Switzerland

Marti

Industry
Construction
Country
Switzerland
Sources

"Swiss businesses are eager to get a foothold in the Iranian market now that most trade sanctions have been lifted, but restrictions still in place from the United States are creating major money transfer problems. On a Tuesday afternoon in Bern, a hotel conference room is packed with business representatives. Participants sit up in their seats and murmur their interest as several speakers tell them about the opportunities that abound in the Iranian market... But reality hits when a representative from Bern’s cantonal bank gets up to answer a key question: how is the situation looking for businesses who want to transfer money from Iran to Switzerland, or vice versa? 'The situation looks bad,' he said frankly. 'We follow international financial rules and we have been told to wait. At the moment, I don’t see many opportunities to make payments to Iran.' ... Touraj Etezady, who has done business in Iran together with the Marti construction group, agreed that 'unfortunately financial transactions are very difficult' and that this was an issue raised many times when a delegation of Swiss politicians and business leaders travelled to Iran in February along with Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann." (Swissinfo, “Swiss businesses are ready for Iran, but banks aren’t,” 4/12/2016)

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In April 2016, reports emerged hinting at Marti’s business engagement in Iran. Discussing the difficulties associated with doing business in Iran, “Touraj Etezady, who has done business in Iran together with the Marti construction group, agreed that ‘unfortunately financial transactions are very difficult.’” (Swissinfo, “Swiss businesses are ready for Iran, but banks aren’t,” 4/12/2016).

Caran d'Ache SA

Industry
Luxury
Symbol
SW: CARN
Country
Switzerland
Sources

Has an Iran website.

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"Caran d’Ache SA, a century-old Swiss maker of writing instruments, supplied Iranian school children with pencils before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Now, it’s betting on a partnership with a pistachio exporter to make a comeback in the country of 77 million. Used by artists including Pablo Picasso, the maker of colored pencils and pastels reopened for business in Iran last year... The Swiss company’s pens, pencils and colors are sold in stores of Iran’s Daya Group together with a range of other products, such as Swiss watches. Alliances with large local groups such as Daya, which operates in businesses ranging from consumer goods to healthcare and is also an exporter of pistachio nuts, are opening up doors for companies such as Caran d’Ache... Iran is currently the family-owned pencil maker’s third-largest market in the Middle East and sales growth of 25 percent is expected in 2016 and the next two years, according to Chief Executive Officer Jean-Francois de Saussure. The CEO was part of a business delegation that accompanied Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann on a trip to Tehran in February." (Bloomberg, “Swiss Pencil Maker Counts on Nut Exporter for Iran Comeback,” 5/3/2016)

Welding Engineers Ltd.

Industry
Engineering
Country
Switzerland
Sources

"Iran inked the first post-sanctions petrochemical contract with a Swiss firm for construction of finishing unit of a petrochemical company in Assaluyeh. Swiss Welding Engineers Ltd inked a contract with Sadaf Petrochemical Assaluyeh Company to construct finishing area of the project. This is the first contract signed between an Iranian company and its foreign partner in the petrochemical sector in the post-sanctions era. The two companies signed the contracts after very difficult negotiations on Saturday evening. Managing Director of Sadaf Petrochemical Assaluyeh Company Ahmad Jazayeri said the Swiss company will help his company to build a plant for production of the synthetic polymer ESBR, a strategic product used in the petrochemical industry and rubber manufacturing. He said that the ESBR will be produced for both domestic use and export to global market including Europe. The Italy's Versalis and Maire Tecnimont as the major company which is helping to build the plant, confirmed the Swiss Welding Engineers Ltd for design, construction and startup of the finishing area of the project, the official added... The technology license for production has been obtained from Italy's Versalis and Maire Tecnimont whose know-how is regarded among the world's advanced.” (SHAM, “Iran Inks 1st Post-Sanctions Petchem Contract with Switzerland,” 6/12/2016)

AutoForm

Industry
Engineering
Country
Switzerland
Sources

AutoForm attended the 4th International Iran Aluminium Conference (the “Conference”) on May 11-12, 2016 in Tehran.  (Iran International Aluminium Conference Website, “List of International Attendees;” 10times Website, “Iran International Aluminium Conference”).  According to its official website, the Conference was co-convened by the Iran Mines and Mining Development and Renovation Organization (“IMIDRO”) to bring together “industry front runners including producers, manufacturers and processors of raw materials to end products as well as suppliers of technologies and accessories for aluminium production, processing and refinement.”  (Iran International Aluminium Conference Website, “Conference Overview”).  

MECI Group International

Industry
Energy
Country
Switzerland
Sources

"Switzerland’s MECI Group International signed an agreement with Iran’s government to build a €750-million wind farm in northern Iran." (August 26, 2017)

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"Iran's top renewable-energy authority denied that it's signed any agreement covering electricity generation projects with a Swiss developer that has said it obtained power-purchase agreements for 370 megawatts of installations. The Renewable Energy Organization of Iran, which is known as Suna, hasn't signed any deal with MECI Group International, said Jafar Mohamadnejad Sigaroudi, the deputy in charge of planning and development at the organization..." (Bloomberg, "Iran Denies It Made Power Plant Deal With MECI for 270 Megawatts," 10/5/2016).

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Switzerland’s MECI Group International signed an agreement with Iran’s government to build a 750 million-euro ($839 million) wind farm. The project, located in the mountainous region in northern Iran, will have 270 megawatts installed capacity, according to a statement from the Swiss holding company. Turbine testing is already happening onsite, according to MECI Chairman Jeremiah Josey… MECI, which also agreed to build a 100-megawatt combined heat and power plant that will burn natural gas, will finance the project with a bond issue and equity partners, according to Josey.  Josey anticipates signing agreements for another 500 megawatts of renewable-energy plants once the wind farm progresses. MECI has a target to install 1 gigawatt of clean power in Iran, which will be a mix of solar and wind. (Bloomberg, "Swiss MECI Group Signs Deal in Iran for $839 Million Wind Farm," 9/20/2016).

iQ Power

Industry
Automotive, Manufacturing
Country
Switzerland
Sources

"iQ Power Licensing AG signs new distributorship for Iran. The agreement was signed with EBTEKAR MEHR APADANA GROUP (EMACO)." (Reuters, "Brief-iQ Power Licensing AG signs new distributorship for Iran." 7/22/2016).

Buhler

Industry
Engineering
States
MN
Country
Switzerland
Contact Information
Sources

Has its own Iran office.

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“With its vast gas and oil resources and more than 80 million inhabitants, many of whom are well-educated and wealthy, Iran has great economic potentials, especially if sanctions are lifted,” the news platform owned by the Swiss public broadcasting corporation SRG SSR said. Small- and medium-sized Swiss companies as well as multinationals, such as food giant Nestle, cement company Holcim and pharmaceutical company Novartis are already active in Iran. Buhler, a manufacturer of a range of agricultural equipment, has been present in Iran since 1976. Apart from its headquarters in Tehran, the company has a production site in Astara and sells mills and other food processing equipment on the Iranian market." (PressTV, "Swiss traders size up Iran prospects," 4/23/15)

Evasan

Industry
Financial Services
Country
Switzerland
Contact Information
Sources

Lists Iran Doostan Travel & Tour Agency as a partner in Iran.

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“Switzerland's Evasan Insurance Company announced that it will soon open a branch in Tehran. ‘We are now providing travel insurance services in Iran and plan to increase our presence in the country through opening a branch office,’ Pedram Habibi said on the sidelines of the 8th International Bourse, Banking and Insurance Exhibition in Tehran on Tuesday. He noted that the Swiss insurance company has already obtained the European Union's official permission to take part in joint activities with Iranian firms. Habibi said that Evasan has already obtained the needed permission to provide travel insurance coverage in Iran." (Fars, "Swiss Insurance Company Plans to Launch Operation in Iran Soon" 6/10/2014)