Switzerland-based BRUGG Group is a niche but global player using its expertise to enhance an area that is key for any functioning society – infrastructure.
BRUGG Group is one of those companies that has developed from humble beginnings to a position of global influence. Established in Brugg over a century ago as a cable manufacturer, today the company is a widely diversified business employing over 1900 employees in more than 35 subsidiaries, serving customers in all the developed countries.
The company offers a wide range of solutions, provided within separate divisions and companies – BRUGG Pipes (pipe systems for local and district heating, filling stations and tank systems as well as cryo-technology); BRUGG Lifting (elevator ropes, belts and lifting solution); BRUGG eConnect (cable solutions for e-mobility and industrial and winding cable solutions); and BRUGG Real Estate.
Other members of the BRUGG Group include Rittmeyer (a manufacturer of process controls and solutions for water, gas, power, and heat supply); Geobrugg (protection systems against natural hazards); and Fatzer (heavy-duty ropes used in transportation and mining, as well as structural ropes).
“Most of our business is concentrated in Europe where 60% of the group’s turnover is generated, followed by the North and South Americas and Asia Pacific with 20% each,” says Group CEO Dr Stephan Wartmann. “However, we have a truly global footprint, with our solutions being implemented on all continents in prestigious projects by major OEMs, such as Otis, Schindler, ThyssenKrupp, Mitsubishi, Toshiba and many others.”
BRUGG 2025: Profit for a Purpose
He explains that over the last few years, the group has been on a growth trajectory. In 2019, the company defined its BRUGG 2025 innovation programme focused on energy transition, sustainability, safety and security and globalisation, while also securing its core base. The programme defines a target of 45% growth over a period of five years, to reach a turnover of 650 CHF by 2025 with an operative EBIT above 10%.
“We are already ahead of schedule with our financial performance – by the end of this year, we will be able to announce that the targeted turnover has been achieved with the EBIT already achieved in 2021. We want to grow, but it needs to be a healthy, profitable growth, stemming from shaping the energy transition in our niche markets with our innovative solutions, from contributing, together with our clients, to mitigating the global challenge of climate change.”
What is behind this impressive result at a time when many companies are struggling in the current volatile market environment with continuing challenges? “We were lucky to do the right things at the right time, and the business has grown in all our markets. Of course, we have been affected by unfavourable circumstances but thanks to our excellent relations with our supplier base and our very motivated employees, we have been able to withstand the challenges,” says Dr Wartmann.
He affirms that excellent financial performance has not been the only achievement. BRUGG has also initiated a number of programmes for internal improvements and introduced a number of staff health and well-being, learning, development, and communication initiatives.
“We have also increased our focus on the environment – we measure our own carbon footprint on a global basis and want to reduce it not only in our products and solutions but also at our own factories, aiming to become carbon neutral by 2025 (scope 1 & 2).”
Innovating to Accelerate the Green Move
Dr Wartman reflects that given climate change and its environmental impact around the world, BRUGG’s role is going to increase further. “A large percentage of the energy supply continues to be based on fossil fuels. Reaching, or at least coming close to the climate goals, is a mammoth task that can only be achieved by radical, ground-breaking innovations.”
To this end, BRUGG has greatly increased its interaction with selected key customers over the last few years, to come up with innovative solutions to be rolled out globally very quickly – not only in new projects but also to improve existing brownfields.
Examples of successful out-comes are varied and manifold and can be found across the whole portfolio, always aiming at better performance in line with sustainability. Such also was the case of an existing wastewater plant that saves 40% energy by installing Rittmeyer’s specific RITUNE software for process optimisation, with the use of AI to analyse and adapt to potential new circumstances. A great example of how much can be achieved by very little but very smart effort, Dr Wartmann notes.
Other examples include the BRUGG eConnect high-power charging cables for e-mobility. Recently, BRUGG eConnect presented the new Megawatt Charging System, with which charging currents are conducted 3-4 times faster – a world premiere. Especially for electric-powered trucks, ships or even aeroplanes, fast charging will be crucial in the future.
In Britain, Geobrugg has developed a specific solution to prevent coastal erosion – a high-tensile stainless steel wire mesh with TECCO cells that absorb energy naturally, without disturbing the wildlife, that can be positioned with minimal preparation. A similar solution has been widely applied to underground mines.
On the rope spectrum, Fatzer, the specialist in ski-lift and gondola cables and systems, was asked to provide a lightweight structural rope construction in New York City at the Penn Station subway station. The same solution has been applied to stadium roofs and large-size bridge constructions. Not only is the solution beautiful from the architectural point of view, but it also saves the carbon footprint.
Empowered to Grow
“Our industrial group is shaping the energy transition internationally. As pioneers, we will continue to offer innovative solutions for future global challenges in our business areas,” says Dr Wartmann, adding that this strategy will be strongly supported by investment both in existing capacity and in acquisitions.
Over just the last two years, BRUGG has acquired companies in the Nordics, France, Australia, and Germany. “We are not buying competitors, we are buying to meet our customer’s needs, to expand and to add value to our portfolio,” explains Dr Wartmann.
Given the company’s achieve-ments over a relatively short space of time, he can be rightly proud of the business he took over in 2019 and then re-shaped: “For me, two words are important: empowerment and agility. We really live it. As a global, widely diversified company, you cannot really act any differently.”
“I don’t see myself as a Chief Executive Officer, I rather see myself as a Chief Enabling Officer. I try to create the right conditions for our people, to make our organisations fitter, leaner and also more agile, to foster a positive future-oriented spirit,” he remarks.
In conclusion, he affirms that BRUGG, together with its customers, will strive to progress towards its sustainability goals, continuing to invest in operational excellence and innovations, to sustain its position as a technology leader.
