1.0Market Snapshot
- 673
- Enterprises in technical, physical and chemical testing and analysis (NOGA 71.20) in 2024, BFS STATENT, up from 595 in 2011. Certification bodies that are associations, and in-house laboratories, may be classified elsewhere.
- 8,139
- Employees in testing and analysis in 2024 (6,749 full-time equivalents), BFS STATENT — about 10 full-time staff per enterprise.
- +2.6%
- Employment growth in 2024 (7,929 to 8,139), BFS STATENT. Employment has grown 13.8% since 2020.
- CHF 6,945M
- Sales of SGS, the world's largest testing, inspection and certification group, in 2025: 5.6% organic growth and a 16.0% adjusted operating margin (SGS, February 2026).
- 19
- Bolt-on acquisitions SGS closed in 2025, with five more in early 2026 — together more than CHF 190 million of annual sales.
According to Val Index analysis of Swiss commercial-register and federal data (2026), Switzerland counts 673 testing, inspection & certification companies — Enterprises in technical, physical and chemical testing and analysis (NOGA 71.20) in 2024, BFS STATENT, up from 595 in 2011. Certification bodies that are associations, and in-house laboratories, may be classified elsewhere..
2.0Industry Overview
Testing, inspection and certification (TIC) companies check that products, materials, machines and management systems meet standards and laws. In Switzerland the BFS counts 673 enterprises with 8,139 employees in technical, physical and chemical testing and analysis (STATENT, 2024), up from 595 enterprises and 6,934 employees in 2011. Many are small specialised laboratories; a few large groups account for much of the employment. Zurich alone has 2,852 employees in 106 enterprises — 27 per enterprise. The BFS does not publish the sector's revenue, and the national accreditation service SAS, part of SECO, accredits the laboratories, inspection bodies and certification bodies whose results are recognised.
3.0Industry Health Check (SWOT)
- Demand driven by law: many tests and inspections are mandatory
- Small labs depend on a few accredited experts
- Bolt-on acquisitions by global groups (SGS closed 19 in 2025)→ §7.0
- Changes in Swiss–EU mutual recognition of conformity assessments
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8.0Regional Clusters
Zurich
106 enterprises with 2,852 employees in 2024 (BFS STATENT, NOGA 71.20) — 35% of the sector's employment and 27 per enterprise. TÜV SÜD Schweiz, Bureau Veritas Switzerland and Swiss Safety Center are registered here.
Bern and Solothurn
88 enterprises with 1,745 employees; Bern alone has 1,468.
Western Switzerland
183 enterprises — the most of any region — but 1,274 employees: small laboratories dominate.
Northwestern Switzerland
94 enterprises with 1,116 employees; Aargau has 768.
Central Switzerland
42 enterprises with 425 employees; SGS has its registered office in Baar (ZG) since November 2025.
Eastern Switzerland
72 enterprises with 406 employees.
Ticino
73 enterprises with 317 employees.
Sources
Corrections
Figures and statements from the February 2026 edition that this edition withdraws or corrects, and why.
- "CHF 3-4B market" withdrawn: the BFS does not publish the sector's revenue and the figure had no source.
- "~800 companies" and "~18,000 employees" replaced by BFS STATENT 2024 for NOGA 71.20: 673 enterprises and 8,139 employees.
- "+5% growth" replaced by the measured employment growth of 2.6% in 2024.
- SGS corrected: its registered office moved from Geneva to Baar (ZG) on 1 November 2025.
- SQS and Electrosuisse removed from the key players: they are associations, not companies. METAS removed: it is a federal institute. Intertek, STS Swiss Testing Solutions and QS Zurich removed: not verified for this edition.
- Bureau Veritas corrected: its Swiss company is registered in Weiningen (ZH).
- The cost split is now labelled as indicative: it was never measured.
9.0Frequently Asked Questions
▶How much is a testing, inspection or certification company worth in Switzerland?
ValIndex's multiples table puts Swiss testing, inspection and certification firms at 6.5–9.5× EBITDA in transactions and 5.0–7.0× EBITDA on statutory valuations. Accredited firms with recurring inspection contracts and experts who stay after the sale sit at the upper end; small labs that depend on one or two people sit lower.
▶What drives the value of a Swiss testing laboratory?
Buyers price: (1) accreditations and their scope; (2) recurring inspection and audit contracts; (3) qualified experts and their commitment after the sale; (4) specialisation — for example environmental, food or electrical testing; (5) laboratory equipment and its age; (6) client concentration.
▶How big is the Swiss testing, inspection and certification sector?
BFS STATENT counts 673 enterprises and 8,139 employees in technical, physical and chemical testing and analysis in 2024 (6,749 full-time equivalents). The BFS does not publish the sector's revenue. SGS alone had sales of CHF 6,945 million worldwide in 2025.
▶Who are the main testing, inspection and certification companies in Switzerland?
SGS is the world's largest TIC group, with its registered office in Baar (ZG) since November 2025. Other companies include Swiss Safety Center (SVTI group, Wallisellen), TÜV SÜD Schweiz (Zurich) and Bureau Veritas Switzerland (Weiningen). Associations such as SQS and Electrosuisse also certify and test.
▶What are the key trends in Swiss testing and certification?
Five trends: (1) a record 2025 for SGS — 5.6% organic growth; (2) bolt-on acquisitions of specialised labs; (3) the SGS–Bureau Veritas merger talks ended in January 2025; (4) SGS moved its registered office to Zug; (5) Swiss employment in the sector rose 13.8% from 2020 to 2024.
▶What are the main risks when buying a Swiss testing laboratory?
The main risks are: (1) losing accreditation or key experts; (2) dependence on a few clients; (3) changes to Swiss–EU recognition of conformity assessments; (4) liability for test results; (5) investment needs for new equipment. Due diligence should check accreditation scopes, audit findings and expert contracts.
▶Who buys Swiss testing and inspection firms?
The most active buyers are global TIC groups such as SGS, Bureau Veritas and TÜV SÜD, which buy specialised laboratories as bolt-ons — SGS closed 19 in 2025 — as well as Swiss groups such as the SVTI group and larger laboratories.
▶Where are Swiss testing and inspection companies located?
Zurich has the most employment (2,852 employees in 106 enterprises in 2024), followed by Bern and Solothurn (1,745 in 88), Western Switzerland (1,274 in 183), Northwestern Switzerland (1,116 in 94), Central Switzerland (425 in 42), Eastern Switzerland (406 in 72) and Ticino (317 in 73).