ABOUT THE GRM
A non-profit organisation, the GRPM serves as a meeting platform between:
- contracting companies or businesses that can or wish to provide goods and services to the Confederation’s procurement bodies, this being armasuisse for the defence industry
- subcontractor companies (usually small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) located in French-speaking Switzerland)
- individuals active in the security industry or in the defence market.
The GRPM’s major efforts are linked to offset transactions, direct or indirect:
- Excellent connections and contact with Swiss parliamentarians, the DDPS [Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport], the army and armasuisse
- Events that facilitate meetings, networking and information sharing
- Web pages that allow companies/members to introduce themselves, specifying their contact details and their field of activity
- A point of contact and an office for answering any questions relating to the security and defence industry in Switzerland.
THE GRPM'S STRATEGY
The economy in French-speaking Switzerland benefits from a representative portion of the Confederation’s orders.
A non-profit organisation, the GRPM is recognised as a meeting platform between member companies, Armed Forces Planning, the Swiss Confederation’s procurement bodies and contractor companies.
The Confederation works alongside the Swiss economy to define and apply a strategic industrial skills threshold, thereby preserving expertise and jobs in areas of excellence.
The GRPM is committed to creating a political and administrative environment supportive of companies in French-speaking Switzerland that are active in the military and civil fields of defence and security.
The GRPM promotes Swiss companies (Swiss Buy Act) and supports an adequate proportion of offsets and federal and regional orders in French-speaking Switzerland.
The GRPM offers its members access to national and international contracting parties, facilitating business.
The GRPM is committed to defining a strategic industrial skills threshold in Switzerland (STIB - Security-relevant Technology and Industry Base), contributing to its maintenance and to the development of associated jobs.
The GRPM promotes the creation of a network across which companies can share their skills.
The GRPM communicates openly and regularly with its partners and the public through modern means of communication.
Regular discussion with Armed Forces Planning and mutual exchange of information ahead of projects led by armasuisse (Masterplan)
Promotion of the Swiss Buy Act with an adequate proportion for French-speaking Switzerland
Promotion and active use of the Swiss industrial skills database (STIB) for acquiring and maintaining expertise and employment in the Defence and Security industries
Coordinated work on large projects (PA 1.5 billion; 5 years or more) and small projects (AEB, EIB, AMB, PEB, W&T; annual projects, 1.2 billion)
New management of offsets and industrial holdings
Active B2B platform between members as well as with national contracting parties Concrete proposals for transfer and use of remaining funds Increased awareness in higher education institutions (MILAK [Military Academy], EPFL [Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne], ESCA [School of Management]) of the need to develop skills and added value in the Defence and Security fields.
THE GRPM’S OBJECTIVES
The GRPM organises contact platforms that make it possible for its members to access orders in the defence and security industries.
The GRPM centres its activities around three pillars: domestic demands of the Swiss Army, offsets and exports.
For the 2021 – 2025 period, the GRPM is prioritising industrial collaborations in the fields of combat aircraft, anti-aircraft defence, artillery and armoured vehicles (these industries will be the target of significant investments).
To achieve its objectives, the GRPM is actively collaborating with complementary associations such as Swissmem and the GAIN.
Through intensive political and administrative lobbying, the GRPM is committed to creating an environment that supports companies in French-speaking Switzerland.
ACTIVITIES
The GRPM offers its members a platform for information sharing and networking on multiple levels through organised events.
These events provide opportunities to meet with the leaders of armasuisse and the army, political figures and other members of the GRPM.
- B2B (Business to Business) meetings with major contracting parties, especially during important procurement programmes
- Informational conferences about offset transactions and how they work
- An annual convention on security, addressing a topical issue
- ‘Skills showcases’ allowing our members to introduce themselves to managers (buyers, project managers) of major contracting parties in Switzerland and abroad,
- Lunches with parliamentarians
CHARTER
The GRPM (French-speaking Swiss Group for Defence and Security Equipment) is an association of companies that are active in the security market. Its objectives are to provide its members with:
Through its actions, the GRPM, a non-profit group, promotes innovation and helps maintain and develop highly skilled jobs.
- Access to a platform of contacts and a skills network between major contracting parties and suppliers of goods and services, regardless of their place in the added value chain,
- The ability to bring together groups of companies with complementary skills,
- Political support (the Confederation, cantons and municipalities) to back the shared interests of its members,
- Access to information on offset transactions in Switzerland and abroad.
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
Under the name ‘Groupe Romand pour le Matériel de Défense et de Sécurité (GRPM)’, for an unlimited period of time, an association governed by the present Articles of Association and by Articles 60 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code is formed.
The founding members of the association will be the members of the ‘Groupe romand de production de matériel militaire’ [French-speaking Swiss Group for the Production of Military Equipment].
The association takes over the rights and obligations of the ‘Groupe romand de production de matériel militaire’.
Its registered office is at the domicile of the secretary general.
The association’s objectives include, in particular:
creating an internal and external environment that promotes French-speaking Swiss companies active in the defence and security equipment industry;
strengthening its members’ image with military and civil bodies, both private and public, that are involved in preparations and decisions regarding the evaluation and purchase of defence and security equipment;
representing the interests of its members as an intermediary within their relations, particularly those with the State, the bodies responsible for evaluating and purchasing defence and security equipment, politicians and the press;
leading or participating in activities specifically promoting the development of the defence and security industry.
Only companies with business operations in French-speaking Switzerland, especially those involved in the production, subcontracting, development and transfer of technology in defence and security equipment, may be part of the association.
The committee registers the memberships, which must be submitted in writing; reasons need not be given for any refusal.
Membership is lost:
by written resignation addressed to the committee at least three months prior to the end of the calendar year;
by cessation of the company’s business activity;
by the committee’s verdict of removal when the member no longer meets the statutory requirements.
The governing bodies of the association are:
a) the General Meeting;
b) the committee;
c) the auditing body;
the permanent secretary.
The General Meeting is the uppermost body of the association; it includes all of the members who are convened by means of a circular letter at least once in the first half of every year and as often as circumstances require. It must be convened when so requested by at least one fifth of the members.
Each member has one vote (one vote per company and its branch offices). Decisions are taken by a majority of the members present.
The Meeting particularly takes decisions on the accounts and the annual membership fees. It appoints the committee members as well as the auditors. The committee presents an action plan and a budget.
The committee consists of at least five members appointed by the General Meeting for three years; these members must come from member companies of the association. A company may delegate only one person. The committee appoints its chairperson and vice-chairperson, selected from among the committee members. Committee members may be reappointed.
The committee manages, ensures the smooth operation of and represents the association. It organises itself and may entrust certain tasks to working groups.
The committee members undertake to ensure their attendance at meetings and fulfil their obligations. If they fail to do so, the committee may decide to exclude them by simple majority.
The Meeting appoints two auditors and one alternate auditor each year.
The committee appoints a permanent secretary, who may be selected from outside the members of the association and whose fees it determines.
The resources of the association notably include:
annual membership fees;
donations and any other income.
The association’s commitments are covered solely by its assets. The personal liability of its members is excluded. Members of the association may not be subject to any form of individual inquiry save for unpaid membership fees or other financial obligations determined by the Articles of Association or the General Meeting.
The association is validly bound through a joint signature by two people: the chairperson and either a committee member or the secretary; in the absence of the chairperson, the vice-chairperson and either a committee member or the secretary.
The present Articles of Association may be modified at any time by the General Meeting through a majority of half of the members in attendance.
The dissolution of the association may be decided solely by a General Meeting specifically convened for this purpose, and this through a majority of two thirds of the members in attendance. The General Meeting takes decisions on the allocation of assets, all debts paid.
The present Articles of Association were adopted by the Founding General Meeting, which was held in Lausanne on Wednesday, 28 February 2001. They follow on from the declaration of intent of the Groupe romand de production de matériel militaire, ‘GRPM’, which they nullify and replace.
GROUPE ROMAND POUR LE MATERIEL DE DEFENSE ET DE SECURITE
The chairperson, Markus Niederhauser:
The general secretary, Philippe Zahno: The founding member companies of the GRPM appear in the appendix to the original copy of the present Articles of Association
06/2015