However, the founders soon realised that the potential of the company was far greater than just vehicle design: as early as 1991, they expanded their services to include IT development as well as simulation and calculation tools for traction current systems, which were successfully used to model the Zurich S-Bahn. The success of the company’s first projects and self-developed tools opened the doors to international projects for the engineers. One of the first was the proof of signalling compatibility for the Tube Stock railcar of the London Underground Central Line in 1993.
By this point, the first step abroad had already been taken. The foundation of the English subsidiary Enotrac UK Ltd. in Sutton near London in 1992 was the start of Enotrac’s international expansion. In addition to Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the company expanded its activities to the rest of Europe, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, China and South America. The Enotrac experts were able to share their expertise outside of Switzerland in major international projects such as the construction of the Eurotunnel. This decisively expanded the company’s range of activities and influence internationally.
In 1999, a close collaboration began with the company PC-Soft, out of which emerged VIPSCARSIS, the successor product to TRACTIVITY. In 2006, Enotrac founded the conformity assessment body SCONRAIL AG together with the companies PROSE AG and TÜV InterTraffic GmbH. In the same year, Enotrac moved into larger premises in Thun, right next to the railway station. The projects kept getting bigger: involvement in the NRLA project of the century marked another milestone for the company.
Over the years, it became clear that the path taken had led to success: in 2015 Enotrac was able to hold its own in 4th place among the six finalists for the SVC Enterprise Award of the Swiss Venture Club (SVC) business network. Over 50,000 companies are eligible for this multi-stage selection process in the Mittelland region alone.
2017 marked the start of a new generation. The two founders handed over control and their shares in the company to a new management team. However, Heinz Voegeli and Dieter Würgler remained with Enotrac as senior engineers and project managers until their retirement. The transition was seamless and the company’s success story continued. In the same year, an additional office was opened in Lausanne. And the company’s area of expertise was also expanded. In 2019, Enotrac expanded its services to include catenary design.
Following those years, Enotrac experienced significant grow, enhanced its public image, and engaged in prestigious international projects. By January 2024, the team expanded to approximately 70 employees, a milestone for the group.. The increase in staff led to organisational changes: the creation of theme-focused teams and the addition of a new management tier, which further aligned the company with market demands. In line with these changes, the role of Head of Finance and Human Resources was elevated to join the Executive Board.
To enhance its presence in Zurich and eastern Switzerland, Enotrac opened a new office in Winterthur in August 2023. Concurently Enotrac unveiled a new business division focused on digitalisation. This move not only fortifies its existing ventures in cybersecurity and control and signalling technology, but also injects fresh momentum into its product business.
Since its foundation, Enotrac has established itself as a reliable company in the market. Great importance has always been placed on the highest quality and technical excellence in the solutions developed. Railways will continue to play an important role in mobility in the future, and development of the railway system requires not only experience, but knowledge of state-of-the-art technolgies. Participation in follow-up projects of the Swiss railway industry’s SmartRail 4.0 innovation programme to increase safety and capacity is an important step in this regard. What will never change, however, is our employees’ enthusiasm for the railway system.
