NEWS FROM:

Location: Switzerland+

633 Third Avenue

New York, NY 10017-6706

212 599-5700 Ext. 1064

www.locationswitzerland.com                                                         

 

Switzerland Announces Winners of Significant Investment Projects for 2005

 

Amgen, IBM, Stryker and VeriSign to receive “Tell Awards”

During Swiss Embassy’s 5^th Alumni Garden Party

 

WASHINGTON, September 13 – Amgen, IBM, Stryker and VeriSign on September 14 will receive Tell Awards for Switzerland’s most significant inward investment projects by North American firms in 2005, reports Mario Brossi of the Swiss Foreign Investment Agency Location: Switzerland. The awards are named for the Swiss legendary hero William Tell.

 

Ambassador Urs Ziswiler will present the awards during the Embassy’s 5th Annual Alumni Garden Party. The first Awards were presented in 2005 in a program recognizing projects in four categories made by U.S., Canadian and Mexican firms, Mr. Brossi said.

 

The most significant headquarters project award goes to Amgen, Inc., the largest publicly traded biotech company, for establishing its new international headquarters in Zug to oversee all business aspects outside of Japan and North America.

 

The award for the most significant expansion by an established investor will be presented to IBM recognizing its new operating hub in Zurich for Northeast Europe. In 1927, IBM established its first presence in Switzerland, and in 1956, IBM opened in Ruschlikon its first R&D center outside the US.

 

Stryker Corporation, a leading medical technology company, will receive the award for the most significant manufacturing investment for inaugurating an 80,000 square foot production plant in Canton Vaud for the production and distribution of spinal implants.

 

The award for the most disruptive technology investment goes to intelligent infrastructure services provider VeriSign, Inc., which has its European headquarters in Geneva and expanded operational presence in Canton Fribourg.

 

“During 2005 there were 41 new investment projects and 19 expansions by existing investors from the United States, Canada and Mexico,” Mr. Brossi said. By all accounts 2005 was the best year since 2000. Worldwide, more than 7000 foreign companies have operations of various sizes in Switzerland, and of these approximately 10 percent are from North America,” he said. “Indeed, US foreign investment in Switzerland accounts for forty percent of all foreign investment further underpinning the strategic importance of the US – Swiss relationship.”

 

-0-

 

Contact: John Williamson (908) 730-9622 or johnhwilliamson@earthlink.net