When you visit a company, it is rare to be greeted by three management members at the same time. They are also siblings and almost all the same teenager. This is possible at the tool manufacturer Urma in Rupperswil AG. Almost everything here revolves around hole punching. It’s not as trivial as it sounds.
“What matters to us is the precision machining of holes of all different sizes,” explains Yannick Berner (30) as we tour the production halls. “We also do a lot of bespoke items,” adds four-minute older twin brother Oliver (30). «The customer comes to us with a problem, we help solve it.»
The proportion of women has doubled
While dad Urs Berner (65) still pulls the strings as President and CEO, siblings Jessica (31), Oliver and Yannick are already heavily involved. Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, the third generation of the family company is ready for a generational change.
The advantage of such a transition: the next generation ensures the continuation of the company’s existence. There is no dispute about inheritance and works are protected.
It is already a surprisingly mature, but also modern generation. Terms such as sustainability, digitalisation, agility, promotion of innovation, as well as terms such as work and family harmony come naturally to siblings. “We advertise every part-time position and, where possible, take into account the preferred working hours of our employees,” explains Jessica, Head of Finance and Human Resources. We want to attract more women to the industry to fill the shortage of skilled workers,” she said. Successful: Within a few years, the proportion of women in the company has doubled.
Believe in Switzerland as a location
The HR manager is concerned about the lack of qualified specialists: “It has not reached the top yet, there is still much to be done.” That’s why he’s proud of his apprentices. Some of the people trained here still work for the company today. It has a high export share of 94 percent and is a typical Swiss industrial company. Most precision instruments go to the eurozone. The strong franc is always a challenge for Urma. “Most of the added value remains in Rupperswil, thanks to a high level of vertical integration and automation,” says Oliver.
For the three brothers, the situation is clear: “We believe in the location here in Aargau.” For this reason, they have even set up their own testing centers to accelerate the development of new products. “We do everything ourselves, from the idea to the marketing,” says Yannick, who is in charge of digitization and marketing.
To be able to offer its customers a wider range of products and not be entirely at the mercy of Swiss franc power, the company has long focused on a second pillar: the machinery trade. This area has the strongest growth in Switzerland. Urma privately sells machine tools from US manufacturer Haas, which owns the Formula 1 racing team of the same name, and since 2019 has been selling 3D printers for industrial applications. The department is headed by Oliver, a newcomer to the company. He is aware of the responsibility of the entrepreneur towards his employees: “Behind every business, there is a big family. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.”
private industrialist
On the family advisory board established six years ago, the brothers learned the appreciation of 130 employees and many other managerial virtues from their fathers. Here, the family—even the mother from Hong Kong who knows quite a bit about the business as a former IT professional in Urma—discuss questions about the company. The advantage: At family celebrations, the conversation doesn’t revolve around the company.
Although Yannick may seem a bit like the spokesperson for the three brothers, that doesn’t bother the others. “I am the Schnurri of the family,” explains the young twin, whose speaking ability is also involved in Aargau politics as an FDP MP. His brothers support him: “It is important that entrepreneurs and industrialists get involved. There are very few of them in politics,” says Jessica, who sometimes distributes campaign flyers for her brother in the early morning hours.
No rush with the successor
The brothers get along well, complement each other in conversations, distinguishing between private and professional matters: “Disputes should not be to the detriment of the company,” Oliver says firmly. “Besides, we don’t have time to argue.” Business and sibling love go hand in hand, not rivalry. A clear division of tasks in the management trio helps here: everyone has their own area of responsibility and appreciates the opinions of others. CFO Jessica takes conflicts pragmatically: “If you lose a war, tomorrow will be a new war you can win.” As all three assure, the “fight” is always about the best argument.
The question of who could replace the father in charge of the company remains unanswered: “We’re not stressing about the successor,” Yannick replies. “We’re in no rush right now.” Especially since Urma with three brothers in the management and board of directors is much more advanced than other companies in a comparable situation.