The roots of ZAUGG AG EGGIWIL can be traced all the way back to the late 19th Century and the company’s Founder, Simon Zaugg. In 1893, Zaugg purchased the Holzmatt forge in Eggiwil, first offering his services as a blacksmith and farrier before developing tools for agriculture. Among the farming implements produced by Zaugg was a mountain plough for use on the steep slopes of the Emmental valley.
With the company’s foundations firmly laid, a new generation of Zaugg brothers took control of the business in the 1960s. Focusing largely on sectors that ZAUGG continues to serve today, the company began to develop and manufacture winter maintenance equipment benefiting from hydraulic functions and, eventually, electric operation.
In 2025, ZAUGG is known primarily as a leading snow removal expert famous for quality, sustainability, and innovation. Serving clients from Australia to the North Pole, ZAUGG benefits from the expertise of around 150 employees – some of whom have worked for the company for more than 40 years.
“ZAUGG AG EGGIWIL is one of the world’s foremost companies in the development and manufacture of high-tech equipment for snow removal on roads, railways, airports, and for the maintenance of ski slopes and the construction and upkeep of halfpipes,” explains CEO Wilhelm Rieder. “Special equipment for municipal technology completes the range. Our customers worldwide include public and private service providers, vehicle manufacturers, airport operators, as well as railway and cable car companies in the field of summer and winter services.”
From Australia to the North Pole
A key part of ZAUGG’s success over the years has been the company’s commitment to excellent after-sales service. This includes a 20-year guaranteed spare parts service that provides clients with the highest possible availability of high-quality equipment. In addition, ZAUGG’s expert service technicians support customers worldwide with a focus on delivering assistance in the shortest possible time.
From technicians to management staff, ZAUGG AG EGGIWIL cites its people as one of the most important factors in its continued success. The company’s strong team is a result of ZAUGG’s rigorous recruitment process that takes a refreshingly holistic approach to talent acquisition.
“In addition to the professional qualifications of a new employee, personal skills (so-called ‘soft factors’) are of crucial importance,” Wilhelm reveals. “Readiness, willingness and the ‘right person’ are more important than specialist knowledge. Every applicant undergoes a defined process in which line managers and future colleagues are equally involved before a hiring decision is made. An appointment is only made after approval from this group.”
Once on board, ZAUGG employees enjoy a wide range of professional training to help them develop skills for their role. Above all, the organisation aims to make all its employees feel appreciated.
By ensuring team members can contact management staff or the Managing Director at any time, ZAUGG not only reaffirms the value of every team member, but also honours its history as a company built on strong relationships.
After-sales Excellence
As well as caring for its people, ZAUGG AG EGGIWIL also plays an active role in caring for the environment. Sustainability has long been one of the company’s core values and ZAUGG’s actions are designed to minimise the impact on future generations. Internally, creating durable products to high environmental standards is a key element of the company’s sustainability package. On a wider front, ZAUGG is a supporter of the Wildlife Fruits project, which works towards the reforestation, renaturation, and protection of tropical habitats.
Even for a celebrated solutions provider like ZAUGG, challenges still arise. Most recently, falling prices in the firm’s target markets and lower customer expectations on quality have both tested the organisation. Similarly, a drop in snowfall levels in some lower-altitude parts of Europe has led to reduced demand for snow clearing machines and equipment. In all cases, resilience and agility regularly help the company overcome any such obstacles.
“With innovative approaches, we have optimized our products in terms of cost-effectiveness and consistently aligned them with the market segments,” Wilhelm declares. “The development of our target markets was also focused on the market segments, while specific support for the customer segments has contributed to ZAUGG’s improved visibility.”
Innovative Approaches
One key priority for ZAUGG AG EGGIWIL in recent times has been the railway sector. Thanks to its experience and accomplishments in the maintenance of railway vehicles, the company was awarded an ECM maintenance certificate for function 4 in 2023. The ECM (Entity in Charge of Maintenance) recognises ZAUGG’s commitment to effective maintenance and safety. As an ECM 4 certified business, ZAUGG can offer its customers an extended range of options to ensure the maintenance requirements for the safe operation of all relevant railway devices and machines.
As of 2025, ZAUGG is widely recognised as the world’s number one company for snow removal on railways. Looking forward, the organisation is determined to continue expanding, while solidifying its esteemed position as the top provider of railway snow clearance solutions.
“The continual expansion of ZAUGG AG EGGIWIL’s range of services is of great importance to us,” Wilhelm states, “especially at the present time where railway snow clearance is concerned. It is with pleasure and pride that the company can announce that it has taken a big step forward in this regard. We plan to broaden the application of our expertise in railway snow removal technology and support our customers with competent system engineering in the realization of their projects.”
