Swiss Lions rankings | 2026 edition
Kistler
Kistler is No. 10 in the Technology and Software ranking, with a score of 30.3 out of 100. It is not among the Swiss Lions 100 for 2026. Registered office: Winterthur, canton of Zurich.
- Swiss Lions score
- 30.3
- Swiss Lions 100
- Not in the 100 for 2026
- Technology and Software
- 10of 15
About
Winterthur-based, family-owned maker of piezoelectric sensors and measurement systems for pressure and force, used in process monitoring, vehicle and engine testing, infrastructure and large-engine monitoring.
Kistler develops and manufactures dynamic measurement technology based on piezoelectric sensors, together with charge amplifiers, data acquisition systems and software. Its products are used to monitor and control production processes, including plastics processing for medical technology, in engine and vehicle development and crash testing, for weigh-in-motion and structural monitoring of infrastructure such as bridges, and for monitoring large engines in shipping and energy. The family-owned group is headquartered in Winterthur, where it plans a smart factory, and is building a regional headquarters for Asia in Kuala Lumpur. Sales were CHF 424 million in 2025, of which about 9% is invested in research and development.
- Piezoelectric pressure and force sensors
- Charge amplifiers and data acquisition (KiDAQ)
- Process monitoring systems (maXYmos)
- Combustion analysis (KiBox)
- Weigh-in-motion systems (KiTraffic)
- Joining and fastening systems
Links
How the score is made
Global scale
CHF 424m revenue.
Swiss value
Partly Swiss made.
Global visibility
Online attention across languages, and worldwide search interest.
Impact
No current SBTi target. Not a certified B Corp.
Philanthropy
No charitable foundation found.
Impact and philanthropy together make up the impact measure. How the ranking works.
Key figures
- Revenue used in the ranking
- CHF 424m2025, company
Not listed on a stock exchange, so profit, dividends and employee numbers are not published in a comparable form.
We have not found a published figure for employees in Switzerland for 2025 or 2026, and dividends paid to Swiss shareholders are not published, so neither is shown.
Profile
- Registered office
- WinterthurCanton of Zurich
- Language region
- German-speaking
- Category
- Technology and Software
- Ownership
- Family-ownedSonderegger family
- Chief executive
- Marc SchaadSince 2025. Source
- Founded
- 1959
In Switzerland
- Winterthur ZHHeadquarters and production
Over time
| Year | Net sales |
|---|---|
| 2025 | CHF 424m |
| 2024 | CHF 448m |
As reported by the company, in its own reporting currency.
Milestones
- 1959Kistler Instrumente AG founded by Walter P. Kistler and Hans Conrad Sonderegger.
- 1961Launches the world's first quartz force sensor, according to the company.
- 2002Rolf Sonderegger takes over management and acquires Walter P. Kistler's shares.
- 2025Marc Schaad succeeds Rolf Sonderegger as CEO after 22 years.
Also in Technology and Software
See all 15 brands in Technology and Software. Read the 2026 data story for Technology and Software.
Sources
- Revenue used in the ranking: kistler.com (2025).
- Company profile, sites, history and milestones: polyformnext.de, kistler.com.
- Climate target: Science Based Targets initiative dashboard, status at 30 June 2026. Foundations: Swiss commercial register. B Corp: B Lab directory.
Something out of date?
If a figure is wrong, or Kistler can publish figures for the next edition, tell us. Corrections are recorded with their source.