Schweizer Electronic Symposium

On Thursday, 13 June 2024, the Schweizer Electronic Symposium took place as part of the company's 60th anniversary celebrations. This symposium, which was organised especially for invited guests, provided a platform for intensive discussions, presentations and networking.

The day began with a warm welcome and a welcome coffee. After registering, all guests received headphones for simultaneous translation in German, English, French and Italian. CEO Peter Schweizer then opened the official part of the event. In his opening speech, he offered an exciting look back at the early years of the company and described the impressive transformation that Schweizer Electronic has undergone over the decades. He also emphasised the importance of the international subsidiaries, which were represented on stage by the country managers: Uwe Vonderlind (Germany), Neil Bradbury (UK), Willi Carzolio (Italy), Manfred Trost (Austria), Pablo Rozpide (Spain) and Richard Garceau (France). These brief appearances emphasised the company's global reach and customer proximity.

Swiss television journalist Michèle Schönbächler charmingly hosted the day and encouraged the audience to express their expectations of the event via an online questionnaire that could be conveniently used on a smartphone. The responses received revealed a wide range of wishes: From networking opportunities and product information to fun and games, it was all there.

A highlight of the morning was the presentation by Dr Hendrik Schäbe from TÜV Rheinland. As an external guest speaker, he shed light on the latest developments in railway technology, including programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and the integration of artificial intelligence. Ken Vine (Ricardo Rail), who had travelled all the way from England, then spoke about the advantages of level crossings in the UK and the successful collaboration with Schweizer Electronic.

After a refreshing lunch in the sunshine, the Schweizer Electronic business unit managers responsible for the market took the stage. Stefan Dürrenberger (Warning Systems), Pascal Mamin (Level Crossing Systems), Thomas Koch (Radio Systems) and Stefanie Biala (Innovation & Digitalisation) presented the latest developments and innovations in their respective areas in entertaining and informative talks. The subsequent Q&A session, moderated by Michèle Schönbächler, allowed guests to put their questions, which were collected during the presentations via an online tool, directly to the experts.

After a short coffee break, the participants dispersed to various demonstration stands of the business units, which were set up both in the conference rooms and on the outdoor area of Schweizer Electronic AG. Here they were able to experience the latest developments in e-learning, various level crossing systems, radio remote controls and information from the field of innovation & digitalisation.

Back in the symposium tent, the guests listened to the last presentation of the day. Andreas Haas, Managing Director at Swissrail, spoke about current trends in the railway industry and then handed the floor back to CEO Peter Schweizer for the final part of the event. In a heartfelt vote of thanks, Peter Schweizer paid tribute to the company's loyal customers and partners and concluded by asking the participants for their feedback on the symposium. The consistently positive feedback brought the official programme to a close.

The evening ended with an aperitif and a 3-course meal. A final highlight was the performance of the Swiss LED show dance group "The Blackouts" at 10 pm, which set a final, colourful accent with its impressive performance. Afterwards, some guests made their way to the train station or hotel via the waiting shuttle taxis, while others rounded off the evening at the bar.

Thanks to the great guests, the active participation and a coordinated supporting programme, the Schweizer Electronic Symposium 2024 was an exceptional event that celebrated the company's 60th anniversary in a fitting manner.

Many thanks to all guests and contributors to the Schweizer Electronic Symposium 2024.

Team Schweizer Electronic