Schneeberger Linear Technology invests in Roggwil

The company Schneeberger AG Lineartechnik Roggwil continues to expand its home base. Within the next year and a half, a third plant is to be built, covering an area of over 6,000 square meters. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new construction has already taken place.

The year 2023 is a special year for the Schneeberger Group. On the one hand, the Roggwil-based company, which now employs over 1,400 people worldwide, will be celebrating its 100th anniversary, and on the other, an important step has now been taken into the future. With the groundbreaking ceremony for Plant 3, which will be built in the next year and a half, around 20 million Swiss francs will be invested at the Roggwil site to meet the hoped-for development in the coming years. "We expect strong growth in all three of our product groups. With our third plant, we now have the opportunity to provide each of the three company divisions with its own factory," explains Michael Dvorak, Managing Director of Schneeberger Linear Technology. With this expansion, Schneeberger Linear Technology is committing itself to the Roggwil location and thereby creating further jobs in the Oberaargau region.

Doubling capacity

Following the groundbreaking ceremony, an additional 5,000 square meter production and logistics area will be built. This will take place over an 18-month construction period, and will be located directly behind Plant 2, which was previously occupied in 2019. This area will be distributed over two floors, consisting of a basement and a first floor. In addition, around 1,000 square meters of modern office space will be created on an upper floor. "We are aiming to double capacity with this construction. This mainly concerns the clean room assembly area. In addition, we want to remain a technological leader in the future, which makes this building very important," says Michael Dvorak. This is due in no small part to the fact that the original plant, Plant 1, is located close to the rail line. He continues, "We work in the nanometer range, which is why even the smallest vibrations, which are imperceptible to humans, are crucial for the quality of our products.". “Lastly”, he said, “the number of office workstations is very limited due to strong growth.” Stefan Hantke, President and CEO, is convinced that the construction of Schneeberger Linear Technology will also further increase its attractiveness as an employer. He states that, "In general, our goal is to offer future employees at Schneeberger an attractive working environment in which they can continue to achieve sensational things."

"Will continue to grow in the future"

In its now 100-year history, the Schneeberger Group has grown to become a global leader in linear and profile rail guides, as well as in measuring systems for linear motion. "The development of individual positioning systems, the production of innovative solutions made of mineral casting, and the provision of ball screws are just some of the outstanding achievements we are proud to show," says Michael Dvorak.

Production and development are carried out at the Roggwil site in the three product groups: Linear Guides, Miniature Guides and Positioning Systems. While the miniature guides are based in Plant 2, where there is still room for growth, the new Plant 3 will house the "Positioning Systems" product group in the future. The space freed up in Plant 1 will then be used to drive forward a capacity expansion of linear guides, as well as a training workshop for our apprentices. "We are also aiming for growth in the future," predicts Michael Dvorak. The groundbreaking ceremony for the third factory building in Roggwil is a first step towards this.