Case Studies by Christopher

BERNINA Thailand was founded in 1990. BERNINA Thailand produces the

BERNINA sewing machines from entry level up to 7 Series, while BERNINA
Switzerland still manufactures the top-of-the line machines B 880, Q 24 and Q 20. In
addition to producing sewing machines for the low and mid-range price ranges, the
CNC production centres for parts production and the hook competency centre are
located here. BERNINA Thailand is also able to maintain the high Swiss quality
standards because the plant is under Swiss management on site. Strict quality
checks are carried out in the assembly line and in a sewing lab. BERNINA Thailand
works with the same Quality Value System as BERNINA International in Steckborn.
Direct contact with the headquarters is a priority, despite the large distances
involved.

Although BERNINA strives to keep production costs in general low and thus to
weather the global economic challenges of today, BERNINA has a policy of social
responsibility towards its Thai employees. Pay is above the minimum wage and it
was increased by 7 percent in 2012. In addition, BERNINA Thailand provides its
employees with lunch and ensures a comfortable working environment through the
use of air conditioning. A low staff turnover rate shows that the long-standing
employees are satisfied with the conditions. Company owner Hanspeter Ueltschi
decided to make Thailand a production location 20 years ago due to its political
stability.

BERNINA Thailand - expansion of the production

plant
Bigger, more advanced, more innovative - BERNINA offers products that are always
manufactured to the highest quality standards and incorporate the latest technology.
It is therefore important for the company's owner, Hanspeter Ueltschi, that the
production plants should always comply with the latest manufacturing standards in
order to enable innovative, advanced and rapid production. In order to achieve this,
BERNINA Thailand has been expanded by the addition of a third building. This offers
additional production space, can be flexibly extended, and is efficient and logistically
optimised. The building also offers improved ESD protection and an energy-efficient
building structure. The new production plant follows the principles of "lean
manufacturing": linear, transparent production processes, short transport distances,
easy handling, short lead times, small amounts of work in process and the
application of the pull principle to material staging.
 
The new production plant was opened on 12 January 2015 with the whole Ueltschi
family in attendance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDfNIPqAmpY&t=96s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O65k8K5ZG44&t=88s