Affolter Group is investing in a major expansion and renovation of its headquarters in Valbirse (Grand Chasseral, canton of Bern). Work has been under way since 2024 and will continue through 2027.
The project will add 2,750 m² of new space, increasing the company’s total footprint to 10,500 m², while also fully modernizing existing production and office facilities originally built between 1993 and 1999. This long-term investment reflects Affolter Group’s commitment to sustainable growth, expanded production capacity, and an enhanced working environment for employees, customers, and partners.
“This expansion is a strategic step to support our long-term growth and ensure we can meet rising demand with the highest Swiss quality standards,” said Mikael Affolter, head of sales at Affolter Group. “At the same time, it strengthens our ability to serve forward-looking industries — especially robotics — where precision gearing is essential for the next generation of motion systems.”
Alongside its infrastructure investment, Affolter Group, a Swiss family-owned enterprise and global leader in high-precision gear hobbing solutions, continues to reinforce its technology leadership in high-precision gear manufacturing. The company’s solutions serve industries including aerospace, automotive, medical devices, micromechanics, and increasingly, robotics. In particular, the rapidly expanding humanoid robotics market represents a major growth opportunity. These advanced machines rely on compact, highly accurate gear systems to achieve smooth, human-like movement. With expertise developed since the company’s founding in 1919, Affolter is uniquely positioned to support the manufacturing of miniature gears critical to robotics performance — such as planetary gears, harmonic drives, and satellite roller gears.
This capability is exemplified by the company’s two core gear hobbing centers, the AF140 and AF160. The AF140, launched in 2025, is a compact, high-speed machine designed for gears up to 40 mm in diameter and a 1 mm module. It combines precision, versatility, and automation readiness, with smart connectivity, remote service capabilities, and full integration through the Pegasus CNC control system
