1994: Shop closure in Zurich’s Niederdorf and new opportunities in Zufikon
Bianchi History, Part 4
Did you know that it has already been 23 years since Bianchi, due to its success and the resulting growth, was forced to give up its headquarters in the city of Zurich and move to a „greenfield“ site? The local press was abuzz when it was announced that Bianchi would be withdrawing from the city center.
Space became tight, traffic volume increased, and complaints from the neighborhood grew louder. The continued rapid growth of the customer base in the gastronomy and hotel sectors required an expansion of the vehicle fleet, leading to an increase in turnover frequency in front of the shop on Marktgasse. After all, reliability and punctuality were already cornerstones of Bianchi’s success back then. This was contrasted by the city’s increasingly strict traffic regulations, which did not make daily work any easier.
After several unsuccessful negotiations and discussions with all parties involved, the decision was made with a heavy heart to give up the shop on Marktgasse and take the opportunity to adapt the entire infrastructure to current needs. The ideal location was found in Zufikon, in the canton of Aargau. Perfectly situated for distribution to all parts of the country, the company also invested in a state-of-the-art cold storage facility, a sophisticated high-bay warehouse, and its own processing center.
With each passing day, the tears gave way to a growing sense of happiness about the new opportunities that were now opening up. The approximately 60 employees at the time found themselves in an environment that left nothing to be desired for meeting Bianchi’s high standards. The risk paid off, the plan worked: Bianchi multiplied its customer base and has quadrupled its number of employees to date.
The difficulties of that time are now history, which people in the company’s break rooms sometimes look back on with a smile. It comes with the realization that change always holds something positive if you embrace it.