Kissling + Zbinden AG

What Kissling + Zbinden AG does

Kissling + Zbinden AG is a Swiss civil engineering firm founded in 1932, headquartered in Spiez, with additional offices in Thun, Bern, Solothurn, and Zürich. The firm employs 81 people and operates as an Aktiengesellschaft (AG). Its service portfolio spans infrastructure construction (Infrastrukturbau), hydraulic engineering (Wasserbau), load-bearing structures (Tragkonstruktionen), structural preservation (Bauwerkserhaltung), environmental engineering (Umwelt), construction management (Baumanagement), and specialized domains (Spezialgebiete) including tunnels and foundations. The firm applies the BIM2Field methodology to integrate digital planning with on-site execution.

The firm's revenue is generated primarily through public-sector engineering mandates won via Swiss cantonal and federal procurement, plus a growing share of private commercial engagements. Notable projects include the CHF 179M Sarneraatal flood protection (lead role in IG SAWI consortium), the CHF 175.5M Sihl Thalwil relief tunnel (CHF 40M K+Z share), the CHF 435M Bern Medicine (BB07) project (CHF 35M K+Z share via IG BB07), the CHF 50M Freibad Marzili renovation (CHF 7.3M K+Z share), and the CHF 40M Reka Feriendorf. The firm partners with CSD Ingenieure AG, Wasem Ingenieure AG, and Maier Ingenieure AG across consortium mandates. The Mitholz munitions clearance project (with armasuisse) and the Kanton Zürich AWEL portfolio anchor its federal credentials.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The firm is led by Dominique Steffen and Niels Gertsch, with Tobias Weiss succeeding as CEO in June 2026. The company won the Gewässerpreis Schweiz 2022 for water engineering excellence. Commercial pricing is project-based on Swiss public-tender rates, with consortium leadership providing both revenue concentration and risk distribution across partners.

Name

Kissling + Zbinden AG

Legal name

Kissling + Zbinden AG

Website

https://kzag.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kissling + Zbinden AG is a Swiss civil engineering firm founded in 1932, employing 81 staff across five Swiss offices, specializing in infrastructure, hydraulic, structural, and environmental engineering for Swiss public-sector and private clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Engineering Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Geotechnical Design, Engineering & Consulting (Analysis, Design, Peer Review) (IMAFAOAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tunneling & Underground Geotechnics (Ground Treatment, Support, NATM/SEM Interfaces) (IMAFAOAJ)

Keywords

• Civil engineering services
• Infrastructure construction
• Hydraulic engineering
• Structural engineering
• Tunnel construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Spiez

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kissling + Zbinden AG is a Swiss engineering firm that plans and realizes civil engineering structures, including infrastructure construction (roads, bridges), hydraulic engineering (flood protection tunnels, waterway management), structural engineering (load-bearing structures), building preservation, environmental engineering, construction management, and specialized tunnel and foundation works. The firm serves public sector clients (federal, cantonal, municipal governments) and private developers across Switzerland.

Product overview

Kissling + Zbinden AG is a civil engineering firm offering comprehensive engineering services through specialized divisions. The company operates as a single integrated service organization rather than a platform-plus-modules structure. Its core offerings span infrastructure construction (Infrastrukturbau), hydraulic engineering (Wasserbau), structural engineering (Tragkonstruktionen), building preservation (Bauwerkserhaltung), environmental engineering (Umwelt), construction management (Baumanagement), and specialized engineering (Spezialgebiete). The company also employs BIM2Field methodology as a digital construction approach for selected projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Infrastrukturbau (Infrastructure Construction)
• Wasserbau (Hydraulic Engineering)
• Tragkonstruktionen (Structural Engineering)
• Bauwerkserhaltung (Building Preservation)
• Umwelt (Environmental Engineering)
• Baumanagement (Construction Management)
• Spezialgebiete (Specialized Engineering)

Quantifiable outcome

• Flood relief tunnel Sarneraatal: 6,557m tunnel, 6.6m diameter, 100 m³/s capacity, protecting Sarnersee and Sarneraatal from extreme flooding
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CSD Ingenieure AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIngenieurgemeinschaft Stägebach plus: K+Z and CSD Ingenieure AG jointly plan and execute water engineering protection measures for seven watercourses at the Mitholz munitions clearance site (Swiss Federal Government project). K+Z leads the consortium as part of the extended project organization for the munitions depot clearance.
• IUB Engineering AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIUB Engineering AG provides photo documentation for the Sarneraatal Hochwasserentlastungsstollen project. Photos from IUB Engineering AG are credited in project updates.
• Maintenance Palace, Mukono (Uganda)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal Ugandan firm responsible for ongoing maintenance of plumbing and electrical works for the Tongolo drinking water project. The local population contributes one franc per month for maintenance costs.
• Wasem Ingenieure AGminorOthersAssociated engineering firm located in Wattenwil. Listed as a contact partner on K+Z website alongside MAIER INGENIEURE AG.
• MAIER INGENIEURE AGminorOthersAssociated engineering firm located in Gwatt (Thun). Listed as a contact partner on K+Z website alongside Wasem Ingenieure AG. Publishes its own news content through K+Z channels.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bänziger Partner AG: Swiss engineering consultancy active in structural and civil engineering, particularly building structures and infrastructure projects. Directly comparable to K+Z on Tragkonstruktionen and building engineering mandates for both public and private clients in the Swiss market.
• CSD Ingenieure AG: Swiss engineering consultancy with water and environmental engineering as core strengths. Already a direct consortium partner of K+Z on the Mitholz munitions clearance project, making it both a peer and existing collaboration partner in overlapping Wasserbau and Umwelt service lines.
• Basler & Hofmann AG: Large Swiss engineering consultancy operating across infrastructure, hydraulic engineering, structural engineering, and environmental planning. Closely comparable service portfolio to K+Z (multi-disciplinary Ingenieurbau with Wasserbau focus) but with substantially greater headcount and broader international presence.
• Amberg Engineering AG: Swiss specialist in tunneling, geotechnics and infrastructure engineering with international footprint. Highly comparable to K+Z in TBM tunneling, foundation engineering and consortium-led mega-projects, but operates at larger scale and broader geography, making it the closest specialist competitor in K+Z's core niches.
• IUB Engineering AG: Swiss engineering firm providing tunneling and infrastructure documentation services. Documented partner on the Sarneraatal project and a comparable-sized Swiss specialist operating in overlapping tunneling and infrastructure engineering segments.
• Holinger AG: Swiss engineering consultancy specialised in water, environment and infrastructure. Comparable to K+Z specifically on Wasserbau and ecological engineering — competing for similar cantonal water-management and flood-protection mandates across Switzerland.
• Pini Group SA (formerly Pini & Partners): Swiss-rooted engineering consultancy with strong tunneling, infrastructure and hydraulic engineering capabilities and growing international presence. Competes with K+Z in Swiss infrastructure tenders and operates in closely adjacent specialty domains, particularly tunnel construction.
• Emch + Berger AG: Swiss full-service engineering firm active in infrastructure, structural engineering, and waterway projects. Comparable to K+Z as a Swiss multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy competing for similar public-sector infrastructure tenders and joint venture consortium roles.

Regional players

• Schlaich Bergermann Partner (SBP): Internationally renowned structural engineering consultancy with German roots and notable Swiss presence on bridge and special structure projects. Comparable to K+Z on Tragkonstruktionen for complex structural projects, though serving primarily DACH-region clients rather than Swiss-domiciled engagements.

Broad incumbents

• AFRY (formerly Pöyry / ÅF): Global engineering and design consultancy with significant Swiss operations across infrastructure, water and environmental engineering. Overlaps with K+Z in hydraulic engineering and public infrastructure advisory, though as part of a much broader portfolio serving industries, energy and mobility end-markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kissling-zbinden

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 Kissling + Zbinden AG