Zürich Strategies 2025 (PDF, 52 Pages, 2 MB - Stadt Zürich

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Space for sustainable industrial and
commercial businesses
Initial situation
The industrial and commercial sector in the City of Zurich is dominated by small businesses:
Only 4 percent of the companies have 50 or more employees. The manufacturing
sector currently employs 34,400 people.
Following the decline of traditional industries in the 1980s, a new high-tech industry established
itself in Zurich. It now employs 4,300 people and has huge growth potential. It
benefits from its proximity to the universities and from the high level of education of the
local population; in the meantime, many start-up companies have become part of this
high-tech industry. These companies are frequently spin-offs from ETH, the University or
the Universities of Applied Sciences.
There are still traditional, craftsman-orientated commercial operations in Zurich, which
contribute to the diversity of Zurich but face the increasing problem of finding suitable
locations within the City; the procurement of space for commerce is a great challenge.
Strategies
� The City ensures that there are locations available for industry and commerce by
building regulations.
� The City responds to the concerns of local companies and creates a good environment
for smaller businesses.
� The City is committed to the implementation of regulatory requirements, which is both
customer and business friendly and aims for a reduction in the level of regulations.
� The City promotes the creation and residence of new high-tech and other promising
operations.
� The City is committed to regional property management for the purpose of creating
commercial areas, especially high-tech industrial parks.