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Chocolate factory moves to Lucerne

The Aeschbach Chocolatier AG company has been producing its products in Cham for over 40 years but now it is moving to a new site in Lucerne.
 
The company was set up by Charles and Erika Aeschbach in Zug in 1972 and has grown successfully over the years, employing 60 people. It specialises in chocolate products for companies and is probably best known for its "Chriesiblüete" chocolates filled with Kirsch from Zug and for the gold-wrapped "Schoggitaler" chocolate coins, which children sell door-to-door all over Switzerland to support nature and cultural heritage.
 
The company is now run by Markus Aeschbach (on the right in the photograph with his father), 47, who said, "The problem with our current production site in Cham is that there is no room to expand and the costs of energy to keep our production areas is very high, which is why we decided to look for new premises."
 
The company is moving to the Root-Längenbold industrial site near Lucerne where it will occupy 6,000 square metres. "Our new factory will be right next to the D4 Business Centre and there will be a sales area and café. What is more, we will be having an event area, where visitors will be able to see how our products are made," added Aeschbach.
 
One of the key factors in Aeschbach's decision to move to the new site was the good transport network with local suburban railway, bus route and 2 motorway access roads very close by. The new site will also provide ecological and economic benefits such as using ground water as a natural coolant and the company is looking into using solar energy.
 
With the ground-breaking ceremony having already taken place on 14 June, Aeschbach hopes that the new factory shop and café will be ready to celebrate the company's 40th anniversary in 2012. 45 employees are expected to work at the new site with others continuing to work at the shops in Zug, Cham and Steinhausen.
 
Not unsurprisingly, Matthias Michel, head of economic development in the canton of Zug, is disappointed that the company is moving to Lucerne. "We helped in the search for a new site in Zug but unfortunately we could not find a suitable one."
 
Naturally, in Lucerne, the authorities are pleased about the new jobs. Walter Stalder, of the Lucerne cantonal economics department said, "This shows that Lucerne and the Rontal area in particular is an ideal location for such companies though he denied that the canton had specifically lured the Aeschbach company there. "The fact is," added Stalder, "that in the cantons of Zug and Schwyz there is no land left for companies on which to expand; or if there is, it is unaffordable. There is no doubt that low corporation taxes in Lucerne mean a competitive advantage for companies moving here from other cantons."

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