Again, a dynamic innovation belt is about to grow

The global company Givaudan has only just celebrated its groundbreaking ceremony to launch the construction of the new Zürich Innovation Center ZIC on the founding site of the global brand Maggi in Kemptthal, a stone’s throw from the city of Winterthur. With an impressive investment of CHF 120 million, Givaudan is establishing a global research headquarters here for around 400 researchers in the fields of fragrance and flavor. Modern office premises for management functions are also being built. But that is not all. At the heart of the project is a brilliant concept: to enable a superior customer experience .The market leader intends to showcase the world of fragrances and flavors here .

“The proximity to the Zurich science network and to the international airport were among the most important reasons for our company to expand our innovation center in Kemptthal near Winterthur, where we currently employ 450 people”, says Heini Menzi, Company Manager Givaudan Schweiz AG

The Givaudan project is another shining pearl on the Winterthur Innovation Belt. It follows on from the opening of the technology center and global headquarters of DMG MORI in 2014, the merger of the medical technology group Zimmer to form Zimmer-Biomet with its EU headquarters in Winterthur, and the opening of the most modern learning center in Europe, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW.

And there are already more projects already in the pipeline. The route from Neuhegi–Oberwinterthur–Kemptthal–Effretikon up to Dübendorf,where the national innovation park is to be set up, and on to Zurich with the ETH and other important players will continue to grow as a major innovation belt within the Greater Zurich Area. Or as Norbert Klapper, CEO of Rieter recently said: “There is no better place for the heart and brain of a company than the Greater Zurich Area.”

Picture copyright: Bauart Architekten und Planer AG

About the author

Michael Domeisen, born in 1975, is a scion of a St. Gallen industrial family. He studied economic geography, political science and biology at the University of Bern and the Universidad de Cantabria in Santander. After completing his degree he worked for the national government and after several years moved into the area of association management. At the same time he completed postgraduate work in corporate management. Prior to relocating to Winterthur, he worked as the CEO of a major professional association in the health care industry. Domeisen is today general manager of the Location Promotion Winterthur Region and manager in the area of economic development.