immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Category: Business

  • Federal government plans platform for major foreign projects

    Federal government plans platform for major foreign projects

    The federal government wants to help Swiss companies to get better contracts in connection with infrastructure projects. To this end, at the end of 2019 it decided to set up a coordination office at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs ( SECO ).

    According to a statement , the Federal Council is now making a total of 7.8 million francs available for the years 2022 to 2024. The aim is to strengthen and expand the networking of actors such as the official foreign trade promoter Switzerland Global Enterprise , export risk insurance SERV and other federal agencies and interested business associations.

    The federal government is also planning a digital platform that will bring together the supply and demand for infrastructure projects abroad. SERV should also target general contractors and project sponsors who might be interested in Swiss suppliers.

    The federal government also assumes that the expansion of the infrastructure will increase the demand for innovative solutions for sustainable development. Therefore, employees of the external network are to receive more advanced training in the area of cleantech.

  • Homegate and MoneyPark cooperate

    Homegate and MoneyPark cooperate

    Homegate , a subsidiary of the media company TX Group , and MoneyPark have entered into a strategic partnership. The two companies are convinced that their new partnership offers property seekers added value. According to a press release , Homegate has now integrated digital tools from the mortgage provider MoneyPark directly into its real estate platform.

    If interested parties have found a suitable property on homegate.ch, they can have an immediate calculation of whether a purchase is financially feasible for them. If so, you will receive a confirmation of financing including a certificate. This is based on the award criteria of MoneyPark's 150 mortgage lenders. The price range shown also provides guidance when it comes to having to strike quickly in a potential bidding process. It also shows you how much this property would cost you per month.

    Homegate doesn't just want to support its users until they find their property, says Simon Herrmann, Business Owner Consumer Services at Homegate. Even after that, “all connection services should be available at one click”. "The fact that MoneyPark advises its customers independently and personally on such an important decision was crucial for us to enter into the partnership." a service environment that is unique in Switzerland, ”says Stefan Heitmann, CEO and founder of MoneyPark.

  • Sika raises the bar

    Sika raises the bar

    Sika closed the first quarter of 2021 with record sales of just under 2.0 billion francs, the Zug-based building materials group announced in a press release . In a year-on-year comparison, this corresponds to growth of 10.2 percent. Sika writes that growth of 12.6 percent was achieved in local currencies. The announcement puts organic growth at 11.1 percent.

    All market regions of the globally active group contributed to the positive development. In the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa), a year-on-year increase in sales of 13.2 percent in local currencies to 914.7 million Swiss francs was achieved. The Americas region grew by 6.2 percent in local currencies. In the Asia / Pacific region, sales in local currencies rose by 25.8 percent to 422.8 million Swiss francs. In business with the automotive industry (Global Business), growth of 2.7 percent in local currencies was achieved after a minus in the previous year.

    "In the new year we were able to seamlessly build on our strong performance from the fourth quarter of the previous year", Paul Schuler, chairman of the group management, is quoted in the announcement. As a consequence of the development, Sika is adjusting its growth targets for the year as a whole upwards. Instead of the 6 to 8 percent originally communicated, the aim is now to achieve double-digit sales growth in local currencies. The margin on the operating result (EBIT) is also to be increased to 15 percent for the first time this year. In the previous year, an EBIT margin of 14.4 percent was achieved.

  • Homeownership prices are rising sharply

    Homeownership prices are rising sharply

    In 2020, home ownership prices rose by 5 percent across Switzerland and by 4 percent in the canton of Zurich. Ursina Kubli, Head of Real Estate Research at Zürcher Kantonalbank ( ZKB ), sees one reason for this in the low mortgage interest rates. They are an important financial incentive to buy your own home, she is quoted in a ZKB press release , which summarizes the current issue of the ZKB specialist magazine " Immobilien aktuell ". On the other hand, the supply is scarce, "because the construction industry is still concentrating on rental apartments, while many older people willing to sell are hesitant to sell them." And thirdly, the personal living situation has become increasingly important in the pandemic.

    Despite the precarious economic situation and the corresponding uncertain prospects for the labor market, there are still many willing to buy when there is a shortage of supply. This allows the conclusion that the wage segments relevant for the home sector have so far been little affected by the economic slowdown.

    Because people over the age of 60 currently own more than half of all single-family houses and condominiums and even more than 80 percent of multi-family houses in the canton of Zurich, the ZKB expects an additional supply on the real estate market in the coming years and decades. Gaining more living space by reallocating vacant office space is attractive, but often proves to be a "resinous niche strategy" due to regulatory hurdles.

    As a result of the pandemic, the micro-location of a property is becoming increasingly important. Sunlight is one of the most important factors. Thanks to extensive computing power at 100 million geographical points, the ZKB real estate research team succeeded for the first time in evaluating the actual duration of sunshine at a wide variety of places. One result: the city of Zurich is clearly surpassed by other Swiss cities in the winter months.

  • New NEXPO leadership advertises state exhibition

    New NEXPO leadership advertises state exhibition

    Instead of concentrating on one region, the next state exhibition is to take place across the country until its climax in 2028: in all language regions, in cities, agglomerations and in the countryside. It should be sustainable and future-oriented. That is the vision of an initiative to which the ten largest cities in the country belong. Now, according to a media release , the specially founded association “ NEXPO – the new EXPO ” has given itself a new management. She should now promote a corresponding application to the federal government.

    The new board of directors consists of Christina Hanke, Fredi Fischli and Niels Olsen. Hanke, who has been the commercial director of the Zurich Film Festival since 2019, will also take over the commercial management of the association. Fischli and Olsen direct the gta exhibitions at the Architecture Department of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ( ETH ). You teach at the ETH as well as at the HEAD art academy in Geneva and the Zurich University of the Arts .

    As stated on the initiative's website, the residents of Switzerland should use a digital NEXPO platform to develop new ideas and projects for living together in times of globalization, digitization, climate change and migration. "The best will be chosen as the new landmarks of Switzerland for the 21st century and should endure."

    The new management will discuss these and other ideas with interested parties in an online conversation on May 10th at 5.30 p.m. It is broadcast from the vacant Le Plaza cinema in Geneva. Registrations are possible by email .

  • Sika raises the bar

    Sika raises the bar

    Sika closed the first quarter of 2021 with record sales of just under 2.0 billion francs, the Zug-based building materials group announced in a press release . In a year-on-year comparison, this corresponds to growth of 10.2 percent. Sika writes that growth of 12.6 percent was achieved in local currencies. The announcement puts organic growth at 11.1 percent.

    All market regions of the globally active group contributed to the positive development. In the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa), a year-on-year increase in sales of 13.2 percent in local currencies to 914.7 million Swiss francs was achieved. The Americas region grew by 6.2 percent in local currencies. In the Asia / Pacific region, sales in local currencies rose by 25.8 percent to 422.8 million Swiss francs. In business with the automotive industry (Global Business), growth of 2.7 percent in local currencies was achieved after a minus in the previous year.

    "In the new year we were able to seamlessly build on our strong performance from the fourth quarter of the previous year", Paul Schuler, chairman of the group management, is quoted in the announcement. As a consequence of the development, Sika is adjusting its growth targets for the year as a whole upwards. Instead of the 6 to 8 percent originally communicated, the aim is now to achieve double-digit sales growth in local currencies. The margin on the operating result (EBIT) is also to be increased to 15 percent for the first time this year. In the previous year, an EBIT margin of 14.4 percent was achieved.

  • Homeownership prices are rising sharply

    Homeownership prices are rising sharply

    In 2020, home ownership prices rose by 5 percent across Switzerland and by 4 percent in the canton of Zurich. Ursina Kubli, Head of Real Estate Research at Zürcher Kantonalbank ( ZKB ), sees one reason for this in the low mortgage interest rates. They are an important financial incentive to buy your own home, she is quoted in a ZKB press release , which summarizes the current issue of the ZKB specialist magazine " Immobilien aktuell ". On the other hand, the supply is scarce, "because the construction industry is still concentrating on rental apartments, while many older people willing to sell are hesitant to sell them." And thirdly, the personal living situation has become increasingly important in the pandemic.

    Despite the precarious economic situation and the corresponding uncertain prospects for the labor market, there are still many willing to buy when there is a shortage of supply. This allows the conclusion that the wage segments relevant for the home sector have so far been little affected by the economic slowdown.

    Because people over the age of 60 currently own more than half of all single-family houses and condominiums and even more than 80 percent of multi-family houses in the canton of Zurich, the ZKB expects an additional supply on the real estate market in the coming years and decades. Gaining more living space by reallocating vacant office space is attractive, but often proves to be a "resinous niche strategy" due to regulatory hurdles.

    As a result of the pandemic, the micro-location of a property is becoming increasingly important. Sunlight is one of the most important factors. Thanks to extensive computing power at 100 million geographical points, the ZKB real estate research team succeeded for the first time in evaluating the actual duration of sunshine at a wide variety of places. One result: the city of Zurich is clearly surpassed by other Swiss cities in the winter months.

  • There are great price differences in real estate

    There are great price differences in real estate

    Homegate.ch finds big differences in the purchase price of residential properties within Switzerland. Geneva and Zug are proving to be the most expensive cantons to buy a home, as the real estate platform belonging to TX Markets AG writes in a press release. Interested parties can only buy a 1.5 room apartment there for CHF 500,000. The same amount of money can be used to buy a three-room apartment in the canton of Zurich. In the cantons of Uri, St.Gallen and Jura, the budget is even enough for a 4.5 room apartment.

    Homegate.ch also detects major differences in property prices within the individual cantons. In some municipalities in the canton of Zurich (Elgg, Gossau or Mönchaltorf), a 3.5-room apartment can be purchased for CHF 500,000. In other municipalities (City of Zurich, Horgen or Männedorf) the money is only enough for a 1.5-room apartment.

    Overall, the purchase prices for real estate have risen in all cantons over the past ten years. Real estate has risen most in price in the canton of Zug. There the prices for a 4.5-room condominium rose from CHF 900,000 in 2010 to CHF 1.3 million in 2020. That corresponds to an increase of 45 percent.

    The rental prices are also very different depending on the canton. And here, too, Geneva and Zug prove to be particularly expensive. The city of Zurich also has comparatively high rental prices. Appenzell Ausserrhoden or Jura are considered cheaper. In the past ten years, rental prices have increased less than purchase prices.

  • Innovation in Real Estate

    Innovation in Real Estate

    From the numerous applicants, 5 entries were nominated. The award ceremony is scheduled for June 21, 2021. The winner will be chosen through a public vote by SVIT members. Today the first contribution of a nomination from the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden
    More information at:
    https://lnkd.in/gxHvt_U

  • Switzerland falls behind in the country ranking

    Switzerland falls behind in the country ranking

    The Best Countries Report was published for the sixth time this year. It rates 78 nations across a range of categories, including economic impact, education, and quality of life. It is produced by US News & World Report in collaboration with the BAV Group and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania .

    Last year, the ranking was still headed by Switzerland. This year, however, the country has dropped three places to fourth. Canada now takes the top spot. Both Japan (second place) and Germany (third place) have overtaken Switzerland.

    However, Switzerland is still seen as the best location for companies. As the country report shows, it once again took first place in the Open for Business category this year. Above all, it scores with its low corporate taxes and the transparency of government practices.

    As a location for entrepreneurship, however, Switzerland has fallen from fifth to seventh place since the previous year. In contrast, it was able to move up from seventh to fifth in terms of quality of life. In the remaining categories, Switzerland did not make it into the top seven countries this year.

  • LafargeHolcim becomes Holcim again

    LafargeHolcim becomes Holcim again

    At this year's General Meeting, the Board of Directors will propose that the name of the LafargeHolcim Ltd. in Holcim Ltd. to change, informs LafargeHolcim in a message . The aim is to increase the “efficiency and impact” of the globally active company and build on “the legacy of the group”. The various LafargeHolcim brand names will remain unaffected by the group's name change.

    The company, which was founded in Holderbank AG in 1912, had been operating under the name Holcim since 2001. After the merger with the French building materials manufacturer Lafarge, the group was renamed LafargeHolcim in 2015.

    In addition, the general assembly on May 4th is due to vote on the relocation of the headquarters from Rapperswil-Jona to Zug. This will complete the restructuring of the Group's office locations, which was initiated in 2018, writes LafargeHolcim.

    In addition, upcoming changes to the Board of Directors will be communicated in the notification. Its Vice President Oscar Fanjul has decided to resign, LafargeHolcim informs. Fanjul was nominated for the Board of Directors by Lafarge in 2015. He had "played a central role in the successful merger of Lafarge and Holcim and made a significant contribution to making the company the leading global provider of building materials and solutions that it is today," said Chairman of the Board Beat Hess in the press release.

    Jan Jenisch, who has been CEO of the Group since September 2017, is also to be elected to the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting. This serves to ensure continuity in management, explains the group.

  • Despite the pandemic, Switzerland is attracting companies

    Despite the pandemic, Switzerland is attracting companies

    The location promotion by the federal government, regions and cantons can look back on a successful year, explains the Conference of Cantonal Economics Directors ( VDK ) in a press release . Once a year, it compiles statistics on the number of foreign companies relocating to Switzerland. According to the latest VDK survey, a total of 220 foreign companies settled in Switzerland in 2020.

    Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to a decrease of 9 percent, explains the VDK in the announcement. The new settlements booked in the previous year would have created 1168 jobs but at the same time 11 percent more jobs than the settlements in the previous year. Even with the new jobs forecast for the next three years, the value of 2019 was exceeded by 21 percent with an expected 3,583 jobs.

    As in the previous year, most of the settlements in the year under review came from the ICT and life sciences sectors. In terms of origin, French, American and Chinese companies in particular were drawn to Switzerland.

    The national location promotion aims to advertise, above all, value-added and innovative companies, writes the VDK. The communication refers to the “successful cooperation” between the federal government, regions and cantons. In addition, the VDK emphasizes the role of the Swiss Business Hubs. These representations of the official Swiss organization for export promotion and location promotion, Switzerland Global Enterprise ( S-GE ), are active abroad as part of the Swiss embassies or consulates general.

    The task of the Swiss Business Hubs is to “market Switzerland as a leading innovation and technology location” and to identify “companies with settlement potential”, explains the VDK. S-GE will present specific settlement projects to the regions and cantons, "which will then campaign for a settlement in their canton in a federal competition". Align Technology is mentioned in the announcement as an example of success. The American medtech company is run by former ABB boss Joe Hogan and relocated its European headquarters from the Netherlands to Rotkreuz ZG in the reporting year.

  • Flatfox buys furniture

    Flatfox buys furniture

    Mobiliar acquired Flatfox on April 7th, informs the insurance cooperative in a message . The Zurich-based company has developed a platform with a free marketplace for real estate. Flatfox also offers corporate customers digital tools for the rental process.

    With the takeover of Flatfox, Mobiliar wants to strengthen its real estate business. Founders and employees should remain active for Flatfox under the umbrella of Mobiliar, explains Mobiliar. In addition, the new acquisition will continue to operate under the brand name Flatfox. The two partners have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

    The insurance cooperative is already active in the real estate sector together with Ringier with the marketplace Scout24 Schweiz AG as well as with the craftsmen platform buildigo and the tenant platform aroov. The aroov tenant platform developed jointly with Garaio REM is to remain independent, but will cooperate with Flatfox in the future. "The interaction between aroov and Flatfox offers private customers attractive services and complete solutions for real estate professionals, thanks to which they are present with the right offer at the right time with the tenants," explains Mobiliar COO Andrea Kleiner in the press release.

    In addition to this offer on the tenant market, Mobiliar is planning to launch an offer for owners of residential property this summer, the press release further explains. The corresponding Liiva platform was developed by Mobiliar together with Raiffeisen.

  • Rental prices drop slightly in March

    Rental prices drop slightly in March

    The prices for rents fell in March compared to the previous month by 0.4 percent. This short-term development is only reflected in the national averages. In the most expensive and densely populated regions, rents rose in March, according to the latest data from the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index. In the long term, too, prices have increased on average.

    Tenants in the Lake Geneva region had to pay 0.2 percent more in March, and even 0.9 percent in the greater Zurich region. According to a press release, rents in north-western Switzerland also rose by 0.3 percent, in eastern Switzerland by 0.2 percent and in Ticino by 1.9 percent. In Central Switzerland, on the other hand, rents fell by 1.2 percent. Over the year as a whole, rental prices rose by an average of 0.6 percent for the country.

    In the case of home ownership, prices have also developed differently, depending on the type of residence. While those interested in condominiums benefited from an average of 0.4 percent lower prices in March, buyers of single-family homes had to add 1 percent.

    In the past twelve months, home prices even rose by a record 7.2 percent. While the square meter cost 6398 francs in March 2020, it was 6857 francs in March of this year.

    In the case of condominiums, the plus of 3 percent was somewhat more moderate. Here, the price per square meter rose from 7,366 francs in March 2020 to 7,587 francs in March 2021.

    The data of the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index is created in real time on the basis of advertisements on the real estate platform ImmoScout24 and in cooperation with the real estate consultancy IAZI AG .

  • Limmatstadt welcomes Integral as a new shareholder

    The location promotion organization Limmatstadt AG has got a new shareholder in Schlieremer Integral design-build AG. According to managing director Jasmina Ritz, the Limmatstadt now has a total of 170 shareholders and twelve network partners.

    According to a press release, Integral design-build AG has specialized in the area of new working environments. However, the Schlierem-based company also offers overall services for interior design in general. This ranges from workplace management and design to turnkey handover. Integral takes over all phases of development, planning and implementation of working environments, it says there. With the maximum use of digital processes and 3D tools, the new working worlds would be visualized and a smooth planning and construction process would be ensured.

    Last year, Integral implemented the new work environment for Halter AG and its sister companies in JED Schlieren .

    The company was founded in 2016 as W21 Innenausbau AG by Peter Pfiffner – owner of Pfiffner AG in Altstetten – and Michael Peter. Today, Integral, as a sister company of Halter AG, has twelve employees in the areas of architecture, design and execution. The company is currently overseeing 30 ongoing projects across Switzerland.

  • Caleira lets poenina grow

    Caleira lets poenina grow

    According to a message from the poenina Group , the building technology company from Glattal generated operating income of 302.2 million francs in the 2020 financial year. Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to growth of 19.4 percent.

    The merger of poenina with the Caleira Group, which was consolidated at the end of June 2020, is mentioned as the background to the strong growth. Caleira is an amalgamation of twelve companies from seven cantons that specialize in building envelopes and building technology. In 2019, Caleira had a turnover of 112.0 million francs.

    In the top-selling area of sanitary ware, poenina earned 112.4 million francs in the year under review, while the heating and cooling business area earned 88.3 million francs. 38.4 million francs were realized in customer service.

    At 15.0 million francs, poenina's operating result was 1.3 percent lower than in 2019. In contrast, net profit increased by 2.4 percent to CHF 12.6 million. Despite the sharply increased number of shares due to the merger with Caleira, poenina intends to distribute CHF 2.00 per share to the shareholders as in the previous year.

    For the current year, the building technology group is assuming good market conditions in the building construction segment. The group plans to continue its growth strategy, writes poenina. The company also wants to strengthen its presence in Switzerland through further acquisitions.

  • Coop takes over Jumbo

    Coop takes over Jumbo

    Coop takes over the Dietlikon-based DIY store company Jumbo from Maus Frères SA. The chain with a total of 40 stores is an ideal complement to the Coop Group's locations, according to a media release . The purchase has to be approved by the Federal Competition Commission.

    Maus Frères SA now wants to focus on its core business, explained Didier Maus, Chairman of the Board of Directors, in the announcement. This includes the department store chain Manor and the brands under the name MF Brands Group. In addition, the company is strengthening its financial base with the sale and is thus preparing for possible acquisitions of other brands.

    Coop is convinced that with the acquisition “it has created an ideal basis for the future for all parties,” says Joos Sutter, CEO of the Coop Group Cooperative. With the current takeover of the DIY chain, Coop is buying the second part of Jumbo's business. In 2007 the retailer had already taken over the wholesale chain from Jumbo, in which Maus Frères and the French retail chain Carrefour each held half.

  • Implenia takes over BAM Swiss AG

    Implenia takes over BAM Swiss AG

    Implenia and BAM Swiss signed an agreement on March 29 for the takeover of BAM Swiss AG by the Dietlikon construction and real estate company, Implenia informed in a press release . The acquisition is intended to strengthen Implenia's competitive position in future tenders. In addition, this will make the company “a leading construction service provider in the healthcare sector,” writes Implenia.

    Both companies are involved in the realization of the Aarau Cantonal Hospital. Implenia, BAM Swiss AG and BAM Deutschland AG have so far been involved, explains Implenia in the press release. In the future, the project is to be implemented “from a single source”.

    The new acquisition also gives Implenia a stronger presence in north-western Switzerland. Specifically, Implenia's project portfolio will be strengthened with the construction of a laboratory and research building for biosystems science and engineering in Basel and the Felix-Platter Spital project in Basel. In Zurich, Implenia will also take on the construction of a student residence hall for the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich through the acquisition.

    "With this transaction, Implenia is strengthening its market presence and is becoming a leading construction service provider in the healthcare sector in Switzerland, an industry with great growth potential in terms of real estate," Implenia CEO André Wyss is quoted in the press release. "The acquisition is in line with our strategy and the goal of Implenia's Buildings Division to expand its market share as a total contractor for complex, large-scale projects."

  • The Zurich economic area remains attractive for new settlements in the corona crisis

    The Zurich economic area remains attractive for new settlements in the corona crisis

    Together with partners, the location marketing organization Greater Zurich Area AG (GZA) was able to relocate 86 companies despite the corona crisis, which corresponds to a decrease of 21 percent compared to the previous year. According to the GZA, the new settlements have already created 510 new jobs in the region, and 1599 new jobs are to follow in the next five years. GZA published these figures at a digital media conference. On this occasion, GZA managing director Sonja Wollkopf Walt commented: “In view of the global crisis, the result is very solid.” This is due to a well-filled project pipeline at the beginning of the crisis, but also to long-term networks abroad and the sustainable work of GZA and the partner of the location funding. According to Walt Wollkopf, the crisis has digitalized the work of the GZA even more: Existing instruments have been expanded and others newly developed.

    Almost half of the companies located here come from the information and communication technology (ICT) and life sciences sectors, with biotech accounting for the lion's share. Machine industry and financial services take third and fourth place. According to GZA, the origin of the companies by world region reflects the course of the pandemic in 2020. The US remains the leader with 20 companies, but the number of projects here has almost halved. With 14 settlements, Germany remains almost at the previous year's level and there are even two more projects from China than in 2019.

    The successful ICT settlement Speed U Up stands for the digitization boost caused by the pandemic and the strengths of GZA in the digital sector. The digital agency from Austria with a focus on alpine tourism founded a joint venture in Chur GR with the Swiss media company Somedia in October 2020. A technology hub with 75 new jobs is to be created. Somedia CEO Thomas Kundert said: "For us, the joint venture is a further step towards the growth market of digital services." This is playing an increasingly important role in the media company's strategy.

    Sven Thoenes, member of the Board of Directors of Speed U Up Suisse AG , emphasized: "In the Zurich economic area we find excellent talents to further develop our technologies in the areas of speech recognition, artificial intelligence and augmented reality." U-Up customers like Zermatt Tourismus benefit.

  • Innosuisse aims to promote high-risk projects with a lot of potential

    Innosuisse aims to promote high-risk projects with a lot of potential

    The federal government has set the strategic goals for Innosuisse for the years 2021 to 2024. According to a media release , he expects the agency to focus on projects with a higher risk and "above-average economic potential". The selection should be made after “careful consideration” of the projects.

    Innosuisse should also focus on thematic tenders. The aim is to ensure that innovation topics of "great and cross-sectoral importance" are taken up. This includes the federal government, for example, key issues of digitization as well as challenges in connection with sustainability or coping with the corona pandemic.

    Innosuisse should also ensure that SMEs have easy access to the services of research institutions. The agency should attach great importance to young companies that come from the university environment.

    Innosuisse will also be commissioned to implement the Swiss Innovation Power Initiative in 2021 and 2022. The program is intended to help companies maintain their innovation activities despite the recession phase. This is not only in the interests of companies, but also important for the competitiveness of Switzerland as a business location.

    Innosuisse is a federal institution under public law with its own legal personality. Through the agency, the federal government promotes science-based innovation in Switzerland.

  • Unused potential in the cooperation between location promotion and the real estate industry

    Unused potential in the cooperation between location promotion and the real estate industry

    At first glance, business promotion and the real estate sector differ significantly. While location subsidies are usually borne by the public sector – federal government, cantons, cities, municipalities – real estate service providers are in the vast majority of cases private companies. This means that the former are non-profit organizations and the latter are for-profit companies. Location promoters want to win companies over to their sphere of activity and keep them for as long as possible; they are therefore interested in a long-term relationship. Real estate actors, on the other hand, are usually deal-oriented, which leads to comparatively short customer relationships. What is at the center of the activities is only clear from the naming: locations on the one hand, real estate on the other.

    More similarities than differences
    At second glance, however, there are important similarities. First and foremost, there are the customers, who are often the same, since a company looking for a new location is always looking for a new property. In the opposite case, the same is not always true, but in most cases. Because when a company needs a new property, for example because the existing one has become too small, the evaluation process usually also gives thought to the advantages and disadvantages of a change of location. The second thing in common is the property itself: no company can do without the four classic production factors of labor, capital, knowledge and land. Both location promoters and real estate players support their customers in optimizing the land or property factor. In doing so, they make an important contribution to their customers and support them in meeting their goals.

    Benefit from each other
    Due to the common ground there is great potential to benefit from each other. For example, both sides can gain advantages in marketing: The real estate industry can serve as a potent multiplier of the message of a location promoter, because real estate service providers are in direct contact with companies looking for new properties. This channel is still underutilized by location promoters. Conversely, real estate professionals are very interested in knowing the real estate needs of those looking for a location as precisely as possible in order to be able to provide a competitive offer. This information can in turn be provided by the location promotion.

    to create transparency
    In order to be able to create synergies, transparency is first and foremost necessary: Instead of staying among each other, the promotion of the location and the real estate industry have to merge, establish common platforms and exchange information. Both physical and digital platforms are available to them for this purpose. Real estate fairs are a good opportunity to meet face-to-face, maintain existing contacts and make new ones. At the international level, the MIPIM in Cannes in March and the EXPO REAL in Munich in October each year. For more than 20 years, there has been a Swiss joint stand at both trade fairs, which allows Swiss companies and locations to present themselves at a reasonable budget. The IMMO'Messe in Zurich, which is held in January each year, has established itself in Switzerland. This is where real estate investors present themselves and meet market participants of all kinds. Although the IMMO 'has long since established itself as a meeting point for the industry, locations and their representatives are still seldom to be found there. In addition to the trade fairs, there is a wide range of congresses that offer opportunities to maintain contacts around lectures and expert discussions. In addition, location promoters and real estate players can choose from a large number of network events. They are offered by associations, interest groups, locations and private companies.

    Online is catching up
    In today's pandemic-ruled times, online platforms have gained in importance. On the one hand, industry experts can make themselves heard by appearing at webinars and ensure broad awareness. Examples include the Real Estate Brains or Metropole Insights discussion platforms. On the other hand, online databases have become established that can be used by location promoters and real estate professionals alike. For example, companies can contact swisscircle-member.ch
    present. Realestate-experts.ch is ideal for individuals and top-projekte.ch for larger real estate projects. In addition to these offers, every market player is called upon to use social media tools such as LinkedIn or Xing for themselves.

    Networking
    There are hardly any projects that can be carried out on your own – be it as a location promoter or as a real estate professional. As a rule, every actor depends on useful information, benevolent market participants, efficient suppliers and / or cooperative partners. That is why a good network is essential. This requires personal commitment and a wise choice of platforms for maintaining and expanding one's contacts. Such networks are providers of such networks as SVSM, Swiss Circle, SVIT, RISC, ULI and Fiabci.

    Ideas to improve collaboration
    There are already numerous opportunities to intensify the cooperation between location promotion and the real estate industry. At the same time, however, there is also potential that is still largely unused. In this way, locations could present themselves on the major real estate portals and get in touch there with companies looking for a new property. Or more congresses or events could be organized that are aimed at both location promoters and real estate service providers. Ultimately, those offers will prevail which strengthen the participants' perception in the market, allow the exchange of experiences and support the maintenance of the personal network.

  • open2work is looking for investors

    open2work is looking for investors

    Many companies have too much space all the time or even temporarily. Moving to smaller premises would be too time-consuming. Conversely, other companies or sole proprietorships often need more space temporarily. Open2work GmbH wants to mediate between the two groups.

    The start-up founded in 2020 by Alexandre Roque and Lionel Ebener from western Switzerland handles the bookkeeping and payment transactions. New providers can activate their offices themselves on the open2work portal, and interested parties can book their workplaces there. There are currently a total of 22 offices around Zurich and Zug, two in Bern and one in Sion.

    "We are the solution for those who have too much space," says co-founder and CEO Lionel Ebener. Conversely, users of the offer can choose offices from companies that correspond to their own interests. "This cultural aspect is important to us."

    Open2work is currently in talks with investors. The company wants to grow faster with fresh capital. After the end of the Corona crisis, the two founders see a growing need for flexible solutions, both on the part of the providers of office space and among the users.

  • Implenia takes over BAM Swiss AG

    Implenia takes over BAM Swiss AG

    Implenia and BAM Swiss signed an agreement on March 29 for the takeover of BAM Swiss AG by the Dietlikon construction and real estate company, Implenia informed in a press release . The acquisition is intended to strengthen Implenia's competitive position in future tenders. In addition, this will make the company “a leading construction service provider in the healthcare sector,” writes Implenia.

    Both companies are involved in the realization of the Aarau Cantonal Hospital. Implenia, BAM Swiss AG and BAM Deutschland AG have so far been involved, explains Implenia in the press release. In the future, the project is to be implemented “from a single source”.

    The new acquisition also gives Implenia a stronger presence in north-western Switzerland. Specifically, Implenia's project portfolio will be strengthened with the construction of a laboratory and research building for biosystems science and engineering in Basel and the Felix-Platter Spital project in Basel. In Zurich, Implenia will also take on the construction of a student residence hall for the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich through the acquisition.

    "With this transaction, Implenia is strengthening its market presence and is becoming a leading construction service provider in the healthcare sector in Switzerland, an industry with great growth potential in terms of real estate," Implenia CEO André Wyss is quoted in the press release. "The acquisition is in line with our strategy and the goal of Implenia's Buildings Division to expand its market share as a total contractor for complex, large-scale projects."

  • The ZugerKB – the strong partner for professional real estate investors

    The ZugerKB – the strong partner for professional real estate investors

    In 2020, Zuger Kantonalbank financed over two thirds of all residential units approved for building in the canton of Zug and supported various important major projects in their development. This unrestricted market leadership of Zuger Kantonalbank in the financing of real estate is the result of a range of services that is consistently geared towards the specific needs of real estate investors.

    What can professional investors count on at Zuger Kantonalbank?

    Our extensive knowledge of the market
    Zuger Kantonalbank knows the Zug real estate market better than any other bank. We continuously analyze the development of the real estate market in the canton of Zug very precisely and comprehensively. We work with leading providers of real estate market data. In addition, the close exchange with professional investors in the canton of Zug gives us a valuable view of the market. With this knowledge we can provide you with a lot of important information for the development and planning of your projects: Which apartment sizes are in demand? How is building activity developing? Or what prices are marketable? We answer these and other questions together with the investors in a strategic dialogue. An experienced team of ten specialists is available at Zuger Kantonalbank for this purpose.

    Our reliability
    The ZugerKB is committed to its customers in the long term, and has been for over 125 years. Our senior consultants are personally at your side and do everything in their power to ensure that your construction project is successfully implemented. With our expertise, we can quickly carry out an initial project assessment and outline possible financing in an early planning phase. As soon as the project becomes more specific, our short decision-making channels allow quick and needs-based financing offers: from the first planning loan to a comprehensive and flexible financing structure.

    Our solution orientation
    Your construction project is also our project. That is why professional advice is important to us. We make the processing and support of the project as easy as possible for you. In addition, we support promoters along the entire sales process, for example. In addition to the prior plausibility check of the planned sales prices, we offer various sales support. For example, our website www.zugerkb.ch/bauprojekte, which is accessible to everyone, informs interested apartment buyers about future projects and enables a direct link to the websites of the respective providers. We would be happy to show you further sales support in a personal conversation.

    To person
    Peter Bucher has been Head of Real Estate Investors at Zuger Kantonalbank and a member of the Board of Directors of a listed real estate fund since 2015. The passionate rider and jogger has a profound knowledge of the real estate market in the Zug region.

  • Graubünden pension fund receives investment award

    Graubünden pension fund receives investment award

    The Graubünden Pension Fund ( PKGR ) has received an IAZI Real Estate Investment Award 2021. It received an award in the “Best Pension Fund Portfolio” category. IAZI awards a total of nine awards. The basis for the selection of the winners is an assessment based on eight key figures from the Swiss Property Benchmark of the consulting and service company IAZI for the Swiss real estate sector. According to a press release by the PKGR, this is the most representative benchmark for Swiss direct real estate investments.

    PKGR's real estate portfolio claims to have a market value of CHF 654 million. As stated in the announcement, the pension fund understands this award as “confirmation of its real estate strategy, its successful implementation in the facilities and management as well as the further development of the portfolio”.

  • Rental deposit insurance is expensive

    Rental deposit insurance is expensive

    Rent deposit insurance is only advisable in the event of short-term financial bottlenecks. The online comparison service Comparis points this out. In contrast to a rent deposit payment, the premium payments are lost in any case. With a ten-year contract, they can amount to more than half of the deposit amount. In a press release , Comparis calculates this on the basis of a ten-year contract and a deposit of 6,000 francs.

    A good 20 percent of the Swiss population will have to make the right decision in the next twelve months. This is shown by a representative survey by Comparis on moving behavior in Switzerland .

    Rent deposit insurances give new residents the required amount of mostly three months' rent. In return, they ask for an annual premium. The cheapest and the most expensive would be 40 percent apart. "Rent deposit insurance should only be considered to bridge short-term financial bottlenecks," is the recommendation of Comparis expert Frédéric Papp.

    The definitely cheaper solution is to transfer the entire rental deposit to a rental deposit account. “You should pay attention to the choice of bank.” There are still banks that pay interest on deposits and others that charge opening fees of up to 150 francs or netting fees of up to 100 francs. Basically, the banking relationship can be negotiated.

  • Intelligent lighting convinces investors

    Intelligent lighting convinces investors

    LEDCity has secured 2 million francs in fresh capital as part of a financing round. A customer of the start-up and a group of business angels have invested, according to a media release. In addition to the financing by the investors, the company has also received a guarantee from the technology fund of the Federal Office for the Environment .

    LEDCity has developed a lighting solution that aims to reduce electricity consumption by up to 80 percent. The development is intended to replace classic motion detectors in commercial buildings. It uses up to 50 times more sensors on the same area. Algorithms also ensure that the lighting intensity is controlled automatically.

    With the fresh funds, LEDCity wants to enlarge its sales team in western Switzerland and at the same time expand to Germany. The start-up also wants to further develop its algorithms.

  • Fritschi Fensterbau joins the Spycher Group

    Fritschi Fensterbau joins the Spycher Group

    In the future, Fritschi Fensterbau AG will operate under the umbrella of Spycher Group Holding AG from Vechingen BE, the two companies inform in a message . With the takeover, the holding company, which has subsidiaries and investments in various economic sectors, wants to strengthen its business in the construction industry.

    "Fritschi Fensterbau AG fits perfectly into our group, which already includes several other companies active in the construction ancillary trade", Matthias Spycher, owner and CEO of Spycher Group Holding AG, is quoted in the announcement. "We are also proud to be able to take over a prosperous company with excellent people."

    The previous owner and managing director of Fritschi Fensterbau AG will leave the company at the end of March. The previous project manager of Fritschi Fensterbau, Thomas Gisy, is to lead the fate of the window manufacturer from the Zürcher Unterland under the umbrella of the holding company. "In Thomas Gisy we have found an ideal internal successor for Sven Spitzli," explains Spycher. The management of the sales department at Fritschi Fensterbau will be taken over by Thomas Gisy's son and longstanding employee of the company, Tobias Gisy.

  • Implenia is building tunnels on the Gotthard

    Implenia is building tunnels on the Gotthard

    The Federal Roads Office has awarded the ARGE secondo tubo (in German: second tube) the contract for the construction of a four kilometer long access tunnel to the second Gotthard tube. According to its press release , Implenia is in charge of this working group. It has a 40 percent stake in it, as does Webuild Group / csc . Frutiger holds a further 20 percent.

    According to the information, ARGE secondo tubo was able to prevail against four other offers and two additional variants in the tender with the highest number of points from the evaluation of all award criteria. The award is still subject to a 20-day complaint period. Construction work is scheduled to begin this spring and last two and a half years.

    "The Gotthard road tunnel is a central infrastructure project for Switzerland, to which Implenia, as the largest Swiss construction service provider with a lot of experience and concentrated specialist know-how, can make an important contribution," said the head of Implenia's Civil Engineering Division, Christian Late, quoted in the communication.

    Implenia had already been awarded the contract to relocate the north safety tunnel in November 2020. This is the current lot for the construction of the second tube in the Gotthard road tunnel. This award precedes the publication of the invitation to tender for the two larger lots by a few months, the announcement said. In 2001 and 2014, Implenia was already heavily involved in the construction of the Gotthard Base Tunnel for the railways. At that time, the total order volume was 2.84 billion Swiss francs.

  • Procimmo realizes capital increase

    Procimmo realizes capital increase

    Procimmo SA has raised around 64 million francs on the capital market for its real estate fund Procimmo Swiss Commercial Fund II, the asset manager of collective real estate investments informs in a message . According to her, the capital increase was significantly oversubscribed. The company sees this as "a clear vote of confidence on the part of investors in the fund," says the press release.

    On the one hand, the 64 million francs brought in are intended to reduce the fund's debt financing ratio. On the other hand, Procimmo wants to use the new capital for the continuation of existing construction projects, is explained in the communication. The company is also planning further property acquisitions.

    The Procimmo Swiss Commercial Fund II is scheduled to be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange on March 24th. A total of 33 properties are currently held in the fund in the cantons of Aargau, Basel-Landschaft, Bern, Freiburg, Graubünden, Lucerne, Solothurn and Zurich. The report puts the fund's assets at around 557 million francs.