The Swiss chemical and pharmaceutical industry operates nearly exclusively in the field of specialties. Today 90 % of the Swiss chemical industry's overall product portfolio are specialties; a remarkable portion compared to international average. Producing more than 30'000 products, it is exceptionally differentiated. The global annual demand for some of these specialties often is below a few metric tons and even lower.
The following major product groups can be distinguished in terms of areas of application:
- Pharmaceuticals and diagnostics
- Fine chemicals
- Vitamins
- Flavours and fragrances
- Crop protection agents
- Specialty chemicals for industrial-technical purposes
- Pigments, paints and lacquers.
This strategy of concentration on specialties is the Swiss chemical and pharmaceutical industry's key to success. With their high-grade specialised products Swiss companies have established a world-wide presence, and often a market leadership.
Research and development for new products and processes are the lifeblood of the Swiss chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Using scientific findings and methodologies, our companies continuously develop new products and processes which satisfy existing and future requirements of customers. The necessary, significant investment into research can only be made if the companies can rely on future returns. Research expenditures are funded by the profits made from the sale of today's products.
The most important ingredients for this innovation process are the scientific and technological know-how and the skills of the workforce. Their work is decisive for the success of a research or development project. Additionally, the company has to provide the necessary research infrastructure and to create an open, creative atmosphere with a management style inkeeping with the times. However given all these factors, scientific success can be neither planned nor guaranteed. While the risk of failure can be reduced by adequate research management, investments in research nevertheless carry a high risk compared to capital expenditures in physical assets. |
