Jörn Lützen, first Wattwil, then Ebnat-Kappel: the Toggenburg region has been the company’s home since iST was founded in 1991. How important is the canton of St.Gallen as the location for its development from a start-up into a global sensor technology company?
Jörn Lützen: Our headquarters in Ebnat-Kappel are the hub of our global operations. Many international customers are amazed when they visit us and realise that a global high-tech company is based right in the heart of the countryside. However, it is our staff who are key to our success. Many of them have been loyal to the company for years. This creates continuity and ensures that knowledge is passed on. This combination of high levels of professional expertise, a down-to-earth approach and a long-term perspective is a key factor in our success.
Was it a conscious decision at the time to set up the company in Toggenburg?
No, it wasn’t. At the time, the founder of iST acquired parts of an insolvent company, including a production facility. Together with three Czech engineers, he brought them back into operation and began serving his first customers by carrying out contract coating work. That is why the company can certainly be described as a start-up. Between 2005 and 2007, iST was transferred in its entirety to its current owner, the Endress+Hauser Group.
13500
m² of development and production facilities in Switzerland
Following the move to Ebnat-Kappel in 2012, further investment was made in the head office a few years later. What gave you the confidence to commit to this location in the long term?
When we were looking for a new location, it was important to us to keep the team together. Accordingly, we carried out a targeted search for solutions within a radius of around 20 kilometres of Wattwil. Even in the years following the completion of the first phase of construction in 2012, it became clear that Ebnat-Kappel was very well received by our staff. Today, more than half of them live in central Toggenburg, so very close to where we are based. In addition, there are good public transport links to St.Gallen, Rapperswil-Jona and Wil. Another important point is cooperation with the local and cantonal authorities. I have always found them to be very goal-oriented, which is a real location benefit for us.
How important is the combination of regional roots and an international outlook to your company?
Many people feel at ease within their familiar environment. This stable foundation gives them a sense of security and is often a key reason for them to stay in the region in the long term. This also benefits the company, as we can count on reliable, long-serving and dedicated staff. At the same time, the iST Group’s global operations offer a wide range of opportunities for personal and professional development.
What makes the Canton of St.Gallen an attractive location for high-tech companies?
In my view, the Canton offers many advantages. First, there is the high quality of life, which combines the advantages of rural life with proximity to Zurich, an international business centre. On the other hand, we benefit from our proximity to the labour market in southern Germany and the Rhine Valley. With the OST (Eastern University of Applied Sciences), ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) and Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology), the region also boasts strong universities and research institutions. They are important sources of well-qualified young talent for us. Furthermore, there are many customers, suppliers and companies in the same sector in the region, by which I mean an area extending beyond the cantonal border.
What forms of collaboration with businesses, research organisations or universities help to boost your capacity for innovation?
For me, staff are the most important factor in innovation. At the same time, we benefit from our proximity to many of our customers and suppliers. This enables close cooperation on a day-to-day basis, which benefits both sides. And even though digital communication makes many things easier these days, the best ideas still come about when people meet in person and work together on solutions.
The shortage of skilled workers is a reality for many companies. How do you manage to attract highly qualified engineers?
Finding good staff is one thing; retaining them in the long term is another – and, in my view, the more important part. A key factor in this is a corporate culture that demands and encourages personal responsibility. We hear that time and again from our staff, too. Most people don’t want to manage; they want to shape things. If this is put into practice within the company, word will get around. Then the applications almost come in of their own accord, or candidates can sense it as early as the first interview. At the end of the day, word of mouth is still the best form of advertising.
What role can universities and other regional educational institutions play?
In my view, cooperation in the field of vocational training and further education – up to the level of higher technical colleges – works very well. At the university of applied sciences and university level, certain courses of study have been discontinued in recent years, with the result that there are now fewer graduates available for our specialist fields. There is still room for improvement in this area in the canton of St.Gallen.
“Its central location in Europe and its proximity to numerous companies are factors that few other regions can match. As a result, the canton of St.Gallen has a large catchment area for talent, stretching from southern Germany to northern Italy.”
What opportunities do you see for St.Gallen as a technology hub in the coming years, particularly in the face of international competition for innovation and talent?
Its central location in Europe and its proximity to numerous companies are factors that few other regions can match. As a result, the canton of St.Gallen has a large catchment area for talent, stretching from southern Germany to northern Italy. Added to this is the innovative strength of Switzerland’s universities and research institutes. Thanks to the short distances involved, collaboration is not limited to the canton, but extends without any difficulty as far as the EPFL in Lausanne. We must make full use of this potential. This requires attractive framework conditions, such as those created with the cleanroom in Buchs. However, it will be important to strengthen regional training and research. They form the basis for innovation and for enabling new start-ups to emerge.
Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of physical, chemical, and biological sensors. Find out more in our corporate video.
