杏吧原创

THE world鈥檚 premier particle smasher, the Large Hadron Collider at CERN near Geneva, may generate the most column inches on science in Switzerland, but it is the country鈥檚 medical technology industry 鈥� medtech to those in the know 鈥� that is the nation鈥檚 real success story. From syringes to specialist imaging equipment and pacemakers to orthopaedic implants, Switzerland has companies specialising in all areas of medtech and can boast 10 per cent of Europe鈥檚 workforce in this field, says a published last year by the export advisory platform, .

The origins of Swiss medtech can be traced back to the country鈥檚 watchmaking industry. In the latter part of the 20th century, a number of businesses which manufactured parts for timepieces realised they could use their existing expertise and increase profits by diversifying into high-precision medical instruments.

, a family-run company, found itself in such a position. As well as making parts for watches, Straumann created other highly specialised metal-based products, including the timing equipment used in skiing competitions. When Fritz Straumann, son of the firm鈥檚 founder, was injured in a skiing accident, he became fascinated with the possibility of using metals within the body to treat injuries. As a result, the company started manufacturing implants to help bones heal.

Today Straumann, now based in Basel, specialises in dental implants but that inventive spirit is still very much alive. 鈥淭he company has a real history of ingenious inventions 鈥� I think there must have been a bit of in their genes, tempered of course with Swiss reliability,鈥� says Mark Hill, vice-president of corporate communications, referring to the eccentric inventor and his dog created by animator Nick Park. On Switzerland鈥檚 medtech prowess he adds: 鈥淚t all comes down to generations of metals experience and high-precision engineering skills. People in Switzerland have precision in their genes; they鈥檝e grown up with precision mechanics all around them.鈥�

聯The company has a real history of ingenious inventions 鈥� there must be a bit of Wallace and Gromit in there聰

Jean-Marc Wismer, CEO of 鈥� a company which specialises in the production of electronic ocular implants used to diagnose early stage glaucoma 鈥� also cites the watchmaking industry as a driving force behind the Swiss medtech success story. 鈥淏ecause of the heritage of the watch industry, there are a lot of specialist technologies available in Switzerland: micro-electronics, plastic injection, silicon technology, moulding鈥� there is deep experience in all of these areas.鈥�

Yet, unlike Straumann, Wismer鈥檚 own company has no direct link to the watchmaking industry. Sensimed originated from the (EPFL) in 2003, an organisation well known for its ability to create thriving companies. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a real start-up culture here,鈥� says Susan Thomas, a postdoctoral researcher at EPFL. Thomas came over from the US in 2008 to research ways of integrating biological and synthetic polymers into the body. She points out that it is easier to secure funding in Switzerland than in the US and that salaries are higher.

Big business also plays an important role in Swiss medtech. 鈥淭here are several international companies, active in the field of medical devices, which have either major offices or regional headquarters in Switzerland,鈥� says Wismer. 鈥淭here is Medtronic, Edwards Lifesciences, Eli Lilly, Biosensors International, Johnson & Johnson and Baxter International, to name but a few. These companies not only bring highly skilled workers to the area from abroad, but they also create jobs for local people who are trained in the skills required for medtech.鈥�

Richard Kenyon, a communications consultant for , a company whose international headquarters is in Morges, says that large multinational companies are attracted to Switzerland for several reasons, as well as the obvious tax benefits: 鈥淭he native Swiss population is very well-educated and provides a good pool for employment, particularly around the Lausanne area, where the EPFL is located. Also, it鈥檚 relatively easy to attract senior multinational executives to Switzerland, as it鈥檚 seen as a good place to bring up your children and has excellent international schools.鈥�

Another reason why US companies often set up in Europe is the appeal of the CE mark, used to show that products conform to EU standards. 鈥淭he CE mark is recognised in most countries of the world, but it is much easier to gain than FDA approval in the US, so lots of US companies start in Europe to be on the market earlier,鈥� says Wismer. 鈥淲hen they come to Europe, Switzerland is often their first choice.鈥�

Today, there are around 1400 medtech companies operating out of Switzerland. In 2008, the last year figures were available, these companies contributed 2 per cent of the country鈥檚 GDP, roughly three times as much as the medtech sector did in Germany or the UK, says the Medtech Switzerland . The goods the companies produced accounted for 5 per cent of all good exported by Switzerland, again about three times that of Germany or the UK.

The industry currently relies primarily on the US and European markets but future growth is likely to come from increasing demand from the emerging markets, says Hill. As healthcare standards in Brazil, India and China rise, the demand for medtech products is expected to increase dramatically and medtech in Switzerland is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this growing market.