Less talk-more action.

In the heart of picturesque Switzerland.
Visitors to Bohrbüchsen AG who are coming from cities or from abroad have a scenic treat in store: the area where the company is headquartered looks like a typical postcard of Switzerland. The popular tourist destination Interlaken, the fascinating Giessbach Falls and the breathtaking Jungfraujoch are all located nearby. Jungfraujoch, a mountain destination also known as the Top of Europe, attracts over one million visitors per year.

Classic Switzerland.
Bohrbüchsen AG fits well nestled among these Swiss tourism highlights – it is just as representative of Switzerland as those picture-perfect destinations. The Heimberg-based precision engineering company has the characteristics of a typical Swiss SME: highly specialised, highly dependable, and powered by committed, loyal employees – not to mention consistently focused on working more precisely, designing more effective technical solutions and serving their customers better.

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In the thick of it from day one.
Successful SMEs in Switzerland very often have similar management structures. They usually consist of a member of the founding family with the right field-specific knowledge as well as an employee with subject matter expertise who has grown with the company and received a financial stake in it. This also holds true for Bohrbüchsen AG. Werner Keller and Hans Jörg Glauser manage the company. “My grandfather and my father were the founders,” explains Keller. “Hans Jörg started his apprenticeship with us in 1968 and, except for a short break, he has been with us ever since.” Both men love the smell of metal and oil and are in the workshop every day, supporting the production process. Not that this comes as a surprise – their office is even somewhat integrated into the shop floor.

Sharing common values.
Less talk, more action – that’s the motto of Hans Jörg Glauser and Werner Keller. More than just being action-oriented, they also want to be reliable long-term business partners. “We’re interested in customers who will work with us over the long term, not those who just want a component here or there and then disappear again,” says Glauser. This philosophy is something the company has in common with Otto Hofstetter AG. “Otto Hofstetter AG is also a family-owned business that thinks in the long term, so we can depend on each other.” For both companies, it is not simply about trying to squeeze out as much profit as possible – unlike in some large corporations. According to Glauser, these shared values are the reason why Bohrbüchsen AG and Otto Hofstetter AG have such a successful long-term partnership.
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The name says it all.
Of course, Bohrbüchsen AG existed long before the partnership with Otto Hofstetter AG got under way in 2003. Jakob Keller and his father put the company in the commercial register of the canton of Bern on 14 September 1956. Since the focus from the beginning was to be on producing and selling drill bushings, they went ahead and named the company Bohrbüchsen – the German word for these components.

Drill bushings were just the beginning.
Over time, advancements in production and machine tool technology led to a decrease in demand for drill bushings. “Thanks to our expertise in working with a wide variety of metals to a high degree of precision, our diversified machinery and our talented specialist staff, we were able to move into manufacturing other components.” Looking back, Glauser notes that it was the company’s expertise in manufacturing cylindrical components that brought in new orders. Today, drill bushings account for around six per cent of business. “We should actually shut down this business segment,” says Keller critically. But interestingly, demand for drill bushings always increases when the economy is not running smoothly. Small amounts can also still be taken from the warehouse.
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Direct relationships are more efficient.
Otto Hofstetter AG has been making use of the specialist knowledge of their production partner in Heimberg for many years. Before the two companies began working together directly, Otto Hofstetter AG purchased standard components, such as Bohrbüchsen-produced nozzle holders, from a retailer. But with demand and special requirements mounting, around 15 years ago, the decision was made to work together directly. “Since Otto Hofstetter AG was already familiar with our products and our quality, and since both of our companies have fast decision-making processes, we came to an agreement very quickly,” recalls Glauser.

Outside of the norm.
“In addition to nozzle holders, today we also produce parts for two-component moulds and many other special parts. In our business, the focus is increasingly on customised pieces that we have to develop. We receive the sketches and then get to work.” According to Keller, Bohrbüchsen AG rarely has requests for standard components. “We used to always be able to keep some standard components in stock, but that’s no longer possible today. We have to keep up the same level of precision while being even faster and more flexible.”

Continuous learning for a strong partnership.
Although Heimberg and Uznach – the locations of Bohrbüchsen AG and Otto Hofstetter AG, respectively – are separated by 200 kilometres and a few mountains, the two companies have been able to develop a close, uncomplicated working relationship. “Otto Hofstetter AG sends us a drawing, we make an offer and then production already begins.” According to Keller, there are not a lot of follow-up questions. “Mechanics aren’t really mould manufacturers. But if you tell us what we have to pay attention to, then there won’t be any problems. We’ve learned a lot about injection moulds over the years that we’ve worked together so closely. Sometimes, we even have our own ideas about how a component or a process can be optimised. As long as we can deliver the required level of precision, Otto Hofstetter AG is always open to our input.”

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Solutions in the spotlight.
Otto Hofstetter AG knows that they have a reliable partner in Heimberg. “Our relationship with Bohrbüchsen AG is of strategic importance. When you have tolerances of around 0.005 millimetres, it’s important to know that we can always and unconditionally depend on the specialists in Heimberg.” For Stefan Zatti, Head of Sales and Marketing at Otto Hofstetter AG, it is also important and expected for Bohrbüchsen AG to provide input when it comes to optimising existing mould components. A relationship of mutual appreciation is therefore crucial. And since both companies share a solution-oriented approach, if problems do pop up, the focus is on finding answers, not assigning blame.

Ensuring continuity.
“The success of Otto Hofstetter AG also helps us to be successful. But it also pushes us to the limits of our capacity.” Glauser sees another challenge lying ahead: increasingly short delivery times combined with high levels of customisation. The solution will probably emerge from the company’s successful long-standing cooperation with three specialised partners who are also among the numerous small and medium-sized businesses in Switzerland that concentrate on a niche sector. These Swiss SMEs continually improve their expertise over time and pass it on to new generations of motivated young professionals – just like Bohrbüchsen AG and Otto Hofstetter AG. “As long as we can guarantee continuity when it comes to precision, leadership and reliability, we will continue working together with Otto Hofstetter AG to deliver the Swiss quality that our customers have come to expect,” remarks Keller.

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