Over the course of over 40 years, Zünd Systemtechnik AG
has grown from a small business to a fully fledged global
player. A remarkable feat, especially when you consider
the company’s somewhat unusual beginnings.
In 1984, my father, Karl Zünd, founded a small enterprise in
Altstätten. Among other things, he sold Wild plotters to Euro
pean customers. In 1986, he developed the first cutting heads
and peripheral devices for these flatbed plotters. His efforts
paid off in 1989, when the company launched its first cutter,
the Zünd P-1200.
In 1994, my father took over the production, sales operation,
and service organization from Wild Plotter AG, setting a miles
tone in our company’s history and that of the digital flatbed-
cutter market.
How does Zünd manage to defend its position as market leader?
We know that success is a matter of innovation, swift action,
and excellent customer service. Keeping in touch with our
customers and their customers is a priority for us. Every year,
we attend numerous trade shows to get an idea of upcoming
trends and to keep abreast of all the different markets.
Zünd’s unique selling point is its Swissness, which manifests
itself in properties such as top-precision mechanical engi
neering, extremely reliable production systems, and sustai
nable manufacturing.
That’s right. These values are enormously important to me and
to us as a family business. They are an integral part of our
company’s DNA and are lived by our employees on a daily basis.
You are positioned globally and rooted locally. Does this
inspire your approach to the development of the company
and its products?
In a way, yes. Our most defining characteristic is that we think
ahead. It gives us a lot more wiggle room. The fact that Zünd is
family owned and operated allows us a certain freedom in the
way we do business: we are not motivated by short-term profit
goals. Our cutters are developed and produced in Altstätten
and sold globally. We have sales and service operations all over
the world, ensuring our products are of the highest quality and
available worldwide. Thanks to this concept, we have been
highly successful on the international stage for many years.
Zünd cutters are used all over the world, not least because of
their technology. What sets them apart?
Our cutters are extremely versatile. Adapting them to new
requirements is simple and quick, and they are easy to integrate
in digital production workflows. That is one of the reasons for
their popularity in such a wide range of sectors, from advertising
and packaging, to garment and furniture manufacturing, auto
motive, and aerospace. These are all very different industries
united by largely digital, automated production processes. In
today’s environment, no modern production system can survive
without the greatest possible degree of flexibility and
individuality. On top of that, our cutter technology is consistently
developed with a long service life and maximum productivity in
mind.
Thinking ahead,
taking control
Zünd Systemtechnik AG is an independent company, owned and operated by one
family – key factors in its formula for success. The Swiss cutter manufacturer’s CEO,
Oliver Zünd, spoke to us about the benefits of quick, independent decision-making
and the values that continue to shape the company’s culture to this day.