Alex Mayer founded Swissterminal AG 50 years ago. The empty container depot has grown into the Swiss market leader for container handling and trading with around 160 employees. Swissterminal’s success story was celebrated on 8 September 2022 at the Ottmarsheim site in France with numerous guests from business, politics and associations.

On 1 February 1972, Alex Mayer founded what is now Swissterminal AG. He saw the first overseas containers arrive during his business stay in Rotterdam and did not hesitate for long to bring the business to Switzerland. This entrepreneurial pioneering spirit is still Swissterminal’s maxim today. “It is the courage to always dare to do something new and to make decisions, even if they seem unpopular. We have been living this consistently for five decades.”, explains the current CEO Roman Mayer, who is the second generation to lead the family business.

Innovation has a long tradition at Swissterminal and is the very origin of the company. A vision with foresight and a long-term orientation requires challenges to be overcome in a sustainable manner. Swissterminal uses challenges as an opportunity to optimise processes and procedures, to continuously rethink its business model and to further develop its services for customers. So then, the company has not only grown strongly over the last 50 years, but also in the last two years in particular.

In 2020, Swissterminal AG entered into a strategic partnership with the globally active logistics and terminal operator DP World. In 2021, the company expanded internationally for the first time with the operation of the three ports in France. The international orientation complements a strong local anchoring, which also takes on special significance in the anniversary year. Under the motto “50 years of Swissterminal”, the primary school in Frenkendorf, where Swissterminal has had its headquarters since 1978, held a painting competition. The winning pictures were produced and sold as packaging for the Container Tower (similar to the skill game Jenga). Part of the proceeds will go to the regional foundation “Heime auf Berg”, which supports children, young people and families in difficult circumstances.

Birthday party and anniversary celebration with around 250 guests from business and politics

Swissterminal’s 50th anniversary celebration took place on 8 September 2022 at the Ottmarsheim site in France. The celebration thus symbolised not only a birthday party, but also a location anniversary for the three ports operated by Swissterminal in France. The approximately 250 invited guests from business and politics were treated to a festive evening programme with international food stations, celebratory speeches, a performance by “Top Secret Drum Corps”, a light show about Swissterminal’s history and the presentation of the new corporate film. Guests finished the evening with a bar and musical accompaniment by DJane Carol Fernandez.

CEO Roman Mayer’s ceremonial address focused on the corporate values that are lived out. “It is about integrity, transparency, trust and networked thinking. We take responsibility and look for solutions together – with our customers, suppliers, partners and employees. “, said Mayer, for example. He dedicated the end of his speech to his mother Jeannette Mayer, who, as the wife of the late company founder Alex Mayer, has helped write Swissterminals history since the beginning. The guests paid tribute to her commitment, courage and support – even in difficult years – to thunderous applause.

In his speech, Gilbert Stimpflin, President of the Grand Est Chamber of Commerce, emphasised the strategic importance of his region for the development of the border triangle. Swissterminal can count on warm hospitality in France and looks optimistically to the future to develop its business activities together. The French location not only offers customers many opportunities in the bulk, break bulk and warehousing sectors, but also an ideal starting point in the transport route on the left bank of the Rhine.