Faced with the risk of power shortages during the winter, the employers’ federation representing manufacturers of machinery and electrical equipment in Switzerland recommends the use of night and weekend work to keep factories running.
The Swissmem employers’ association estimates that in “case of shortage”, it will be necessary “to break the peaks in the level of electricity and gas consumption”, to which the industry can contribute “by moving production to the night and the weekend”. ”, she said in a statement on Tuesday.
This employers’ organization representing companies specializing in machine tools, electrical equipment and metalworking calls on the Swiss authorities to adopt a “simple and unbureaucratic” approach to authorizing night and weekend work.
Promote the use of fuel oil
Among the measures recommended to reduce the risk of energy shortages, Swissmem also suggests encouraging the use of fuel oil instead of natural gas, but also reducing the temperature to 19 degrees in apartments, offices, production centers, museums and shopping centers when the heating is on. again in.
The machinery, electrical equipment and metals industry is Switzerland’s second largest export sector after pharmaceuticals and chemicals. In the second quarter, these sectors had 320,900 jobs, according to this employer.
serious concerns
The risk of power shortages during the winter is causing great concern in Switzerland. In summer, Switzerland exports electricity when hydroelectric plants can run at full capacity in this country of lakes and mountains. But the alpine country has to import energy when the snow returns.
The order books of the companies in the sectors represented by Swissmem are currently well filled. They have had six uninterrupted quarters of growth, with order volumes “now 30%” above their pre-Covid-19 pandemic level, according to Swissmem.
“Despite everything, there is no reason to be euphoric,” warns the employers, the supply problems and the “massive rise in energy prices” as well as raw materials have caused “a sometimes considerable increase” in production costs.
Source: BFM TV
