-technology.com

Sandmaster is a worldwide specialist in edge rounding and surface treatment of premium cutting tools using micro­sandblasting.

Schaublin SA rue de la Blancherie 9CH-2800 Delémont www.schaublin.ch

Schaublin has been known worldwide since 1915 as a manufacturer of collet chucks and tool holders. The company also produces bearings for aerospace, railways and industrial applications.

Schnyder SA – Gear Cutting Solutions Jakobstrasse 52 CH-2504 Biel/Biennewww.schnyder.com

Schnyder SA is a worldwide leader in the manufacture and servicing of gear cutting tools.

Seco Tools AG Hauptstrasse 104 CH-2560 Nidau www.secotools.ch

Carbide milling, turning, drilling and threading tools for 85 years. Tool holders and ultra­hard cutting materials. A single source for simple machining solutions.

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

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sia Abrasives Industries AG Mühlewiesenstrasse 20CH-8501 Frauenfeld www.sia-abrasives.com

As a world leader in high­quality abrasives production with over 140 years of experience and an innovative development process, we know our customers' processes through and through and offer the right sanding solution for every material.

Sphinx Werkzeuge AG Gewerbestrasse 1CH-4552 Derendingen www.sphinx-tools.ch

Your partner for uncompromising precision and productivity. High­precision, top­quality standard and special tools for innovative machining solutions.

TECNOPINZ SA Via Sceresa 1, Zona Industriale 3CH-6805 Mezzovico www.tecnopinz.com

With superior manufacturing and strict quality standards, Tecnopinz is known worldwide for the production of complex clamping systems and precision components.

Triag AG Aussergrütstrasse 2CH-6319 Allenwinden www.triag.ch

Triag AG has offered a wide range of threading tools since 1990. The company also distributes tools from major manufacturers. Triag's clamping system is also well­known.

Triag International AG Bösch 84CH-6331 Hünenbergwww.triag-int.ch

Clamping technology specialist Triag International focuses on the development, production and worldwide distribution of leading­edge clamping systems. We offer our customers a highly diverse assortment of clamping solutions.

Tribur Invent GmbHBösch 84CH-6331 Hünenberg www.tribur.ch

Tribur Invent GmbH is an affiliate of renowned clamping systems producer Triag International AG. At its own mineral casting foundry in Hünenberg, the company produces various mineral cast products for the machine tool industry.

TUSA PRECISION SA Zona Industriale 2CH-6805 Mezzovico www.tusa-precision.ch

TUSA develops and produces heavy­duty carbide cutting tools, with some 4,500 standard tools and special cutting tools of all kinds with diameters of 0.2 mm and up.

URMA AG Obermatt 3CH-5102 Rupperswil www.urma.ch

URMA develops and makes Swiss precision tools used in drilling work. URMA also distributes Haas Automation CNC machine tools and SLM­Solutions 3D metal printing systems in Switzerland.

Utilis AG, Präzisionswerkzeuge Kreuzlingerstrasse 22CH-8555 Müllheim www.utilis.com

We have been manufacturing and distributing quality precision machining tools for 100 years, especially for micromechanics and the watchmaking and medical device industries.

VEM TOOLS

VEM TOOLS SA Chemin des Grands-Clos 39CH–2115 Buttes NEwww.vem.ch

Since 1970 VEM TOOLS SA has specialized in developing, manufacturing and distributing precision carbide tools for a broad range of applications.

WAWO Werkzeuge GmbH  Staatsstrasse 188CH-9463 Oberriet www.wawowerkzeuge.ch

Special machining tools for milling, boring, reaming and turning/technology leadership/process mastery and consistency.

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

Precision Tools Specialist Groupwww.swissmem.ch / pwz

SwissmemPfingstweidstrasse 102, P.O. Box8037 ZurichTelephone +41 44 384 41 11 info@swissmem.ch www.swissmem.ch

Swissmem RomandieAv. d’Ouchy 471006 LausanneTelephone +41 21 613 35 85 p.cordonier@swissmem.ch www.swissmem.ch