Swiss mechanical firms were struggling before Trump

Mechanical engineering companies have been struggling with weak growth, and not just since Trump Keystone-SDA

Swiss mechanical engineering companies are considered to be one of the main victims of US President Donald Trump's high tariffs. However, the industry has been struggling for years, according to a survey by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

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Between the second quarter of 2015 and the second quarter of 2025, the sector recorded sales growth of just 11.2%, according to a press release issued by the FSO on Monday. The secondary sector as a whole grew significantly faster at 32.3% over the same period. This difference of over 20 percentage points shows the “structural challenges” facing the sector, the statisticians conclude.

+ Swiss engineering industry is facing a downturn

This also had an impact on employment. While the secondary sector has recorded employment growth of 3.3% over the past ten years, mechanical engineering has suffered a decline of 2.9%, according to a statement.

Nevertheless, the trend was no longer so clear-cut last year. Mechanical engineering was able to increase turnover by 0.7%, while the secondary sector shrank by 1.2%. However, according to the data, the negative trend in employment continued, with a sharp decline of 3.5% in mechanical engineering compared to a moderate fall of 0.4% in the secondary sector as a whole.

+ How the new US tariffs are already impacting the Swiss economy

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

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