A family business is a legacy in many respects - especially when it looks back on a 117-year history. Reiden Technik AG is such an independent traditional Swiss company.
Since 1904, REIDEN machine tools have been manufactured with Swiss quality and values at the production site in Reiden, Lucerne. The medium-sized manufacturer of milling machines and machine tools is family-owned and currently employs 160 people.
One of the three heads at the top of the company is Marcel Sutter. Active in the family business since 2008, he joined as a second-generation shareholder in 2017. Today, he is responsible for finance and human resources. In the small, owner-managed company, processes are lean and often have a pragmatic approach. The management is supported by eleven other cadre employees (department heads or technical specialists). They enjoy a lot of freedom and development opportunities with the responsibilities that come with it. Not only Marcel Sutter, but all employees are very proud of what they can accomplish in tranquil Reiden.
However, the career choice for him at the time was not as easy as one might assume for the son of a part owner. His father Alex Sutter is CEO, Chairman of the Board of Directors and co-owner of Reiden Technik AG. With an apprenticeship as a polymechanic outside the family business and various further training courses, Marcel Sutter expanded his technical knowledge with business know-how. After training as a finance specialist, he went on to specialize in operational and strategic management in the area of finance. As a member of the Board of Directors and co-owner of the company, he ensures that the necessary know-how is maintained and built up so that the company can retain its leading position as a machine tool manufacturer in the future.
In this month's interview, find out more about Marcel Sutter, how he starts his working day, why self-reflection is so important for him on the job, and much more.
Mr. Sutter, if you had taken a different path when you were younger, what would you have become?
"In the early days, I dreamed of becoming an airplane pilot, but it was really just a dream. The career choice was not easy for me, and it came two or three years too early for my development at the time. In the end, it was obvious that I would do a technical apprenticeship for a possible later start in my own family business. I was very interested in computer science and electrical engineering at a young age, but I had the opportunity to train as a polymechanic in an outstandingly well-positioned training company.."
What is your favorite way to start your day?
"Mornings are my most efficient work time, so it doesn't take me much time to get going. With a short commute of about 8 minutes, I'm quickly at my desk. Every morning starts with an enjoyable coffee and a short consumption of the latest economic and sports news. But then it quickly starts with the first work packages that are tackled. Most of the time it's older pending items, routine work or work that requires a high level of concentration before other urgent or important tasks are waiting for me.""
What does success mean to you personally?
"Success is very important to me; it helps me to reflect on my actions. Not only success, but also failure plays a decisive role. It gives me feedback on what was good or why something succeeded particularly well. In turn, failure gives me valuable clues as to why the desired success did not materialize and stimulates my creativity as to what I could work on to do better. Not too seldom, the lack of success is also the necessary kick in the butt for me. So success always provides me with feedback without necessarily having to ask anyone for it. Self-reflection is very crucial and important for me to have a lasting impact on success."
What would you work for free for a week?
"For me, working doesn't necessarily always have to be associated with a monetary wage. What does free mean? When I enter this into a search engine, it spits out words like free, free of charge, free of charge, free of charge. Work for family, friends, clubs, nature, etc. is normally always without monetary reward. However, for the gratuitous work one often receives satisfaction, recognition, togetherness, joy, common good and in case of physical work even a workout. Accordingly, for me, work cannot be free, gratuitous or unpaid."
What was the best professional advice you ever received?
"I don't have the one best piece of professional advice. I have been able to pick up more lasting tips in the sporting field. A small interjection: As a passionate former handball player with a comparatively small body size, I had to score with speed, strength and coordination. However, there are game situations where the speed has to be taken out. That's how you give your opponent the time to make a mistake and then use the element of surprise to your own advantage. You don't need to know a lot of moves, you need to perfect the few moves.
In the professional as well as in the private environment, there are some people I was allowed to get to know and partly also to work together with, whom I admired very much. From them I have received many valuable hints, tips and tricks that shaped me in my development. It is the many small pieces of advice that one should first recognize, process and internalize.""
We would like to thank Mr. Sutter for his contribution to this article. This interview was conducted in writing.
Editor: Neslihan Steiner
Batterman Consulting Basel AG
Executive Search,
Byfangweg 1a, CH-4051 Basel
T +41 58 680 55 55
basel@batterman.ch
