Location Promotion Winterthur Region
Im Hauptbahnhof
PostfachCH-8401 Winterthur
Phone +41 52 267 67 97
Fax +41 52 267 67 98
office@who-needs-spam.standort-winterthur.ch
History
November 1989
The shock generated by the news that Sulzer, hitherto Winterthur’s largest manufacturing company, is giving up its industrial property at the heart of the city (an area as big as the historic old town) jolts the Stadtmarketing (city marketing) movement into action.
1 October 1990
The municipal parliament approves a global contribution of CHF 1 million for basic planning and project work and the creation of a coordination office for economic development matters.
October 1990
The town council appoints an economic development planning organization and invites renowned specialists, property owners concerned and other interested parties to a workshop aimed at thrashing out the basics for the forthcoming economic planning and development work in Winterthur. Over 150 local citizens take part.
Spring 1992
Mayor Martin Haas commissions Prognos AG to establish an analysis of Winterthur as a business and residential location, on which future city marketing measures are to be based.
Early 1993
A working committee headed by Jack Brunnschweiler and comprising an equal number of public and private sector representatives creates a concept for a city marketing organization.
26 May 1993
The working committee proposes an organizational and financial framework, based on its concept, for the launch of a “joint and coordinated city marketing organization for Winterthur.” Despite some doubts raised, the term “city marketing” remains. The concept defines city marketing as “a tool for active economic and residential development”.
8 September 1993
The town council requests the municipal parliament to approve a maximum contribution of CHF 2.5 million, divided into annual instalments of 500,000 francs. The condition attached to the contribution is that an equal amount must be provided by the private sector.
12 November 1993
A board consisting of high-profile personalities from the fields of politics, business, sports and the arts, chosen also to give a face to the city marketing organization, convenes for an initial meeting.
22 November 1993
The municipal parliament approves the 2.5 million franc contribution applied for.
11 January 1994
The working committee elects 28-year-old economist Irène Steinegger-Meier as Director of the city marketing organization.
14 January 1994
Foundation meeting of the Stadtmarketing Winterthur (City Marketing Winterthur) association, the first city marketing organization in Switzerland.
1 February 1994
Inauguration of the City Marketing Winterthur office, address Oberer Graben 50.
March 1994
Antonella Baudone joins as assistant.
July 1994
Thomas Kärcher-Vital takes up his position as business promoter.
April 1995
The management committee submits its first report accounting for its activities to the municipal parliament and has to take on board a certain amount of criticism.
Summer 1995
In response to this criticism, a second Winterthur city workshop is convened in order to assess Winterthur’s outlook as a business location and to stimulate and collect ideas in this context.
6 October 1995
Over 30 groups present their ideas resulting from the city workshop, thus opening up a second chance for City Marketing Winterthur. Criticism largely subsides after this.
February 1996
Thomas Kärcher-Vital takes over the position of Director from Irène Steinegger-Meier while continuing to head the business promotion activities.
June 1996
Beate Eckhardt is appointed new head of the two coordination units for residential marketing and project development. Francois Mosimann becomes head of the coordination unit for communication.
5 February 1996
Approval of the new articles of association, which define the association’s purpose as follows: "The association aims to promote the attractiveness of the city of Winterthur and position it as an increasingly competitive location.” The eight-person management committee is replaced by a four-strong board made up of two representatives each from local politics and local business: Mayor Martin Haas, Pierre Borgeaud, Regula Forster and Dieter Gosteli.
15 February 1996
At its first meeting, the new board defines the institution’s organizational structure and the division of tasks at operational level. There are four coordination units each with specific mandates: Business Promotion, Residential Marketing, Project Development and Communications.
December 1998
The Project Development coordination unit is dissolved as a separate organizational entity. Its tasks are transferred to the Residential Marketing unit.
1 April 1999
The office moves from Oberer Graben 50 to newly renovated premises at Winterthur’s main railway station.
May 1999
Board member Pierre Borgeaud resigns for professional reasons. He is succeeded by Urs Scherrer, president of Winterthur’s chamber of commerce and employers association. Francois Mosimann replaces Matthias Rüthmüller as head of the Communications unit.
July 2001
Simon Keller takes over from Beate Eckhardt as Head of Residential Marketing. In September, Christa Schudel is appointed new Head of Communications.
Spring 2002
Mayor Martin Haas announces his resignation. The newly elected mayor, Ernst Wohlwend, becomes head of City Marketing Winterthur’s board. In the same year, all other board members except Dieter Gosteli step down. The new members are: Ursula Bründler (member of municipal parliament), Philippe Corti (builders association), Christa Kern (member of municipal parliament) and Rolf Sonderegger (chamber of commerce and employers association, HAW).
July 2002
Luc Estapé is appointed new Director and Head of the Business Promotion coordination unit.
8 December 2003
The municipal parliament approves a contribution of CHF 1,200,00 for the years 2004 to 2006, divided into three annual instalments of CHF 400,000.
4 May 2004
The annual general meeting votes to supplement the existing board by Martin Schmidli (Sulzer Immobilien AG), Jürg Spiller (Delegate of Winterthur region’s council leaders) and Martin Graf (Mayor of Illnau-Effretikon).
Summer 2004
Following the departure of Luc Estapé, Dieter Bachmann is appointed Director and Head of Business Promotion as of 1 June. Maya Gadgil joins as Head of Residential Marketing on 1 July.
May 2006
Implementation of new financing plan for 2007–2009.
2 February 2007
An extraordinary general meeting decides to change the organization’s name to "Standortförderung Region Winterthur" (Location Promotion Winterthur Region). The organization is now responsible for an enlarged region comprising the city of Winterthur and some 20 surrounding municipalities.
Purpose: To promote the Winterthur region as a business and residential location and to enhance the attractiveness of the region.
May 2008
Michael Domeisen takes over from Dieter Bachmann as Director and Head of Business Promotion.
October 2008
The Location Promotion Winterthur Region team is increased from five to six members.
April 2009
Implementation of new financing plan for 2010 – 2012.
May 2009
The annual general meeting bids farewell to long-year board member Rolf Sonderegger and elects Markus Kalberer to replace him.
May 2010
The Location Promotion Winterthur Region team now counts seven members.
May 2010
The annual general meeting bids farewell to long-year board member Jürg Spiller. As of June 2010, his position will be taken up by the newly elected delegate of Winterthur region’s council leaders.
May 2011
Ursula Bründler-Krismer and Martin Graf end their work as members of the board of Location Promotion Winterthur Region. New members are Manuela Gerber and Ueli Müller.
September 2011
At an Extraordinary General Assembly the members of Location Promotion Winterthur Region decide that the organizations represented on the board will from now on chose their delegates themselves.
January 2012
The Zurich University for Applied Sciences ZHAW becomes member of the Location Promotion Winterthur Region. Its President, Prof. Dr. Jean-Marc Piveteau joins the association’s board with now 10 members.
March 2012
Set-up of the new funding for 2013-2015.
Autumn 2012
The Location Promotion Winterthur Region receives a mandate from the Swiss government State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) for the organization of the first International Congress on Vocational and Professional Education and Training, which is planned to take place three times starting in 2014.
June 2013
The German-Japanese machine tool builder DMG Mori decides to settle in Winterthur. Its new European headquarters will be in Neuhegi.
September 2014
The International Congress on Vocational and Professional Education and Training with top-class speakers turns out a big success. Not only for the government which is able to present the Swiss dual education system to an international Trade Public, but also for Winterthur in its positioning as a location for excellent (vocational and professional) education.
On 30th September, Location Promotion Winterthur Region celebrates its 20-year anniversary. The Winterthur Apéro with several hundred guests celebrating the anniversary takes place at the newly opened climbing center 6aplus.
October 2015
The Location Promotion Winterthur Region and a delegation of the Canton of Zurich travel together with the Mayor of Winterthur to Tokio, Japan. During the trip existing relations are refreshed, new contacts made and interesting insights are gained in Japanese and Swiss companies based in Japan. The aim is to expand the promising economic relations between Winterthur and Tokio.
