Members, patrons and guests came together for the 154th SVTI General Meeting in Neuchâtel. The solid result was testament to the organisation’s success in overcoming numerous challenges. The SVTI Group has proven to be both robust and well-equipped for the future thanks to its attractiveness as an employer, its Innovation Fund and its sustainable basis as a professional organisation.
The 154th SVTI General Meeting brought members, patrons and guests together in Neuchâtel in French-speaking Switzerland. As usual, the statutory part of the event was kept short to offer more time and opportunity for information exchange and networking among the participants.
New board member and amendment of the statutes
After 12 years Daniel Rebsamen has retired from the SVTI board, on which he also served as Deputy Chairman. René Kian Sarrafian, a mechanical engineer and head of the nuclear fuel department at the Gösgen-Däniken AG nuclear power plant, was unanimously elected as his direct successor. The SVTI has been fortunate enough to take part in various federal research projects in recent years.
This development now needs to be reflected in an addition to the purpose statement of the SVTI statutes. This addition references research activities and the development of innovative technologies and products, above all in the areas of technical safety inspection and the manufacture and operation of technical equipment of all kinds.
Taking stock and looking ahead
The SVTI ended 2022 with a very solid result, despite the challenges posed by the geopolitical situation, supply chain issues, skyrocketing energy prices and the shortage of skilled workers. The consolidated financial statements apply not only to the association itself but also to the subsidiaries, and represent the overall business of the SVTI Group. The Group’s total revenue amounted to CHF 47.5 million, a figure that is slightly less than the previous year’s, but in line with expectations. Various business areas saw a positive development, with the organisation as a whole proving robust and well positioned. The international NDT conference hosted in Switzerland by the Nuclear Inspectorate last year was a great success that will continue to have a positive impact well into the future. The SVTI Group also received the prestigious Swiss Employer Award in the category for 100 to 249 employees, based on an employee survey. The Swiss Employer Award is the leading basis for determining employer attractiveness and gives winners a clear advantage when it comes to the search for future employees.
Various technology-oriented projects aimed at enhancing services and testing procedures were launched or continued within the framework of the Innovation Fund. These included the use of drones for measuring components, robot- and crawler-assisted inspections, and research into the safe handling of hydrogen technology.
These aspects, combined with a good start to 2023, commitment to research and development, and investment in good specialists and innovation, are all helping to strengthen the SVTI brand and allow us to look to the future with confidence.
Keynote speech on ‘The Swiss Army and the leaders it creates’
Keynote speaker Colonel Mathias Müller gave an address on the topic of ‘The Swiss Army and the leaders it creates’. Mathias Müller, referred to as the ‘head recruiter’ of the Swiss Armed Forces in an NZZ article and now project manager for top events within the Swiss Army, is also the author of several books. His speech at the SVTI General Meeting covered practical leadership issues and the military’s current philosophy of leadership. It also underlined the way in which leadership, with its many facets, plays a fundamental role in both military and civilian life.
