As Ruetschi Technology conclusively proves, the pairing of precision watchmaking and medical expertise is a match made in business heaven. The family-run company, which was founded in 1959 at the prompting of a watch dial manufacturer, originally produced machined components for the watchmaking, automotive and electronics industries expanded into the medical device market and stepped up its R&D activities.

Today, the company employs some 200 people at its sites in Muntelier (Fribourg) and Yverdon-les-Bains (Vaud) and has become one of the leading manufacturers of ‘procedure kits’, sterile single-use packs containing all the medical devices, instruments and implants needed to perform a surgical procedure. Indeed, Ruetschi Technology is now the pre-eminent kit manufacturer for the orthopedic, dental and spine markets (see photo). Executive Manager Christoph Ruetschi jokingly prefers the term “hidden champion” because his firm makes and develops these products for other companies, which sell them under their name.

Ruetschi Technology’s decision a decade ago to invest more of its energies and expertise in the procedure kit sector has paid off: company growth is in the double digits and annual revenues are inching towards the CHF 50 million mark. At the end of 2023, the Fribourg-based company was acquired by the Swedish group Elos Medtech, which employs some 1,500 people worldwide. According to Ruetschi, “Our operations are now focused more heavily on the interventional spine market” since the merger.

Reducing healthcare costs

“Our strength lies in our unique ability to leverage our knowledge of medical procedures to deliver effective and efficient products that perfectly meet surgeons’ needs.” The company is also determined to play its part in tackling one of the most important challenges facing society today: bringing down healthcare costs.

Christoph Ruetschi firmly believes that “procedure kits can bring the achievement of this goal a step closer.” By shortening the time that it takes to perform surgical procedures, the kits help increase profit margins for the hospitals and lower the risk of infection for patients. These pre-packaged instruments also help to lower costs because they simplify the surgical set-up for minimally invasive operations and mitigate the problem of lost or defective instruments.

The Executive Manager proudly states that “We are fortunate to have one of the best R&D teams around.” With this high level of expertise at its disposal, Ruetschi Technology is well-equipped to continue focusing on what has made Switzerland and Fribourg highly successful business locations: innovation.