02.12.2016
70% of companies set up in the canton survive first five years

Statistics published on Wednesday revealed some interesting facts about companies in the canton and how long they survive.
 
The figures released by the Cantonal Office of Statistics showed, for example, that 7,300 firms were set up in the canton in 2015, with 6,800 others wound up or closed through merger or bankruptcy.
 
In all, there are now more than 100,000 companies registered in the canton, a figure exceeded in 2014. The statistics also showed that half of all firms were less than nine years old and that 70% of firms manage to survive the first five years.
 
As to the restaurant and catering industry, in this sector more than half of firms shut down within seven years, in one third of cases through bankruptcy.
 
Further statistics relating to this sector showed that long-established, traditional firms proved an exception, though half of all employees in the catering industry work for companies which have been set up in the past than ten years.
 
Looking at the financial sector, a different picture emerges. Statistics here show that half of employees work for companies which are older than 30 years. Interestingly, one third of employees in this area work for companies which were set up before the Directory of Companies itself, namely before 1883.
 
Looking at the figures since 2006, 37% of all firms set up since this time are GmbHs (limited liability companies), compared with 20% AGs (plcs) and 34% one-man businesses. Statistics showed that this latter-mentioned group also survived on average for less time than GmbHs or AGs. In fact precise figures showed that 20% of one-man companies did not survive more than one year, compared with 5% of AGs.
 
This article in the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper pointed out that, whereas a certain amount of capital was required for the setting up of GmbH and AG companies, this was not the case with one-man companies, enabling those with little experience to embark on a commercial venture even without a proven business model.
 
 

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