As part of Erwin Ruedisuehli’s retirement, we took the opportunity to look back with him on his impressive career, especially his time at Bühler + Scherler AG. From his apprenticeship to demanding challenges abroad to managing national and international projects – his professional experiences are both varied and inspiring.
What did you do before your time at Bühler + Scherler?
I began my career with a four-year apprenticeship as an electrician in St. Gallen and then completed my military service. Then I spent three years installing telephone systems for hospitals and companies. Searching for a new challenge, I signed a contract with Cerberus (now Siemens) to work in the fire alarm and burglar alarm systems sector. However, I never actually took the job.
How did your career at Bühler + Scherler begin?
I was president and trainer of the St. Gallen Judo Club, and the managing director of Scherler at the time, Werner Buob, had three daughters in our club. When he found out that I was an electrician, he wanted to recruit me for Scherler Consulting. At that time, however, I had already signed a contract with Ceberus and so unfortunately had to tell them that I would not be taking up the position. So in 1982 I signed an employment contract with Scherler and started working at Zürcherstrasse 511 in April 1983. The following year, the joint venture between Scherler Consulting and Bühler was formed, marking the beginning of Bühler + Scherler.
You were hired for the control department at the time. How was it that you were sent to Algeria?
I was actually originally hired for the control department, but at the beginning of May I was sent to Touggourt in Algeria to train six electricians in a new grain mill. I hadn’t spoken French for seven years and I was only able to attend the intensive course in St. Gallen for one month because I had to leave early. The conditions there were very different to those in Switzerland and as a Swiss person I naturally stood out. For example, there were mostly Bedouin tents and no brick houses. Water was also very scarce there.
On my return I took over the quotation department for Bühler projects. Sales in England of special turnkey projects with full assembly were very successful and so I became director of our new branch in England, Brookshaw Stuart International, from 1992 to 1997, managing projects for Bühler and also for other customers. During this time I lived in Chelmsford, UK, for six years and was responsible for market areas in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
When I returned to St. Gallen, I built up relationships with Bühler branches in Braunschweig, Minneapolis, Johannesburg and Joinville. In 2000, I took over the management of the entire international division, now known as IP. This was followed by the establishment of electrical design and installation teams in Johannesburg and Minneapolis however, this did not prove successful and was discontinued.
From around 2010, I started building up the market in Southeast Asia, which proved to be very successful. In 2017, we began discussions about establishing a subsidiary in Brazil, which was then implemented in 2020. This was followed by similar initiatives in India and America. These locations started successfully in 2023/2024.
What were the biggest challenges you faced during your time at the company?
One of the biggest challenges was to always hold our own against local competition in all our projects. We were only able to do this thanks to our technical advantage, our process knowledge, modern and intelligent solutions and the automation of our tools. Another significant challenge arose at the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic. All sales negotiations had to be carried out via Teams, which was extremely difficult. The customers often did not speak English as their native language and wore masks, which meant that facial expressions were not recognizable. It often felt like flying blind.
Shortly before the lockdown, we founded Bühler & Scherler Brazil, which presented us with very big challenges, especially for our employees on site in Brazil. Even opening a bank account was a big challenge at that time.
Is there one project that you are particularly proud of and if so why – what was extraordinary?
Over the past 42 years, I have had the privilege of working on many remarkable projects. Two of these projects stand out in my memory and I would like to highlight them.
The first project was the Multi-Food plant in Lae, Papua New Guinea, where the client Goodman Fielder from Australia, part of Wilmar International, asked me to negotiate the entire power supply for this plant, which requires around 7.5 MVA of power. Due to the size of the plant, a medium voltage supply was chosen. In addition, the plant has a diesel generator as a backup for the entire output. Our team was responsible for the complete engineering of the power supply, earthing, process installation and lighting. We also supplied the required materials and provided a site manager. The logistical challenges were considerable, as the plant is on the other side of the world and the journey alone took 52 hours. During my three visits to the site, I spent a total of four nights on the plane during a 10-day trip.
Another outstanding project was our long-term collaboration with Swissmill in Zurich (part of the Coop cooperative). For over 20 years, we were responsible for all electrical installations at Swissmill. A particularly demanding project was the replacement of the entire medium-voltage system during an Easter weekend. A competitor offered a project duration of 8 weeks in 9 conversion steps including temporary work, but we ultimately completed the entire project in three days. In addition, we supported the construction of the new 118-meter-high granary during ongoing operations, which was also extremely challenging and exciting.
You have traveled abroad a lot, which country fascinated you the most or perhaps even surprised you the most?
That’s a difficult question. Every country, without exception, possesses its own fascination, however different they may be. It is difficult to compare the desert of Saudi Arabia, Yemen or Oman with countries like Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines or Indonesia. I was particularly impressed by the visible progress that these countries have made when you return there after a few years. Everywhere I went I was fascinated by the people I met and the many friendships that developed as a result.
How have business trips changed since you started?
Business travel has changed enormously since I started. In 1983 there were no computers, no internet, no cell phones, no GPS and not even fax machines. Only telex was available. All documents had to be taken in paper form, often in suitcases. When I first flew to Algeria, my name wasn’t even on the ticket.
Today, however, you travel with an e-ticket, a cell phone and a laptop. If you have even the smallest problem, you can call home and get immediate support. You have to remember that back in Algeria, I had to wait up to 2.5 hours to get a telephone connection to Switzerland. Of course, you had to think twice about whether a call was really necessary.
Which trends and developments in the industry did you find particularly significant?
The physics of electrical engineering has remained the same, but almost everything else has changed to a greater or lesser extent. In the past, everything was calculated and designed by hand, and drawings were made manually with ink. With the introduction of computers and calculation programs, everything became much simpler. Electrical components have become smaller and safer, and project turnaround times have been significantly reduced.
Can you tell us one of the highlights from your time at Bühler + Scherler?
As already mentioned, there were many highlights during this time, but the biggest for me was the founding of the three subsidiaries in Brazil, India and America, in which I was able to play a key role.
With all the experiences and memories you have gained over the last 40 years, what will you take with you into your retirement?
I think the most important thing I have learned during this time is patience, respect and tolerance towards all my fellow human beings, regardless of their origin or type. And I have learned what is most extraordinary about Switzerland, the distinctiveness of the four seasons, which is why I can and want to only live in Switzerland. Teamwork was another key aspect that I will remember. Over all the years, I have greatly appreciated the fantastic collaboration with my colleagues at Bühler + Scherler, but also with the Bühler teams around the world. At this point, I would like to thank them again from the bottom of my heart for their tireless commitment and good cooperation. Not to forget the trust, encouragement and support of our Managing Director and the Board of Directors – a big thank you to them too.
You have been retired since last October, what are your retirement plans?
I haven’t really had the chance to make a start yet. In recent years, however, I’ve neglected spending time in nature and staying fit. Of course, it’s also nice to have more time for my grandchildren.
