Founded in 1928, this farrier's forge has 95 years later become a modern vehicle manufacturing company in central Switzerland.
Burim Shala, Head of technical service
We visited Sutter & Zbinden in the beautiful village of Lungern, at the foot of the Brünig Pass. «Welcome to Sutter & Zbinden» is how Burim Shala, head of technology and purchasing, welcomes us to the Lungern site, which employs 40 people. Another site in Posieux, in the canton of Fribourg, employs 60 people. The company covers a large part of the Swiss market with its 3-sided tipping body. Its customers include construction companies, gardeners, municipalities and many others. To meet the needs of such a diverse clientele, it is essential to offer a wide range of products. The range covers vehicles from 3.5 to 40 tons.
This can be seen at the Lungern site, where numerous vans and trucks compete for space. «Sometimes we don't have enough space here and have to move vehicles elsewhere,» explains Shala. The large workshop is bustling with activity, and a special transport vehicle used for servicing and maintaining contact lines catches our eye.
But the company's success is due not only to the diversity of its products, but also to the high quality of its production. To meet their requirements, they rely on high-quality products purchased from their strong Swiss partners. «We find this quality at Paul Forrer. The guarantee offered by the Swiss industrial location is very important», says Shala. Nummi tilting cylinders and control valves are among these products. NUMMI uses only high-alloy cylinder tubes, which are chrome-plated on the inside.
Another NUMMI specialty is machined and welded bronze guides. This guarantees minimal backlash, which increases longevity and robustness. In addition to cylinders, Sutter & Zbinden also buys axial piston pumps from Hydro Leduc, aluminum oil tanks from Padoan and hydraulic cylinders from Neumeister Hydraulik, all supplied by Paul Forrer SA. This simplifies logistics processes, ensures consistent product quality and reduces administrative costs. The basic principle is familiarity with the product and good communication between supplier and customer. Christian Messerli, a long-standing member of Paul Forrer's field service team, also ensures this.
Asked how he sees his company's future, Shala replies: «Our motto for a successful future is very clear: innovation through investment in collaboration with the Paul Forrer company!»
Sutter and Zbinden specialize in vehicle construction, focusing on the manufacture of individual commercial vehicles and special vehicles. The core business areas of both companies include the design and production of special vehicles. Both companies develop tailor-made vehicles for a wide range of sectors and applications, including goods vehicles, agricultural vehicles, construction projects and specific industries. Sutter and Zbinden also offer individual adaptation and conversion services for existing vehicles, to equip them optimally for specific tasks and requirements.