Federal Councilor Martin Pfister, head of the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection, and Sport (DDPS), visited the RUAG site in Payerne on Thursday. The Federal Councilor was welcomed by a large RUAG delegation. This included Jürg Rötheli, Chairman of the Board of Directors of RUAG MRO Holding Ltd., Jean-Marc Lenz, Member of the Board of Directors, Ralf Müller, CEO, and Markus Nievergelt, Senior Vice President Business Area Air. A few hours earlier, RUAG was also able to announce in Payerne that it had received the DDPS's support for the RIGI project.amp;nbsp;
In his opening speech to the Federal Council, Jürg Rötheli said that RIGI was more than just a project:
« RIGI stands for confidence in RUAG's operational capabilities and relevance to security policy. At the same time, it is a key project that decisively supports and advances both our overall corporate strategy and the AIR sub-strategy. »
RIGI also brings investment, innovation, and added value to western Switzerland. RUAG has committed to bringing CHF 100 million in added value to French-speaking Switzerland – a clear commitment to the region.
Ralf Müller, CEO of RUAG MRO Holding Ltd., explained what this means in detail: Value creation can be achieved on the one hand by awarding contracts to companies and creating RUAG's own jobs, and on the other hand through innovation and investment in western Switzerland.
« In order to achieve the most sustainable value creation possible, we are dependent on strong partnerships with the GRPM industry association, industry, and politics. »
RUAG will take over maintenance of the F-35A in Switzerland in the future and will also invest in infrastructure and personnel in Payerne in this context. Particularly noteworthy is the joint maintenance with the Swiss Air Force. Cooperation on the maintenance and servicing of the F-A 18 is already working extremely well. This partnership will be further intensified with the F-35, Markus Nievergelt, Senior Vice President Business Area Air, explained to the Federal Council.
During a tour, the Federal Council then gained its own impression of RUAG's activities in Payerne. In the hangar, he watched an F/A-18 being repaired and spoke to mechanics, factory pilots, and software developers working on the simulators. He then visited the Air Force and other RUAG partners. We at RUAG are proud that the Federal Council is taking such an interest in our activities. This shows that we are on the right track. At the same time, however, we are aware that there is still a lot of work ahead of us. That is why we will continue to do everything in our power to further increase our performance, improve customer satisfaction, adhere uncompromisingly to our compliance standards, and consistently strengthen our governance.
