Could you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your company and the problem it’s trying to solve?
My name is Jordi Cuixart, and I am the President of Aranow Machinery Group. I am currently serving as the CEO of Aranow Swiss. Our company specializes in producing stick pack packaging machinery for the pharmaceutical industry. Our operations in Barcelona focus on producing and distributing our equipment globally, with the export market accounting for 99% of our business.
Aranow Swiss was established as a special entity to cater to key clients in the pharmaceutical industry and leverage the innovative environment offered by the presence of institutions such as the local Schools of Applied Sciences, the EPFL, CSEM, Microcity, and others. This provides us with a wealth of potential for innovation.
From a personal perspective, my family and I are satisfied with the abundance of opportunities available to us in Neuchâtel.
Could you explain why you decided to establish a presence in Switzerland?
After exploring various countries around the world, we chose to establish our new entity, Aranow Swiss, in the canton of Neuchâtel for two main reasons. Firstly, the country’s innovative atmosphere was a priority for us as a company to add value. Secondly, Neuchâtel is home to a thriving pharmaceutical hub, which provides us with numerous new business and networking opportunities.
We are now fully established and working closely with the promotional authorities of the canton and EPFL’s Soft Landing program. Our current focus is on building our team.
Thanks to this support, we have a greater advantage in this part of Switzerland compared to other locations we’ve looked at. Some may view Switzerland as an expensive country, but when weighing in the benefits we receive in return, we are quite satisfied with our choice of establishing activities in this region.
How has GGBa supported you?
When we first arrived in Switzerland, our goal was to identify areas that would be of interest to us. In January, we started with the EPFL’s Soft Landing program, which introduced foreign companies to the country’s innovation opportunities. I recall being initially intimidated by the services offered by GGBa, given Aranow’s size as a company. However, Assuntina Desogus and Antoine Jourdan from EPFL assured me that their services are tailored to companies of all sizes.
We also established close communication with the promotional authorities from the canton of Neuchâtel (NECO), particularly Giuseppe Saporita and his team, who supported us greatly in solving small issues and developing our innovation strategy in the country. This is why we want to express our gratitude to the Soft Landing Program, Iris Gaudras at GGBa, and the NECO for their efforts in helping us grow as a company.
For small to medium-sized companies like Aranow, investing in innovation can be daunting. However, with the support of these authorities, we have come to recognize the value of innovation and have been able to move forward more quickly than expected.
What’s your vision for Aranow Switzerland? Where do you see the business in five years’ time?
As the CEO of Aranow Swiss, I am currently building a team for our new entity here in Neuchâtel. Our Business Development Manager is based in Microcity, and our Innovation Manager will soon be moving from Barcelona to help foster closer collaboration between the two branches of our company. From a personal perspective, my family and I are satisfied with the abundance of opportunities available to us in Neuchâtel. If given the option, we would probably make the same choice of settling in Neuchâtel once more.
For companies considering setting up in Switzerland and specifically in Neuchâtel, I highly recommend reaching out to GGBa or the local authorities and institutions. These organizations can greatly accelerate the establishment process and have provided us with valuable support.
