Groundbreaking

Kässbohrer Schweiz AG celebrates the groundbreaking for its new head office in Altdorf. With this new building Kässbohrer Schweiz AG is creating the optimal conditions to ensure it remains the leading supplier in snow groomer service and sales in the future.  Closer to the customer in Altdorf Kässbohrer Schweiz AG is an independent subsidiary of Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG, which has its head office in Laupheim, Germany. Möriken has been the headquarters of the Swiss subsidiary for 18 years. The staff for management, sales, administration, technical customer service, and the instructors are now moving almost entirely to Altdorf – with the big advantage of being closer to most of the ski resorts. The new location makes it possible to reach 70 % of all customers in a maximum travel time of 2.5 hours.  More space in all areas The offices, storage, workshop and training rooms cover four floors. A lot of thought went into optimising all operational areas when the new building was being designed. The structures, communication areas and organisational workflows were revised at the same time, to maintain the company’s successful position in the Swiss market in the future. Completion is planned for autumn 2019 in time for the start of the 2019/20 winter season. Facts about the new building:

• First meeting with canton land owner 21/12/2015
• First meeting with architect                           29/03/2016
• Contract signed to purchase land from canton      07/12/2017
• Number of meetings with canton                  12
• Number of meetings with architect               38
• Start of works:                                               November 18
• Completion:                                                   August/September 19
• Size of the head office                                  48 x 36 m
• Height of the head office                               15 m
• Land purchased                                             around 6,000 m²
• Gross floor area of head office                     approx.    1,620 m² 
  Gross volume                                                approx.  16,000 m³

About Kässbohrer Schweiz AG PistenBully final assembly: the vehicles and components are delivered disassembled on special transporters and unloaded in a handling area on the site. From the supply area they move into the assembly hall, where they are assembled ready for use, modified, adapted to customer requirements, before final assembly and being made operational. Complete overhaul of used PistenBully is a second area of business. These vehicles – usually already equipped to Swiss standards – are completely dismantled in Altdorf and rebuilt from scratch. They are given a second life, i.e. 80 % of their parts are new afterwards. This also requires the corresponding mechanical and technical services and high expertise. This very labour-intensive area of business produces high added value. It should not be confused with vehicle maintenance. Alongside a broad range of mechanic training, Kässbohrer places a lot of value on providing sound training to customer personnel. This provides knowledge about the machines and vehicle-specific maintenance measures. Programming and control systems for the PistenBully are also becoming increasingly important. Topographical details in the area of use can be transferred to the vehicle's control system using the company’s own SNOWsat software. This includes specialised expertise conveyed through intensive training as regards programming and application. A fast and totally reliable supply of spare parts is an important focus. Vehicle components often have to be with customers overnight. The technicians from the ski resorts come to Altdorf to collect the pre-ordered components, enabling them to be fitted in the vehicles on-site in the resorts.