Strategy

Grow stronger and realize potential.

Comet is on its way to becoming more high-performing, more flexible and faster in order to realize its full potential. Our goal is to grow into a highly profitable company with CHF 1 billion in sales and clear market leadership in each of the markets we serve. As important levers for achieving this, the Group is pooling internal resources and strengthening and scaling its organization. For this transformation, we are focusing on three key thrusts: boosting growth, enhancing efficiency, and strengthening culture.

Our achievements in 2022

Boost growth.

Customer intimacy and product portfolio: The expansion of the product and service portfolio with a focus on the semiconductor market remains a central priority for Comet as a technology leader. The prerequisite is a deep understanding of our customers, who are involved in the development of technological solutions at the earliest possible stage. The aim is to help customers increase their productivity through a broader and more capable offering from Comet. At PCT, for example, the objective is to commercialize the unique Synertia® RF power subsystem launched in summer 2022 and the match controller and to continually bring to market further variants required by customers. At IXS, priority is given to the further development of unique data science solutions based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. At IXM, the focus is on high-end x-ray modules for electronics and battery inspection, with new launches in the XP/UP, Ion, MF and FXE series.

Proximity to customers worldwide: A core task remains the expansion of the capacity levels and organization in the growth regions relevant for Comet, taking into account rising geopolitical tensions and the growing investment in local supply chains. Accordingly, Comet expanded its production capacity for matching networks in Malaysia. In Aachen, Germany, Comet is ready to produce the Synertia® generator at its fully equipped and highly automated production site.

Enhance efficiency.

Processes and organization: Subjects such as the optimization of supply chains, the standardization of products, the automation of production processes and the implementation of lean measures are permanently on the agenda at Comet.

As a globally growing company, Comet also sees great potential in further improving the worldwide collaboration of corporate functions and regional execution. The goal is a scalable organization that can respond to regional needs with agility. In order to better and more cost-effectively manage this expansion in the future, Comet established a Global Operational Excellence organization at Group level in 2022. The team acts as a center of expertise for all operational excellence issues, such as regarding logistics, trade compliance, real estate, environmental health and safety, and facility management.

Digitalization: Comet also made progress in the area of digital infrastructure and improved its cybersecurity rating. In addition, the Group launched various global digital tools to harmonize and standardize processes.

Strengthen corporate culture.

Continuous learning, development, and empowerment are central to Comet, especially when it comes to improved collaboration, customer focus, and speed. With dedicated training courses, Comet continually supports employees’ development at different levels of the organization and creates common foundations for better collaboration. In 2022, for example, not only were various employee development plans implemented as part of the new talent review process, all managers worldwide were also trained in the Group’s new approach to performance and development planning, which promotes team goals and a feedback culture and empowers employees to take responsibility for their goals and development needs. Comet launched the Up & Beyond Award, which was presented to a total of 175 employees for their outstanding modeling of Comet’s values.

A milestone for the shared corporate identity and culture was also reached in 2022 with the completion of the rebranding from Yxlon to Comet Yxlon.

Attractive employer: In view of the shortage of skilled personnel in the labor market, especially of R&D specialists and engineers, Comet stepped up activities in 2022 to better differentiate its employer brand. Comet continues to network and engage with talented young people while they are still students, along with identifying and developing existing talent within the company. In 2022, Comet thus further cemented its partnership with the University of Illinois to support students, invested in a workshop facility for training apprentices at the Swiss site in Flamatt, and increased its engagement for talent recruitment at trade shows in the semiconductor market. In addition, Comet developed a new compensation system, to be rolled out in 2023.

A safe working environment and clear rules and roles: To ensure that any unethical behavior can be reported securely and confidentially in accordance with Comet’s new guidelines based on the EU Whistleblower Directive, in 2022 we introduced a new global integrity hotline. Training sessions were also held to raise employees’ awareness on various compliance subjects and guidelines.

Thinking and working sustainably is integral to the Comet Group and has been developed and promoted even more systematically since 2021 under our ESG program. Thus, as a staff initiative, Comet employees around the world collected 75 ideas for combating climate change and held various workshops on the subject, which are now being translated into appropriate action (see the Sustainability Report).