immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Unternehmensführung

  • New CEO to take over management of the construction supplier from January 2025

    New CEO to take over management of the construction supplier from January 2025

    From 1 January, the Arbonia Group will once again be led by a CEO who is not also a member of the Board of Directors. As announced by the company, the Board of Directors has appointed Claudius Moor as CEO. Born in Switzerland in 1983, he has worked for Arbonia since 2015 and has been CEO of the Doors Division since 2020. Previously, he was Head of Group Strategy and Corporate Development at the Arbon-based building supplier.

    Alexander von Witzleben will remain Chairman of the Board of Directors “until further notice”. Born in Germany in 1963, he has chaired the Board of Directors since 2015, was also Delegate of the Board of Directors and CEO ad interim until 2022 and has been Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors since then.

    “We are very pleased to welcome Claudius Moor in his new role as CEO of Arbonia”, Alexander von Witzleben is quoted as saying in the press release. “With his extensive knowledge of the industry, his commitment and his great passion for the door business, he has everything it takes to lead Arbonia into a positive future.”

  • Management change at timber construction company successfully completed

    Management change at timber construction company successfully completed

    There has been a change in management at the Seewen-based timber construction company Strüby. According to a press release, Ivo Steiner has been fully responsible as the new CEO since December 6. The 45-year-old business economist from eastern Switzerland took up the position as designated CEO on June 1, 2024 and underwent an intensive induction phase.

    In the press release, the Board of Directors states that Steiner is “a perfect fit for the operational leadership” of the company “thanks to his solid education, extensive management experience at several companies and his down-to-earth, pragmatic personality”. Strüby has over 400 employees.

    The current CEO, Anton Strüby, will in future assume his strategically important role in the company as Chairman of the Board of Directors. In this role, he will contribute his expertise and network for the benefit of the company, according to the press release.

  • Prix SVC Eastern Switzerland 2024 goes to Zindel United

    Prix SVC Eastern Switzerland 2024 goes to Zindel United

    Zindel United from Maienfeld has won this year’s Prix SVC Ostschweiz, the Swiss Venture Club(SVC) announced in a press release. The prize honours innovative companies in the region for outstanding achievements that enable sustainable economic success to be realised. “Zindel United realises its vision – developing complete solutions from ideas for future generations, inspiring people and protecting the environment in the process – in an exemplary and pioneering manner,” said jury president Andrea Fanzun in the press release, quoting from his laudatory speech.

    Zindel United specialises in construction-related services. The family-run company, now in its eighth generation, is committed to the circular economy in the construction industry. To this end, Zindel United relies on local raw materials and, according to the company, “is making a relevant contribution to achieving the 2050 climate targets with Switzerland’s first demonstrably CO2-neutral concrete”.

    Märchenhotel AG from Braunwald GL and Huber Fenster AG from Herisau AR were awarded the silver and bronze medals in the competition. The multi-award-winning Märchenhotel for families with children has developed into one of the largest tourist employers in the canton of Glarus since it was founded in 1977. Huber Fenster AG, now in its fifth generation, specialises in custom-made windows and façade elements that meet the architect’s specifications.

  • Miljan Gutovic becomes new CEO of Holcim

    Miljan Gutovic becomes new CEO of Holcim

    The Board of Directors of Holcim has appointed Miljan Gutovic as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Holcim with effect from 1 May, according to a press release. He will succeed Jan Jenisch, who wishes to concentrate on his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors and is standing for re-election at the Annual General Meeting in May. The Board of Directors has also appointed Jenisch to lead the planned IPO of Holcim’s North American business in the USA.

    Gutovic has been a member of Holcim’s Executive Committee since 2018. The Australian holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a doctorate in materials science and engineering from the University of Technology in Sydney. He was Head of the Middle East and Africa region, then of the Europe region and was responsible for Operational Excellence. Under his leadership, Holcim has strengthened its market positions, achieved industry-leading margins and turned decarbonisation into a driver of profitable growth, according to the press release.

    Miljan Gutovic is “a highly qualified colleague who has made a decisive contribution to the successful transformation of Holcim into the leading company for innovative and sustainable construction solutions”, the still acting CEO Jenisch is quoted as saying. “Miljan has increased our profitability in Europe to a record level, successfully executed strategic transactions and built excellent teams.”

    “As a passionate civil engineer, there is no more exciting company for me than Holcim – especially at a time when decarbonisation and advanced technologies are changing the way we build. I look forward to working with the Holcim teams worldwide,” future CEO Gutovic is quoted as saying.

    Holcim, based in Zug, is one of the largest producers of building materials in the world. The company produces concrete, gravel and cement at 55 sites across Switzerland and turns demolition materials into resource-saving products.

  • KONE makes new location a laboratory for New Work

    KONE makes new location a laboratory for New Work

    KONE, the Finnish specialist for building mobility, has inaugurated a new branch for around 70 employees in Sion, according to a media release. It was officially opened in the presence of the Finnish ambassador to Switzerland, Valtteri Hirvonen. KONE has been present in Western Switzerland since 2001 and employs 140 people there.

    With the opening of its newest location, KONE is simultaneously introducing a new working model. Among other things, this includes a new computer-controlled allocation of workstations every day. Anyone who wants to fill a workstation submits a request via an app and is then assigned a place. This is done randomly and differently from the previous day.

    The company hopes that this will lead to stronger communication between employees, which should promote cooperation and creativity. In addition, the office building in Sion is reportedly KONE’s first in the world to be fully designed in the new brand identity. A dynamic and flexible space has been created that can be changed according to needs. This concept was developed with a team of local employees in a participatory process, it said.

    “We are proud to be able to introduce a form of collaboration at the Sion site that meets the requirements of digitalisation and globalisation and promotes inclusion and innovation in our Western Switzerland team,” Christian Wukovits, Managing Director KONE Switzerland and Austria, is quoted as saying in the statement, “I would like to express my sincere thanks to the project group and everyone else who was involved in this process. They have done an excellent job that will be groundbreaking for our company”.

  • CSL Immobilien appoints Piffaretti and Walter as co-CEOs

    CSL Immobilien appoints Piffaretti and Walter as co-CEOs

    Renato Piffaretti will take office on 1 October as one of two future CEOs at Zurich-based CSL Immobilien. According to a media release, his focus will be on product development and product marketing. He was most recently Head of Real Estate Switzerland at Swiss Life Asset Management AG.

    The company, led by Chairman of the Board Markus Schawalder, has decided on a co-CEO structure to succeed Yonas Mulugeta, who will leave at the end of September. Piffaretti’s competencies will complement those of Thomas Walter. The latter will take up his post as Co-CEO on 1 March 2024 at the latest and will then be responsible for the areas of business and digitalisation.

    “The appointment of Renato Piffaretti and Thomas Walter is the right step to strengthen and expand CSL’s services,” Schawalder is quoted as saying in the statement. “They will successfully shape the future of CSL Immobilien based on the cornerstones of innovation, quality and responsibility.”

  • Implenia receives top rating for sustainability

    Implenia receives top rating for sustainability

    Opfikon-based construction and real estate company Implenia has received 86 points in its sustainability rating from US rating agency Morningstar Sustainalytics. This is one point more than last year. Implenia has thus consolidated its top position in the three areas of environmental, social and governance (ESG) within the construction and engineering sector, according to a media release.

    Accordingly, Implenia is also well ahead in Sustainalytics’ current ESG Risk Rating and is one of the Industry Top Rated companies in its sector. In addition to the management of ESG issues, industry-specific ESG risks were also looked at.

    “As one of five corporate values and part of our mission, sustainability is firmly anchored in Implenia’s culture, as demonstrated once again by the Sustainalytics rating,” Anita Eckardt, Chair of Implenia’s Sustainability Committee, is quoted as saying in the media release. The energy transition is a major demand driver in the construction and real estate industry. “We support our customers in planning and realising real estate and infrastructure sustainably and are constantly developing the options for doing so.”

    Sustainalytics is an Amsterdam-based company belonging to Morningstar Inc. in Chicago in the US state of Illinois and offers data and ratings on corporate responsibility for the environment, social issues and corporate governance.

  • Exista acquires Fabrimex for growth in high-end power supplies

    Exista acquires Fabrimex for growth in high-end power supplies

    Fehraltorf-basedExista has acquired Fabrimex, according to a media release. Both companies have been active for many years as developers of power supply solutions and are combining their expertise and product range. The merger will be retroactive to 1 January 2023.

    Exista focuses on customised, high-quality power supplies, battery and LED system solutions for customers in industry, railway and medical technology. It has networks with partners and suppliers in Europe, the USA and Asia. With the merger, the owner-managed company, founded in 1988, is aiming for new growth. “Through the combination of customer and supplier relationships, the expanded product portfolio and the combined forces in sales, service and support, we are further expanding our leading position in high-quality power supplies and individual solutions,” Ernst Roth, Managing Director of Exista AG, is quoted as saying.

    Fabrimex has been a provider of power supply solutions since 1947 and produces DC/DC converters, power supplies and inverters. In Switzerland, the company is present through trade brands: Glassman HighVoltage (high voltage supplies), FSP, EPSolar, Hoppecke and others. Fabrimex belonged to the international holding Werap since 2007 and until its takeover by Exista. Fabrimex is transferring its power supply business to Exista.

    Both companies are headquartered in the Zurich Oberland and are to continue as independent companies after the acquisition. 100 percent of the shares in Fabrimex AG will go to Exista AG. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

  • Lumvin increases its capital and expands its board of directors

    Lumvin increases its capital and expands its board of directors

    Lumvin AG has carried out a capital increase of CHF 400,000, according to a media release. According to the lighting technology specialist based in Baden, the fresh capital will be used to finance the expansion of team resources, to strengthen its position as a market leader in the upcycling of lighting by recycling parts, and to set up its own testing laboratory. At the same time, Lumvin has expanded its board of directors.

    “We are extremely grateful for the trust and support of our investors and look forward to working with our new board members,” Kristjan Jozipovic, CEO of Lumvin, is quoted as saying.

    Martin Laubacher, Orlando Sidler and Përparim Avdili are new members of the Lumvin AG Board of Directors. Laubacher brings years of industry experience as an entrepreneur and co-owner of DIY wholesaler Puag AG from Bremgarten AG, according to the company’s statement. He is to support the development of the sustainable company. Sidler studied Banking & Finance at the University of St.Gallen (HSG) and has more than 20 years of financial expertise. He will advise Lumvin AG on financial matters. Avdili is entrepreneurial and politically committed. As a municipal councillor of the city of Zurich, he is committed to sustainable business development.

    “With their great expertise and industry experience, we are confident that we can realise Lumvin’s full potential and successfully implement our vision of a sustainable and ecologically sound product,” CEO Jozipovic is quoted as saying about the expansion of the board of directors.

    Lumvin describes itself on its website as a cleantech company for LED lighting. The company’s goal is to produce LED luminaires sustainably in Switzerland and to use them efficiently.

  • Hälg buys Etavis

    Hälg buys Etavis

    According to a press release , Hälg Facility Management AG , based in the St.GallenBodenseeArea, has bought Zurich-based Etavis Facility Services AG . With the takeover, Hälg intends to expand in the Facility Management division in the Zurich region.

    According to the press release, Etavis Facility Services has a strong customer service culture and many years of industry experience in the maintenance and repair of building technology systems. The specialist for building management becomes part of the Hälg branch in Zurich. The workforce will be fully taken over. “With the integration of the team in Zurich, we are gaining the expertise and network of the employees,” says Markus Haldimann, Managing Director of Hälg Facility Management AG. “We are thus further strengthening our facility management services.”

    The company merger leads to a change of name: Etavis Facility Services gives up the company name. Both companies will be called Hälg Facility Management AG in the future.

  • Hansueli Loosli is elected to the Avobis Board of Directors

    Hansueli Loosli is elected to the Avobis Board of Directors

    According to the media release , the election of Hansueli Loosli completes the Board of Directors of Avobis Group AG . The former CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Coop Group brings with him entrepreneurial thinking and technical expertise as well as an extensive network. He will help drive Avobis’ growth and innovation strategy.

    In addition to other areas, Avobis is also investing in the Limmat Valley. According to a report in the “Badener Tagblatt”, this is happening via the two real estate service providers Rimaplan and Centerio, who are building in an attractive location in Wettingen AG and operating the Center Passage. The Avobis Group bought both in 2021. Rimaplan AG had its headquarters in Würenlingen AG until the beginning of 2020 and then in Zug. She is involved as a project developer in the Häfliger area on Wettinger Landstrasse, where, among other things, two five-storey apartment buildings with a total of 35 apartments and a small commercial part are to be built. At the beginning of 2016, Rimaplan took over the management of the Center Passage shopping center in Wettingen. This was taken over by Centerio AG in 2019.

    Hansueli Loosli brings “great strategic experience and diverse skills and is a valuable addition to today’s board,” says Thomas Abegg, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Avobis Group AG. Avobis is an “agile, innovative and bold company that has been successfully revolutionizing the real estate market in Switzerland for 25 years,” says Hansueli Loosli, who is chairing the Customers and Market Committee on the Board of Directors and thus taking on the strategic processing of the market and support responsible for large partnerships.

    Loosli was Swiss Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010 and received the SwissAward in 2003.

  • Holcim withdraws from Russia

    Holcim withdraws from Russia

    The Board of Directors of Holcim has decided to initiate the process of exiting the Russian market. According to a statement from the Zug-based building materials group, this is in line with the company’s values, which aim to act as responsibly as possible. This decision follows an earlier decision to halt all capital investments in the Russian market.

    The panel expresses its “deep concern at the tragic human suffering in the region”. Holcim is “determined to support the affected people, families and communities”.

    In addition, the Board of Directors would like to expressly thank all colleagues who work alongside local non-governmental organizations worldwide to provide accommodation, essential goods and medical care and who volunteer their time.

  • Zehnder Group takes over Canadian ventilation company

    Zehnder Group takes over Canadian ventilation company

    The Zehnder Group will complete the acquisition of the Canadian company Airia Brands Inc. in the next few days. The Aargau expert for ventilation and radiators has now announced this. Nothing was known about the purchase price. Airia designs, manufactures and sells heat recovery ventilation. Their products are sold under the Lifebreath brand in the north of the Americas.

    The company reportedly employs around 150 people. In 2021 it achieved sales of around 38 million euros. The Airia headquarters in London in the province of Ontario will be retained and the workforce including the operational management team will be taken over.

    “The Zehnder Group and Airia – that’s a perfect match for us,” said the CEO of the Zehnder Group, Matthias Huenerwadel. “The Lifebreath brand stands for healthy, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly indoor climate solutions, just like the Zehnder brand. With the acquisition of Airia, we are significantly expanding our market position in North America, and we intend to continue to grow in the future”, in line with the company motto “Growth for ventilation – harvest for radiators”.

    The acquisition of Airia will significantly increase ventilation sales as a percentage of total sales in North America. The Zehnder Group operates in North America from its office in Buffalo, New York. The company develops and manufactures its products in 18 of its own plants worldwide. Of these, three are in North America and another three in China.

  • Locatee expands to New York

    Locatee expands to New York

    The Zurich-based company Locatee now has a second headquarters in New York. The team working there is intended to support American companies with immediate effect in planning their actual office space requirements. Because the office landscape will look completely different after the pandemic than before, it is necessary to get a clear picture of the actual occupancy and occupancy, according to a media release .

    This expansion in the US is another step towards becoming the global leader in workplace analysis. This analysis leverages the existing wired and wireless networks on site to determine exactly how effectively a company's office space is being used. This makes it possible to enlarge or reduce as needed.

    “We know that large companies often have difficulty identifying exactly how their real estate portfolio is being used,” says Locatee CEO Thomas Kessler. “And this leads to enormous costs in the form of wasted space. We want to help companies manage their real estate portfolio effectively. "

    Locatee was founded in 2014. In 2016, Swiss Post was the first company to use Locatee in all properties. Today, according to Locatee, its platform is used by companies such as Deloitte , Swiss Re and other of the world's 1000 most valuable companies in more than 60 countries.