Suter Inox AG

Rapid Expansion

Over the next ten years, demand increased and, with it, so did production requirements. In 1967, twenty years into the company’s history, Suter Inox opened a new headquarters in Schinznach-Bad. The relocation was less about finding a new home (as it was highly valued as a key regional employer), but more about increasing production capacity and further investing in the development of its product offerings. Thereafter, continuing into the 1980s, Suter Inox continued to see success, gaining a market share of over 30 percent in Switzerland. Today the company is still experiencing growing success, even abroad. "Thanks to the Swiss quality of our products, we have managed to appeal to international clients," said the founder. “Our ‘Swiss Manufactured Stainless Steel Sinks’ are now sold in North America, the Far East, and throughout Europe.”

Generational Change

After more than 50 years successfully running Suter Inox AG, the founder handed over his life’s work to his daughter Evelyne and sons Marco and Alfred, Jr. This new generation now runs the 140-employee family business with a vision adapted to the new millennium. "Our focus remains on Switzerland," said Marco Suter, "and we also have strong trade partners in North America, the Far East and throughout Europe."

In addition to developing product lines that have been recognized for decades, Suter explained that the company also focuses on “total solutions around the kitchen water point.” "We also integrate the valves, exhaust hoods and waste systems, thus offering a complete solution to our customers," he said.

The 2010 steel mill commissioning now plays a critical role in the establishment of benchmarks for the production of ordinary steel—and Suter Inox is on par. "Our steel production plant has acquired an international reputation for Swiss precision and quality, high-quality design, meticulous craftsmanship, and the flexibility to meet customer needs," added Suter.

Modern IT Tools

Heading into the new millennium, Suter Inox needed more than CAD/CAM systems to conduct modern development and production. In 2002, the company began using ProConcept ERP from ProConcept—a modern enterprise resource planning solution designed to meet the needs of Swiss SME’s.

The company uses a significant portion of the modules available to them, including finance, CRM, HRM, logistics and industry. "It was just a matter of time before we implemented the electronic invoice module to streamline our billing processes," explained Pascal von Arx, head of Suter Inox’s internal ERP system. The tool gives the company a simple and secure solution that allows for sending and receiving customer invoices. The electronic invoice provider, SIX Payment Services, operates the largest independent Swiss network of electronic bills with Paynet.

"The system has fully met our expectations,” said von Arx. “The processing of electronic invoices is simple, and transmission is performed without problem. The electronic invoice is sent directly to the customer from ProConcept ERP via Paynet, afterward flowing directly into the customer’s own ERP system.”

Looking to the Future

According to von Arx, the savings potential is considerable. "We expect to achieve up to 50 percent savings in administrative expenses—even if in the future, we are only offering electronic invoicing to our top ten customers,” said von Arx. Indeed, the cost of paper, printing and postage are considerable with billing—and not just for the issuer of the invoice. The recipient of the invoice should also enjoy similar benefits. von Arx added that the implementation of electronic billing also brings the added benefit of reinforcing the modern image of Suter Inox.