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If SMEs want to participate in booming markets 

For many small and medium-sized companies, sales figures relating to the Swiss market are far from sufficient. In conjunction with the export promotion organization OSEC, the School of Economics and Management (HWV) in Olten is examining the opportunities for expansion to Japan.

In coming years the Asian markets will have the highest growth rates in the world. In Japan in particular, there is an increasing demand amongst young consumers for innovative, high quality products from the West.

SMEs fear of entering uncharted territories

The general theme of a seminar held in Olten was indeed that products with a Swiss image could also benefit from this trend in demand. This was clearly illustrated by the company Tozai with reference to specific export projects involving quality underwear by Swiss designer Michael Jordi.

Large Swiss companies have slowly recognized the huge dormant sales potential for quality European products in the booming Asian markets. It was, however, noted that SMEs are tending to remain on the sidelines. Many of these smaller companies would be afraid of high consultancy fees, seemingly insurmountable administrative hurdles and overwhelming competition from countries with lower employment costs.

Representatives from the export promotion organization OSEC and the company Tozai demonstrated that the move to Asia has already started. Given the marked trust-based culture in the East, however, it is acknowledged that it can take some time to establish business relations with Asia.

Tozai is a successful new company with branches in Zug and Tokyo. Using these permanent links with Japan, Tozai tries to penetrate far-off markets with interesting goods produced by Swiss SMEs.

The two Tozai partners Heinz Zürcher and Daniel Isler are in fact graduates of the School for Young Entrepreneurs in Olten.

Claudia Signorelli and Andreas Müller