In mid-January, RUAG Aerostructures Switzerland and Pilatus Aircraft Ltd reached an agreement on the sale of the machine park and the transfer of all employees. The sale to Pilatus is part of the strategic goals for RUAG International set by the Federal Council.
RUAG Aerostructures Switzerland Ltd is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of aerostructures. Based in Emmen, the company has been producing parts and components for Pilatus aircraft since the early 1990s. These include PC-21 fuselages and the tailplane of the PC-12.
In a first step, Pilatus is taking over the entire production of RUAG Aerostructures at the Emmen site with around 130 employees, followed by a gradual takeover of the remaining 100 employees. In the future Pilatus Aircraft Ltd will manufacture exclusively parts and components for its own aircraft in Emmen. RUAG Aerostructures Schweiz Ltd will continue to exist as a company for the time being and will finalise existing customer commitments with non-Pilatus customers. In the medium and long term, Pilatus intends to expand its own production at the Emmen site and create further jobs.
André Wall, CEO of RUAG International, emphasised at the signing ceremony: “We are delighted to have found an owner in the Pilatus Family, with whom RUAG Aerostructures Switzerland has already enjoyed a successful partnership for decades. I am very pleased about the agreement because it gives the employees the opportunity to continue to contribute and develop their expertise and many years of experience for an innovative aircraft manufacturer.”
“I would like to thank all employees in Emmen for their trust and the outstanding transformation work of recent months, which has created a basis for leading the site into a promising future,” he added.
Markus Bucher (photo), CEO of Pilatus, commented: “The new location near Lucerne gives us better access to talents. At the same time, we can greatly expand our own expertise in manufacturing. We are very pleased about the takeover and welcome the employees to our Pilatus Family.”
The details of the signing of the contract are subject to a confidentiality agreement. The actual transfer of ownership (contractual closing) is expected to take place in the coming months.
With the sale of RUAG Aerostructures Switzerland Ltd, RUAG International has reached a further milestone in the implementation of the strategy defined by its owner, the Swiss Confederation. Following the transfer of ownership to Pilatus, RUAG International’s business will be fully focused on Beyond Gravity. This business segment is a leading supplier of products for the global space market in the field of satellites and launch vehicles as well as technologies for the semiconductor market. In accordance with federal requirements, Beyond Gravity is also to be privatised by the end of 2025 at the latest.
RUAG International is a Swiss technology group with a focus on aerospace. Headquartered in Zurich (Switzerland) and with production sites in 7 countries, the company is divided into the Space and Aerostructures business segments.
Founded in 1939, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd develops and produces the world’s most unique aircraft: from the legendary PC12, the best-selling single-engine turboprop in its class, to the PC-7 MKX and PC-21 and associated simulators, the market-leading systems for pilot training. The brand-new PC-24 is the world’s first ever business jet designed for use on short unprepared runways.
The Pilatus team consists of over 2,500 exceptional employees who make the company, which is domiciled in Stans, one of the largest and most innovative employers in Central Switzerland. The Pilatus Group also includes independent subsidiaries in the USA and Australia. Pilatus provides training for over 140 apprentices in various professions - job training for young people has always been a very high priority. (File Photo: Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus © LinkedIn)
