Berne. The RUAG technology group will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on 3 September 2009 in Thun (Switzerland) together with guests from the worlds of politics, business and media. CEO Dr Lukas Braunschweiler and his staff will be making the most of this opportunity to show how RUAG has successfully evolved from a state-owned defence company into an international technology group. An important point to underline is that RUAG is an attractive employer for both scientific and hands-on careers, with an around 50:50 ratio of civil and military business. This provides a good foundation for the company to further build on its international and industrial success.

Today, RUAG is a highly diverse international technology group. Its core businesses are Aerospace and Defence. The company has international networks and is right at the cutting edge of the latest key technologies. This benefits not only the Swiss Armed Forces but also other national and international customers. Alongside police forces and armed forces, these include the European Space Agency (ESA), Airbus, Arianespace, General Electric, Boeing, Bombardier, Northrop Grumman, Dassault, EADS and Saab.

Born from the amalgamation of federal defence contractors producing exclusively for the military, since 1999 RUAG has undergone a step-by-step transformation into an internationally competitive technology group. The Swiss Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) remains RUAG’s largest single customer, accounting for one third of sales. 90% of the company’s main markets are currently in Switzerland and Europe. That said, RUAG is also steadily gaining ground in North America and in the rest of the world.

Targeted acquisitions in the space business, for instance Saab Space, Austrian Aerospace and Oerlikon Space, have enabled RUAG to expand its market position in core business areas. Today, RUAG is Europe’s largest independent supplier to the space industry.

RUAG offers attractive jobs to around 7 000 staff in Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Hungary and the US. The company also accords great importance to young talent.

"RUAG is an innovation-driven, international technology group with strong Swiss roots. We have enormous potential to achieve further sustainable, profitable growth. In future, we will tap innovative potential in our divisions even more intensively, while further strengthening our international focus," stated Dr Lukas Braunschweiler, CEO of RUAG Holding AG.