Tariffs are spoiling business for Swiss machine manufacturers in the lucrative US market
An export volume of one billion francs: This is how high the losses were for Swiss companies in the MEM sector in 2025 due to American tariffs. The business is still declining. However, new opportunities are expected in China.
The Swiss machinery, electrical and metal industry (MEM sector) has seen a significant decline in exports to the US due to tariffs, with a loss of CHF 1 billion in export volume in 2025. The sector's exports to the US fell by 5% in the first half of the year, following an 8% decline last year. The industry is hoping for new opportunities in China, where it has renewed its trade agreement, and is also looking to Latin America as a potential growth market.
Meanwhile, exports to the EU, the sector's largest market, have shown growth, with a 3% increase in the first half of the year.
Written by urgent.news from NZZ Wirtschaft's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
