Handelskammer und Arbeitgebervereinigung Winterthur (HAW)

What Handelskammer und Arbeitgebervereinigung Winterthur (HAW) does

Handelskammer und Arbeitgebervereinigung Winterthur (HAW) is a Swiss regional chamber of commerce and employers' association based in Winterthur, Zürich. Founded in its current form in 1992 through the merger of Kaufmännische Gesellschaft Handelskammer Winterthur and Arbeitgeberverband Winterthur, the organization's institutional roots trace back to 1801. HAW serves over 130 member companies — primarily SMEs and large enterprises in the Winterthur district — providing a bundled portfolio of export certification services, employer advisory, continuing education, and policy advocacy. The organization functions as the regional representation of economiesuisse and the Swiss Employers' Association, making it a quasi-official intermediary between local businesses and national economic policy bodies.

HAW's core service lines include Export Services (Carnet ATA issuance for duty-free temporary import/export and Certificates of Origin for customs clearance), Employer Services (labor law consultation, social security advisory, mentoring, apprenticeship marketplace, holiday job listings), and Continuing Education through the Swiss School for International Business (SSIB), which operates six campuses across Switzerland. The organization also runs the Digital Hub Winterthur initiative, three strategic industry clusters (Smart Machines, Smart Energy, Smart Health), and member resource toolboxes covering AI and mental health topics. Revenue is generated through recurring membership subscriptions, transaction-based fees for certification services, and professional education fees.

As a member-governed association (Verein), HAW operates with a small office of 8 employees and distributes services through direct office service, the ATAwiss online platform for Carnet ATA applications, and a network of regional and national partners including Switzerland Global Enterprise, SERV, and Technopark Winterthur. The organization holds a regulatory monopoly on official export certification in its district by coordination with the Federal Customs Administration (EZV). Pricing for certification services is publicly disclosed and standardized, while membership fees are individually quoted. HAW is not a technology company; its core activity is administrative, advisory, and representational.

Name

Handelskammer und Arbeitgebervereinigung Winterthur (HAW)

Legal name

Handelskammer und Arbeitgebervereinigung Winterthur

Website

https://haw.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Handelskammer und Arbeitgebervereinigung Winterthur (HAW) is a Swiss chamber of commerce and employers' association serving over 130 member companies in the Winterthur district with export certification, employer advisory, professional education, and policy advocacy services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Winterthur

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: HAW generates revenue through membership fees from over 130 member companies in the Winterthur region. Members receive access to export services, employer services, networking events, and advocacy representation.
2. Carnet ATA issuance: Fees for issuing Carnet ATA documents for temporary duty-free import/export of goods. Members pay CHF 95 for goods up to CHF 1,000 value, non-members pay CHF 130, plus surcharges per CHF 1,000 of goods value.
3. Certificate of origin services: Fees for issuing certificates of origin and related attestation services. Base fee is 1.5 per mille of goods value with minimum CHF 25 and maximum CHF 250, plus additional service fees.
4. Professional education (SSIB): Revenue from the Swiss School for International Business (SSIB), a company of the chambers of commerce, offering courses in customs, import/export, and VAT. Located at six campuses across Switzerland.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HAW is a regional Swiss chamber of commerce and employers' association that issues official export documentation (Carnet ATA and certificates of origin), provides labor law and employer advisory services, and offers continuing education through the Swiss School for International Business (SSIB). It also advocates for favorable business conditions on behalf of over 130 member companies in the Winterthur region and operates networking events and cluster initiatives.

Product overview

Handelskammer und Arbeitgebervereinigung Winterthur (HAW) is a Chamber of Commerce and Employers' Association providing a portfolio of services to member companies. The core offerings include Export Services (Carnet ATA and Certificates of Origin through the export-dienstleistungen module), Employer Services (labor law, social security, mentoring, and toolboxes for AI and mental health), and Continuing Education through the Swiss School for International Business (SSIB). Additionally, HAW operates the Digital Hub Winterthur initiative and manages three strategic clusters (Smart Machines, Smart Energy, Smart Health) to promote regional economic development. This is a service-based organization, not a unified software product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carnet ATA

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwitzerland Global Enterprise is HAW's key export partner, providing internationalization services and export market intelligence. HAW distributes S-GE export information to its members and coordinates on export promotion activities.
• economiesuissecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHAW serves as the regional representation of economiesuisse, Switzerland's leading economic umbrella organization. HAW develops and advocates positions on location policy topics aligned with economiesuisse positions.
• Schweizerischer Arbeitgeberverband (Swiss Employers' Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHAW serves as the regional representation of the Swiss Employers' Association, coordinating on employer policy matters and labor market issues.
• SIHK (Schweizerische Industrie- und Handelskammer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHAW partners with SIHK on professional education through SSIB (Swiss School for International Business), offering diplomas in import, export, customs, and VAT.
• SERV (Swiss Export Risk Insurance)majorOthersSERV provides export risk insurance services. HAW connects its members with SERV for managing export transaction risks.
• Digital Hub WinterthurmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital Hub Winterthur is a local initiative for digital transformation. HAW collaborates on events like the Digital Impact Day and supports digitalization efforts in the regional business community.
• Technopark WinterthurmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology park supporting startups in the region. HAW partners with Technopark Winterthur on initiatives like the Energy & Environment Accelerator program.
• SME Association WinterthurmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHAW cooperates with the SME Association Winterthur in managing the employer department, handling employer matters including labor market issues, social partnership, and apprenticeship training.
• Eidgenössische Zollverwaltung (EZV, Federal Customs Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner for customs and certification matters. HAW issues official documents (Carnet ATA, Ursprungszeugnisse) in coordination with federal customs regulations.
• SSIB (Swiss School for International Business)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSIB is a company of various chambers of commerce and industry, offering education programs in import, export, customs, and VAT. HAW serves as the regional anchor for SSIB programs with campuses in Zurich, Bern, Basel, St. Gallen, Luzern, and Olten.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Schweizerischer Arbeitgeberverband (Swiss Employers' Association): Switzerland's national employers' association, of which HAW is a regional arm. Operates the same employer-side labor policy and social partnership model at the national level that HAW delivers regionally in Winterthur.
• Industrie- und Handelskammer (IHK) Germany: The umbrella organization for the 79 regional German chambers of commerce (IHKs), which operate a near-identical model to Swiss regional chambers: mandatory membership for regional businesses, export documentation, apprenticeship coordination, and policy advocacy at the federal level.
• economiesuisse: Switzerland's leading economic umbrella organization, of which HAW is a regional representative. Operates at the national level on policy advocacy for Swiss business, providing a broader-incumbent perspective on the same member-driven advocacy model that HAW executes regionally.
• British Chambers of Commerce: National network of accredited chambers of commerce in the UK providing export documentation (including Carnet ATA via the London Chamber), training, and advocacy. Comparable as a peer in the chamber-of-commerce category at international scale.
• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC): Global chamber of commerce organization that administers the international Carnet ATA system under ICC/WCO authority. Provides global policy advocacy and standards that HAW implements locally for Winterthur exporters.

Direct peers

• Handelskammer beider Basel (HKBB): Bilateral chamber of commerce serving the Basel region in Switzerland. Like HAW, HKBB issues Carnet ATA documents, certificates of origin, and provides export-related services to its regional member base, making it a directly comparable regional chamber peer.
• Schweizerische Industrie- und Handelskammer (SIHK): Swiss Industry and Commerce Chamber, a strategic partner of HAW that jointly operates the SSIB education program. Comparable as a peer Swiss chamber organization with overlapping membership services and export advisory functions.
• Chambre de commerce, d'industrie et des services de Genève (CCIG): Chamber of commerce, industry, and services for the Geneva region. Provides equivalent services to HAW (export documentation, member advocacy, networking) but operates in the French-speaking Romandie region of Switzerland.
• Industrie- und Handelskammer St. Gallen-Appenzell: Regional chamber of commerce and industry serving Eastern Switzerland. Provides the same core portfolio of services (Carnet ATA, certificates of origin, employer services, advocacy) to its member companies, making it a closely comparable regional peer.
• Handelskammer Zürich: Chamber of commerce serving the Zurich economic region. Operates an almost identical business model to HAW (membership-based, export documentation, employer advisory, regional advocacy) but in a much larger and economically more significant adjacent region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HAW_Winterthur
• Facebookfacebook.com/handelskammerwinterthur
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haw-winterthur

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Handelskammer und Arbeitgebervereinigung Winterthur (HAW)