Gotec SA

Gotec – a contraction of Geräte Otto Eckerle – is a Swiss company founded in Sion in 1963. The company started with a single pump model invented by Otto Eckerle after WW2 to feed domestic heating oil systems; Gotec pumps are now sold in over 25 countries spread across the five continents. 

The Gotec factory was the first industrial unit to be set up in Sion. Initially specialising only in the manufacture of fuel pumps, the firm next created its own research and development department. It was then given fresh impetus with the arrival of one of its key customers, Kärcher. As a result, Gotec went on to diversify and become world leader in high-end oscillating pumps.

Activities and products

A Swiss precision-engineering manufacturer famous for its accuracy and its highly advanced production controls, Gotec designs bespoke products for its clientele. The firm also develops its own assembly and control lines – this allows it to have a comprehensive overview and complete control of the product.

The Gotec catalogue contains almost 2500 pump models, with an annual production of around 500,000 units. All the automated manufacturing is carried out on site in Sion. In addition to the oscillating pump, the company also produces peristaltic and diaphragm pumps, designed for low flow rates and pressures. 

Thanks to its expertise and enterprise, Gotec not only constructs electromagnetic pumps but also develops and sells complete plug-and-play solutions for use in air conditioning, heating and, most recently, in the field of coffee making. Its revolutionary espresso machines, “KISS – Keep It Simply Swiss” – the smallest in the world – have been showered with international awards, including the Red Dot Award for Product Design in 2013.

“We designed this machine based on our production tool, so that we would be able to carry out almost all the work on the company’s workbenches,” says Frédéric Dayer, the project manager. “Beyond that, we have focused on being a local firm.” The result is a coffee machine that is resolutely out of the ordinary, reflecting, more than ever before, Gotec’s profile as a Valais-based company – and with a unique engineering DNA. In just a few seconds, the system heats up precisely the required quantity of water and the piston expels the water into the biodegradable capsule, at up to 25 bar, with absolutely no vibrations. As a result, the machine uses 75% less energy than its peers and is practically inaudible.

Clientele

Today, almost 90% of Gotec’s turnover comes from outside Switzerland. Its portfolio contains more than 200 customers from 25 countries in Asia, the United States, South America, Australia, Israel and Europe.