Switzerland’s Top 10 Major Export Companies

Sales is the life blood of most businesses, and particularly for firms that compete in international trade. Among Switzerland’s major exports-related businesses, the leading sales gainer was diversified metals and mining holding company Glencore International.

1. Glencore International: US$205.4 billion, up 33.6% from 2017
2. Nestle: $91.2 billion, up 0.4%
3. Roche Holding: $54.2 billion, up 5.6%
4. Novartis: $50.3 billion, up 3.7%
5. UBS: $40.3 billion, up 6.1%
6. ABB: $35 billion, up 3.4%
7. LafargeHolcim: $26.5 billion, down -3%
8. TE Connectivity: $14 billion, up 12.3%
9. Swisscom: $12.1 billion, up 2.4%
10. Lonza Group: $5.2 billion, up 23.8%

Specialized chemicals supplier Lonza Group posted the second-fastest sales increase via its 23.8% improvement year over year.

The only decliner among these top Swiss businesses was construction materials provider LafargeHolcim, thanks to its -3% slowdown compared to 2017.

Nine of Switzerland’s top 10 major export companies generated black ink as of December 2018. The only top Swiss business listed below that incurred a loss was construction materials company LafargeHolcim. To make the red ink even less palatable, LafargeHolcim slid from a $1.8 billion surplus in 2017 to its -$1.7 billion loss in the latest period.

1. Roche Holding: US$8.8 billion, down -9.5% from 2017
2. Novartis: $8.1 billion, up 20.9%
3. Nestle: $7.3 billion, down -15.7%
4. Glencore International: $5.8 billion, reversing a -$453.3 million deficit
5. ABB: $2.1 billion, up 7.1%
6. Swisscom: $1.6 billion, down -1.8%
7. UBS: $1.5 billion, down -55.9%
8. TE Connectivity: $1.3 billion, down -37.2%
9. Lonza Group: $740 million, up 141.8%
10. LafargeHolcim: -$1.7 billion, reversing a $1.8 billion surplus

At the other end of the spectrum, diversified metals and mining competitor Glencore International went from a -$453.3 million loss in 2017 to garner a robust $5.8 billion surplus.

Three of these top Swiss companies improved their profitability year over year, namely specialized chemicals supplier Lonza Group (up 141.8%), pharmaceuticals titan Novartis (up 20.9%) and industrial conglomerate ABB (up 7.1%).

Three of Switzerland’s major exports-related companies have their headquarters in Basel, a city located in the northwestern region of Switzerland on the river Rhine. Basel is surrounded by two of Switzerland’s most powerful trading partners, Germany and France.

1. ABB: Zurich
2. Glencore International: Baar
3. LafargeHolcim: Jona
4. Lonza Group: Basel
5. Nestle: Vevey
6. Novartis: Basel
7. Roche Holding: Basel
8. Swisscom: Worblaufen
9. TE Connectivity: Schaffhausen
10. UBS: Zurich

Another pair of these world-class Swiss businesses is headquartered in Zurich. Also spelled Zürich, Zurich is a hub for railways, roads and air traffic. Zurich is also Switzerland’s largest city.