10 years of Lugaia in Raron, and still on course for the future
Lugaia, an SME based in the Upper Valais and active in the development of sterile packaging solutions for industry, has been operating from its premises in Raron for ten years. The Valais-based media company Pomona took this opportunity to talk to Viktor Schnyder, founder and owner of the company since it was set up. He is broadly optimistic, despite the increasingly fierce competition on the market.
Lugaïa was founded in 2009. From the outset, it has been supported by The Ark Foundation. Ten years ago, the company moved to the Basper industrial estate in Raron. Here, it has been able to expand rapidly. The company has grown from 10 to 45 employees. Lugaia has grown so much in recent years that it is now in a phase of consolidation. What's more, competition has increased sharply. And this despite the fact that it is a niche market. "When the company was founded, it had a "unique positioning characteristic", explains Viktor Schnyder. "Today, we can say that we are partly copied by the competition".
The "Swiss Made" label is synonymous with quality at international level. "But it comes at a price", says Viktor Schynder. The new competition on the market is undercutting Lugaia AG's prices by producing for less. "This is clearly at the expense of quality". At Lugaia, quality is always the most important requirement.
Lugaia AG felt the impact of the war in Ukraine, in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. Deliveries were significantly delayed. Particularly for plastic granules, which form the basis of many of Lugaia's products. "This put a brake on production, but in the meantime the situation has calmed down".
A use of plastic that makes sense
Does the production of plastic film still make sense in this age of ecological change? "Yes," says Viktor Schnyder. "In the pharmaceutical sector, plastic is much more environmentally friendly than other storage and transport containers. If highly toxic substances are stored in reusable containers, the cleaning processes are tedious and resource-intensive. "There is also a risk of polluting waste water. So disposing of plastic products does not pollute the environment.
Viktor Schnyder is delighted to be able to develop his business in Raron. "In addition to its proximity to Visp and its central location, the site can count on the strengths of the Valais and its loyal specialists. Valais also offers good incentives for innovative ideas.
Optimism for the future
Viktor Schnyder is optimistic about the future of the company, which now operates on an international scale. The aim is to develop new products and conquer new markets. "In the meantime, we have established a foothold in the United States, and we want to continue to expand there.
Since 2009, Lugaia has been planning, developing and producing packaging and transfer services for the life sciences, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology sectors. One of the products manufactured by Lugaia is continuous films for transporting highly toxic substances in the pharmaceutical industry. The Valais-based company's customers include pharmaceutical giants such as Roche, Novartis and Bayer.
Sources: Pomona Media article and Lugaia website
Photo credit: Lugaia