75 Jahre Sonceboz 75 years Sonceboz

75 Jahre Sonceboz
Forge new paths
A medium-sized traditional Swiss family
business founded in 1936 that has made
a name for itself on the world market for
its particularly high quality drive solutions,
thus holding its own against
strong competitors in the form of large
multinational groups. A sentence like
that automatically leads one to think of
automated manufacturing, continuity
and a certain deliberateness. How easily
the stereotypes come to mind.
In fact Sonceboz is a high-tech company
that develops and manufactures
electrical drive systems for the automobile
industry. We aren‘t talking
about cheap mass goods here but
about intelligent actuators for demanding
applications such as, for example,
the ones required for the BMW
fully variable valve control. In conversation
with Dr. Edouard Pfister, the
Chairman of the Board, whose father
bought the company 75 years ago, you
get the feeling that the only constant
here is the search for added customer
value.
product is recognized as the technology
standard – priceless for the company.
This is just one more reason why Sonceboz
has proven more resistant to the
economic crisis than other mediumsized
companies.
The company is also forging new paths
when it comes to developing disruptive
technology, breaking with another
mantra of modern management studies:
Sonceboz does not carry out the fundamental
research, the source for future
customer value, at its main production
facility but rather at a research center
in France. Far away from the daily business,
technology experts put into practice
ideas and pioneering innovations
which become more than just a product.
”We are not just selling motion systems,
we are setting standards for selec ted
applications“, says Dr. Edouard Pfister.
In my opinion, an approach that merits
consideration!
The business model is also remarkable:
At Sonceboz, the corporate focus is on
developing new technologies, production
according to the 0 ppm principle
and the use of best practices on all levels
of the company. Sonceboz consistently
revises its strategy every four
years to ascertain which busi nesses to
focus on in the future. In this way, the
danger encountered by many ownermanaged
companies, who sometimes
rely too much on traditional markets or
get bogged down with innovation, is
avoided.
The company approach to conquering
global markets is also exceptional:
Sonceboz relies on the continuous development
of new products which outperform
everything else in their segment
on the world market. Many a Sonceboz
Johannes Winterhagen
Editor-in-chief for the ATZ and MTZ
trade journals