Bühler recently celebrated the groundbreaking for its new innovation campus in Uzwil, Switzerland. Completion of the building is expected in the first quarter of 2019.

This significant investment of more than CHF 50 million, spent over three years, demonstrates a commitment to innovation and technology and to the workplace Switzerland. “This innovation campus will reinforce our innovation power and market leadership. It will help us bring together the smartest minds of the industry to create innovations for a better world," Bühler chief executive officer Stefan Scheiber,said at the groundbreaking.

The innovation campus consists of two key elements: the upgraded technology labs, and the new innovation building. The new building will build a bridge between the engineering and business world in the existing towers and the upgraded application labs. On three levels, the modern building will be the home for project teams of employees, clients, start-ups, students and apprentices. It will feature an auditorium for up to 300 participants for large events. Collaboration and a “maker space,” a media center and a co-working floor with open and secured spaces for more than 100 people will also be part of the building.

Bühler’s apprentices will benefit from a dedicated apprentice center featuring several training rooms.

Reflecting Bühler’s strong focus on the food processing industry, open living spaces with a central coffee bar, a tea lounge and adjacent thinking spaces complete the building, making it a state-of-the-art workplace.

“This building is focused on collaborative innovation,” said Ian Roberts, chief technology officer at Bühler. “We are creating a collaborative space for all functions, all ages and all knowledge holders. It will allow us to live and foster our innovation culture and test future work practices.” The new building will bring together Bühler’s network of partners, be they customers, start-ups, academics, apprentices or suppliers, and create a link to the technology labs.

Bühler’s existing technology labs, such as the Bakery Innovation Center, have been upgraded or will be during the building process and are an integral part of the new campus, as they are closely interlinked with the new building. “This is a unique setting, which I have not seen anywhere else,” Roberts said. “We are creating a space that brings together visionaries and long-term thinkers of the start-up scene and universities with engineering teams that hold Bühler’s long-standing applied and tested know-how in processing technology. By combining both, we can truly create innovations for a better world.”

Innovation has always been a cornerstone of Bühler’s strategy and business success. Every year, the company invests 4-5% of its turnover into research and development.