In an era of outsourcing and global finance, some companies forge their excellence on counter-intuitive principles: total supply chain control, production deeply rooted in their original territory, and a long-term, family- driven vision. This is the story of Zünd, the Swiss powerhouse in digital cutting systems, which is steering strategic growth in the heart of Italian manufacturing from its Bergamo branch. We sat down with the management of Zünd Italia to uncover the philosophy, technologies, and ambitions of a brand that has become synonymous with uncompromising performance.
Zünd is a name that instantly recalls precision and reliability in the digital cutting world. What’s the philosophy behind this brand, and what are the roots of your identity?
“Our philosophy is woven into our history. Karl Zünd founded the company in 1984, and since then, we’ve stayed true to a core principle: being a 100% Swiss manufacturer. This isn’t just a geographical detail; it’s a strategic choice. It means that every single machine, from the first screw to the last line of software code, is designed, developed, and assembled at our historic headquarters in Altstätten. Today, the company is led with the same vision by Oliver Zünd, the founder’s son, and the structure has remained entirely family owned. We don’t have private equity funds or financial institutions as investors; this gives us complete independence and allows us to focus on long-term goals, investing in quality and innovation without the pressure of quarterly results. This is our identity: a solid company, built and grown by the Zünd family, focused on manufacturing excellence.”
The birth of Zünd Italia wasn’t just a straightforward expansion; it has a unique backstory. Can you share how your direct presence in Italy came about?
“Exactly, our story in Italy is quite unique. The branch officially opened in 2014, but our roots go deeper. Before that, the market was handled by distributors and an external service center. Unfortunately, following the sudden and tragic passing of the owner of that service company, we found ourselves at a crossroads. The Swiss parent company had to make a lightning-fast decision: create a new branch from scratch to ensure service continuity and, crucially, to absorb and value all the personnel – technicians, administrative staff, specialists – who were based in the Bergamo area. It was a race against time to find suitable premises and get back up and running. This choice, born out of an emergency, effectively cemented our commitment to the Italian market and laid the foundation for the growth we’re experiencing today. We’re currently a team of 22 people, but we have an ambitious growth plan that will see us reach 30 within the next two years.”
Your versatility allows you to engage with incredibly diverse sectors, from aerospace to fashion. How do you strategically manage such a broad range of industries?
“Versatility is in our DNA. To manage this complexity, we’ve structured the company into three main business divisions. The first is Sign & Packaging, which covers graphics, paper converting, and packaging, meaning cutting paper, cardboard, and adhesives. The second is Transport & Industrial (T&I), a vast segment that includes technical materials for transportation and industrial applications: composites, carbon fiber, Kevlar, PVC, with uses ranging from automotive to aerospace and even medical prosthetics. The third is Fashion, Furniture & Outdoor (FFO), dedicated to the world of textiles, leather, furniture, and technical apparel. This division allows us to have specialized sales teams who speak the client’s language and truly understand their specific challenges, enabling us to offer targeted solutions.”
In a competitive market, what’s the real differentiating factor that drives a client to choose Zünd, beyond your undisputed build quality?
“I’d highlight three things: legendary reliability, unparalleled versatility and service support that’s an integral part of the product. Reliability isn’t just a slogan: in Italy, we have nearly 700 machines that have been in service for over twenty years and continue to produce daily. They often joke that we make them ‘too well.’ Versatility is our hallmark, so much so that one of our historical claims is ‘the Swiss Army knife of cutting plotters.’ Thanks to a system of modular tool heads that can be swapped in moments, the same machine can cut cardboard, mill aluminum, or process fine leathers.
This offers our clients incredible production flexibility, allowing them to explore new markets and applications without needing to change machinery. Finally, our service support is a fundamental pillar of our business, a factor the market recognizes and that guarantees our clients maximum uptime. Companies that simply cannot afford machine downtime choose us.”
Looking ahead, what technological frontiers are you exploring? There’s a lot of talk about advanced automation and artificial intelligence.
“Absolutely, these are the key directions for our development. Automation is already a reality, especially with the integration of collaborative and anthropomorphic robots for loading and unloading operations. In the paper converting sector, where formats are more standardized, we already have several operational installations. The challenge is more complex in the fashion and textile world due to the incredible variety of shapes, sizes, and textures of materials, but that’s where the future lies. The other major frontier is artificial intelligence. We’re developing, alongside specialized partners, solutions for automated leather qualification: vision systems that, using AI, recognize the shape and defects of the leather, optimizing nesting and drastically reducing waste. It’s a field where AI can bring an efficiency that, until now, only the eye of a highly experienced operator, who is increasingly rare today, could guarantee.”
You’ve called Italy a strategic market and are investing heavily for growth. What makes our country so crucial for Zünd’s future?
“For us, Italy isn’t ‘a’ market; it’s ‘the’ market. It boasts an incredible concentration of manufacturing excellence across all our key sectors. We have world-leading expertise in composites, high-end automotive – all the supercar manufacturers in the Motor Valley, for example, use our systems for cutting carbon fiber -, aerospace and marine, with renowned references even very close to our headquarters that have produced America’s Cup hulls. And then, of course, there’s the entire fashion system, from leather goods to technical apparel, right down to safety footwear, a sector where Italy is a global leader. For a company like ours, which offers versatile and high- performance solutions, the Italian market represents enormous potential. Our growth here isn’t just a goal; it’s the natural outcome of our ability to meet the demands of an industry that requires the highest quality, flexibility, and reliability to compete at the highest global levels.”
Da sx: Giulio Vitelli, Managing Director Zünd Italia Chiara Tasca, Marketing Manager
Antonio Sgroi, Sales Consultant Fashion, Furniture & Outdoor