Interactive map of Switzerland as a pharma hub

Today, Interpharma is launching a map of its members’ locations. It provides an interactive overview of the 54 locations of Interpharma member companies in Switzerland: which research-based pharmaceutical companies are members of Interpharma? Where are their locations? Which carry out research, which production? How many employees does the research-based pharmaceutical industry have in the different regions of Switzerland? Embark on a journey of discovery and learn more about Interpharma and our member companies!

Research-based pharmaceutical companies are the driving force behind Switzerland as a hub for business and innovation. The pharmaceutical industry is a pillar of the economy, contributing to an above-average degree to Switzerland’s prosperity. Accounting for a direct share of 5.4% of gross domestic product (GDP), it is one of the most important sectors of the private economy in Switzerland. Today, our country is one of the most important pharmaceutical research hubs in the world alongside the US, and its reputation extends well beyond Europe. In 2020, the research-based pharmaceutical companies invested close to CHF 9 billion in research and development (R&D) in Switzerland, almost twice the volume of turnover achieved in Switzerland. Every franc transferred from the Swiss healthcare system to the pharmaceutical industry is reinvested almost twice over in Switzerland. Some 46,000 employees work for the industry. A total of 250,000 jobs depend on the success of the pharmaceutical industry.

And as the association of research-based pharmaceutical companies in Switzerland, Interpharma represents the lion’s share of the Swiss pharmaceutical industry: the association has 23 member companies, which in turn operate 54 locations and employ 39,600 people throughout Switzerland.

But which companies are represented by Interpharma? Where do they operate in Switzerland, and what are they working on? With our interactive map, we can now provide you a compact and clear answer to these questions.

The interactive map of Interpharma member companies works in both desktop and mobile versions, has a zoom function and offers a range of filters: the Swiss pharmaceutical industry can be explored in optimal fashion by geographic location, by company or by type of activity. When a location is selected, a box opens with key information about the company, its locations and their fields of activity. View the user manual for more information:

Manual: Here’s how to use the interactive location map

1. Start view

The start view shows the map of Switzerland with all 54 locations of Interpharma’s members. Use the (+) and (-) buttons (right) to operate the zoom function. It also works by scrolling with the cursor or with fingers in the mobile view.

The different types of locations are indicated by color: Blue indicates a location where research and development is conducted, while green indicates a production site. Orange indicates locations for distribution and services. Many locations have several functions; for example, Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Boudry location is used for both research and development (R&D) and distribution and services (yellow arrow), so the location is shown with the different colored circles on top of each other. In contrast, Takeda’s Neuchâtel location is exclusively a production facility (orange arrow).

If you click or tap on a location, the circle turns black and an info box opens. This tells you where the location is situated geographically, with information about the company that operates the site. The link at the end of the info box takes you to the member company’s website.

Using the left and right arrows at the top of the info box, you can move to the next nearest location and conveniently click through the entire map in this manner. This is particularly helpful in regions that have numerous locations (Basel area, Zurich area, Zug area).

2. Filter by location

If you select “Locations” at the top, a map opens with major regions shown in different colors (orange: Region Western Switzerland; blue: Region Northwestern Switzerland; green: Region Central and Eastern Switzerland; gray: Others). The zoom function also works here, and clicking a specific location on the map opens the info box.

In the sidebar on the right, you can filter by site activity (click on the blue circle for R&D sites; green for production sites; and orange for distribution/service sites).

Several filters can be layered (the example shows R&D sites and production sites). Clicking a filter again deactivates it.

If you click “Locations” in the sidebar, a scroll-down field with all the geographic locations opens. One location or several locations can be selected together. Clicking them again deactivates the locations and they are no longer shown on the map. In this example, the Allschwil BL and Aubonne VD locations were selected.

If you click “Companies” in the sidebar, a scroll-down field with a list of all Interpharma member companies opens. One company or several companies can be selected together. Clicking a company again deactivates it and it is no longer shown on the map. In this example, the companies AbbVie and Amgen were selected.

3. Filter by company

If you select “Companies” at the top, a map opens with major regions shown in different colors (orange: Region Western Switzerland; blue: Region Northwestern Switzerland; green: Region Central and Eastern Switzerland; gray: Others). In the scroll-down field on the right, select the desired company and all the company’s locations in Switzerland will be shown on the map. The zoom function also works here, and clicking a specific location on the map opens the info box.

4. Facts and figures info table

In all views, a static table is displayed under the location map. On the left, you can see the total number of employees of all Interpharma member companies, broken down by major region. In the center, you can see the number of people employed by Interpharma member companies, broken down by activity. On the right, you can see the total revenue of all Interpharma member companies in Switzerland compared with their total investment in research and development in Switzerland.