Andermatt Group celebrating its 35th anniversary
Grossdietwil - The Andermatt Group celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. Originally founded as Andermatt Biocontrol, the company from the canton of Lucerne is active in the area of organic plant protection around the world. It employs more than 500 staff and operates 24 subsidiaries worldwide.
Since being founded in 1988, the Andermatt Group from Grossdietwil in the canton of Lucerne has created a global network to share knowledge about its innovative biological crop protection solutions. Nine manufacturing companies have been integrated in the group structure. Today, Andermatt Biocontrol, Andermatt BioVet and Andermatt Biogarten, including their 24 subsidiaries, employ a total of 500 staff, around 220 of whom are based in Switzerland.
“The Grossdietwil location is key”, comments CEO Daniel Zingg in an article published by the ‘Willisauer Bote’ newspaper, adding that: “In Switzerland we enjoy good economic framework conditions and in this way we have been able to maintain our quality, which is an important success factor at international level”. A project valued at 15 million Swiss francs to expand the Grossdietwil site was initiated 18 months ago.
The founding couple, Dr. Isabel and Dr. Martin Andermatt, are now both on the Board of Directors. Isabel is an observer, while Martin is involved in strategic matters. Today, they both own the company alongside the employees. The company is keen to maintain its independence from large corporations and investors in the future as well.
The first product, Madex, was authorized at the end of 1987: It is based on highly selective granulose viruses against the codling moth. This was followed by numerous proprietary products based on viruses, fungi and nematodes. The company also invested in the mass production of beneficial insects. Today, Andermatt Biocontrol Suisse produces more than a dozen insect virus products. According the company’s biography section of its website, this is “more than any other producer”.
“Chemistry is the wrong approach to plant protection”, explains Martin Andermatt to the newspaper. “Healthy food from a healthy environment, that has always been our vision.”
