MSA is the world’s leading manufacturer of safety products designed to protect people and facility infrastructures. The American safety company with its headquarters in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, employs approximately 4’600 people globally with manufacturing operations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
When looking for a new European Principal Office, Switzerland proved to be the ideal location due to its centrality to all of MSA Europe’s facilities. After much due diligence the headquarters was opened in June 2014 in Rapperswil-Jona which is a community in the canton of St. Gallen. The site not only enables efficient access to the corporate headquarters in the United States but also offers excellent transportation services throughout the region. This advantage allows MSA employees and visitors from the US to travel to and from Jona with great ease. Ronald N. Herring, President of MSA Europe GmbH, considers the canton of St. Gallen as a «stable and attractive region» for the recruitment of talent. The «business-friendly environment with competitive tax structures and a wonderful quality of life for the employees» also played a key role in the decision of the settlement.
Welcomed with open arms
Ronald N. Herring was extremely pleased with the whole settling process. From the very beginning when MSA established contact with the Swiss Business Hub in New York, the representative of the Swiss trade and investment promotion agency Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE) in the US, up to the collaboration with the canton of St. Gallen, the support they have received to start their business in Rapperswil-Jona worked out fantastically. «Our experience liaising with the Swiss authorities could not have gone better. Thanks to the highly professional and courteous attitude of all the representatives we felt very welcomed. We are delighted with our decision», the native US American states. With regards to the future he seems enthusiastic when explaining the intention of maintaining a long and secure relationship with the community.
