Swiss Precision Turning, founded by Willy Buhlmann in 1990, has long been integral to Brattleboro’s manufacturing landscape, producing precision-machined parts for medical, aerospace, optical, and geotechnical applications. Operating as a tenant in BDCC’s Cotton Mill building for over three decades, Swiss Precision’s steady growth has been supported by BDCC’s comprehensive business ecosystem, providing incubation, advisory services, and a physical location in which to grow their operations.
When Willy contemplated retirement, preserving the legacy and stability of his business was paramount. Recognizing the values of employee ownership and community stewardship at Lebanon, NH-based Geokon, Swiss Precision’s largest customer, Willy saw a clear path forward. With Geokon transitioning to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), he transferred ownership of Swiss Precision to Geokon, safeguarding Swiss Precision’s future in Brattleboro and ensuring his employees directly benefit from their collective success.
ESOPs and worker cooperatives play a critical role in stabilizing rural economies like Windham County’s. As businesses like Swiss Precision face transitions due to owner retirements, cooperative models ensure these enterprises and the quality jobs they provide remain locally rooted.
“We have a lot of tenured, highly skilled employees,” says Garrett Sargent, Swiss Precision’s Plant Operations Manager. “Employee ownership means we retain and reward these valuable team members rather than risk losing them.”
Statistics highlight both the urgency and opportunity behind cooperative transitions: more than 200,000 small business owners in New England and New York anticipate retiring soon, but just 20% have clear succession plans. Cooperative models, particularly ESOPs, emerge as not only practical but economically beneficial solutions, promoting higher productivity, employee engagement, and local economic stability.
While not directly involved in Swiss Precision’s ESOP, BDCC lauds the success and actively supports cooperative transitions in many forms, providing technical assistance to businesses navigating ownership changes. A newly awarded USDA Rural Cooperative Development Grant allows BDCC to further enhance this essential work, partnering closely with organizations like the Vermont Employee Ownership Center (VEOC) to ensure more local businesses successfully transition to employee ownership. Cooperative transitions such as Swiss Precision’s demonstrate how rural communities can thrive sustainably, keeping wealth, jobs, and economic activity right here in Southern Vermont.
“This is a truly uplifting story,” notes Al Claussen, BDCC’s Real Estate Director. “It aligns perfectly with our mission to nurture a vibrant, economically healthy region. Cooperative transitions like Swiss Precision’s demonstrate how rural communities can thrive sustainably, keeping wealth, jobs, and economic activity right here in Southern Vermont.”
By championing employee ownership, BDCC underscores the crucial connection between cooperative models and regional economic health, ensuring that businesses like Swiss Precision continue to flourish as cornerstones of their communities.
