Satisfactory 16th edition of the EPHJ show

The levels of participation and attendance were identical with last year. In an environment that is currently recovering, this was gratifying for the organisers and this satisfaction was further reinforced by the incredible spirit of enterprise shown by the exhibitors constantly innovating and improving their products and services from year to year.

The number of professional visitors was once again around the 20,000 mark, as in 2016. The almost 850 exhibitors occupied the same space as last year, on a single level. As has been the case each year since its creation, the EPHJ-EPMT-SMT show thus continues to attract all the prime movers in the field of high-precision technology at the start of each summer.

The inauguration of this 2017 edition was graced by the presence of Johann Schneider-Ammann, Federal Councillor at the head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs. This was a highlight for the show, said its two founders André Colard and Olivier Saenger. “He expressed himself in well-chosen and very simple terms in showing his sincere regard for the dynamism that are the pride of Switzerland. You could tell that he was in his element and happy to be among all these entrepreneurs so similar to himself.”

Another striking aspect of this 16th edition was the exhibitors’ remarkable capacity for innovation, reflected in the quality of the entries for the Exhibitors’ Grand Prix. The Bern-based company Witschi Electronic won the prize for its WisioScope, a highly innovative measurement device intended for the production and maintenance of watches and timepieces. On the one hand, the acoustic and optical measurements combine ease of use with unequalled precision; and on the other, the camera and the integrated touch screen serve to visualise movement thanks to a stroboscopic effect. This innovation was developed in partnership with the CSEM in Neuchatel.

The show’s famous Round Tables once again captured the interest of numerous listeners, fascinated by the subjects dealt with by Swiss and foreign experts. Such was notably the case with the discussions relating to the Swiss watch industry model, in the presence of the master-watchmaker Dominique Renaud, as well as the futuristic applications of 4D printing. The Junior Round Table devoted to jobs for the future in watchmaking and attended by a large number of students was also a great success.

“The general consensus is that this Show points to the industry’s ability to bounce back, thanks to its ingenuity and know-how that seem to know no bounds”, said Claude Membrez, General Manager for Palexpo. “All the exhibitors interviewed expressed their satisfaction at the end of this show. The contacts were fruitful and the market seems to confirm the improvement seen in the past few weeks.”

The show’s famous Round Tables once again captured the interest of numerous listeners, fascinated by the subjects dealt with by Swiss and foreign experts. Such was notably the case with the discussions relating to the Swiss watch industry model, in the presence of the master-watchmaker Dominique Renaud, as well as the futuristic applications of 4D printing. The Junior Round Table devoted to jobs for the future in watchmaking and attended by a large number of students was also a great success.

July 13, 2017