What ZIMMERMANN SA does

Zimmermann SA (legal entity CMZimmermann SA) is a Swiss family-owned manufacturer founded in 1932 and currently operated across its third and fourth generations. The company is headquartered in Begnins, canton of Vaud, with production executed through a core outsourcing partnership with GIVEL SA at a workshop in Yverdon-les-Bains. Its core activity is the design and manufacture of vineyard stakes and complete trellising systems for professional Swiss viticulture, anchored by the proprietary Palisystem brand and the ZIGI stake with its distinctive non-closed hexagonal profile, offered across 12 length variants (Zigi R25, R60, R80, XL, 48/35, PRO, MAC 4, ZIGINOX).

The product portfolio spans end-posts and intermediate stakes in profiled, hot-dip galvanized, and stainless steel; anchors and counter-braces adapted to Vaudois, Valaisan, and Ticinese viticultural traditions; trellising wires and spreaders; tensioners from Gripple, Idelys, and Colignon; protection equipment (game nets, hail nets, Tubex); tying accessories (RAPIDFIX, PLASTILIEN, Vitefil); and the Mavigne food-grade synthetic harvest tool line. A separate Matériel de Cave range extends the offering into winery equipment — Chemo tanks (100–3,300 L), OFF barrels, floating cap vats, storage tanks, pressure barrels, and custom stainless steel metalwork (walkways, stairs, platforms, doors). The ZIGI MAC 4 is marketed with up to 20% cost savings versus alternative stakes.

Zimmermann SA sells directly to Swiss winegrowers across the Vaud, Valais, and Ticino cantons via a sales-led B2B motion: a quote-based pricing model initiated through website contact form, email, or direct phone lines to the two operating family principals. There is no intermediary channel, no public pricing, no digital self-serve, no social media presence, and no disclosed institutional funding — the company is entirely family-controlled and self-financed. The day-to-day business is run by Cédric Zimmermann (3rd generation, precision mechanic, Palisystem developer), Martin Zimmermann (4th generation, metal constructor, joined 2010, custom fabrication lead), and Josiane Zimmermann (administration, accounting, promotion for 30+ years).

Name

ZIMMERMANN SA

Legal name

CMZimmermann SA

Website

https://zimmermannsa.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Zimmermann SA is a Swiss family-owned manufacturer founded in 1932, producing proprietary ZIGI vineyard stakes, the Palisystem trellising system, and cellar equipment. The company sells directly to professional winegrowers across Switzerland on a quote-based basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Viticulture Hardware and Trellising Equipment

akta.pro primary industry

Vineyard Establishment & Development (Site Prep, Trellising, Planting) (AFAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Vineyard Mechanization & Equipment Operations (Tractors, Sprayers, Harvesters) (AFAGAJAF)

Keywords

• Vineyard post manufacturing
• Trellising systems
• Viticulture hardware
• Winery cellar equipment
• Plant protection accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Begnins

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations

Revenue model

1. Vineyard stake and trellis hardware sales: One-time sale of manufactured vineyard stakes (ZIGI range, Omega, Fer T), trellis hardware, and accessories to winegrowers. Products include intermediate stakes, end-posts, espalier stakes, trellis wires, spacers, tensioners, ties, and protectors. Revenue is transactional and one-time per purchase cycle, with repeat purchases as vineyards are replanted or expanded.
2. Winery/cellar equipment sales: Sale of winery equipment including Chemo tanks (100L to 3300L), OFF barrels, floating cap vats, storage tanks, pressure barrels, grape harvest boxes, cellar tools, and custom metalwork (stainless steel walkways, stairs, doors). Custom fabrication services available. Primarily one-time equipment sales with bespoke sizing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Zimmermann SA manufactures and sells vineyard posts, espalier stakes, and complete trellising systems (Palisystem with ZIGI hexagonal-profile stakes), along with associated accessories such as wires, spreaders, tensioners, anchors, plant protections, and ties. The company also fabricates winery/cellar equipment including fermentation and storage tanks, barrels, harvest boxes, and custom stainless-steel metalwork (walkways, stairs, doors) for Swiss winegrowers.

Product overview

Zimmermann SA is a Swiss manufacturer of vineyard posts (piquets de vigne) founded in 1932, producing a comprehensive trellising system under the Palisystem brand. The product portfolio centers on the proprietary ZIGI post design featuring a hexagonal non-closed profile, available in 12 models (Zigi R25, R60, R80, XL, 48/35, PRO, MAC 4, ZIGINOX) as end posts and intermediate posts. Supporting products include wire spreaders (Ecarteurs), trellising wires (Crapo, Bayco, stainless steel), tensioners (Gripple, Idelys, Colignon, Presto), anchors and ties (Hélice, Harpon, Contre-fiche variants), protection equipment (game nets, Tubex, hail nets), and tying accessories (RAPIDFIX, PLASTILIEN, Vitefil). The company also manufactures cave/winery equipment including Chemo tanks, OFF barrels, floating cap tanks, pressure barrels, and custom metalwork (stairs, platforms, doors). All products are designed for Swiss viticulture with regional system variants (Vaud, Valais, Ticino).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZIGI: Vineyard stake brand featuring hexagonal non-closed profile, includes models R25, XL, 48/35, PRO, R60, R80, MAC 4, and ZIGINOX
• Palisystem
• CMZimmermann SA
• Mavigne

Products and services

• Palisystem trellising system A complete trellising system built around the proprietary ZIGI profiled steel stake with a non-closed hexagonal cross-section, available in 12 models of varying lengths. Includes ZIGI or third-party-compatible wire spreaders, and is offered to Swiss winegrowers as a turnkey solution for establishing and maintaining vineyard trellises.
• ZIGI end-posts and Fer T end-posts (Zigi R80, Zigi R60, Fer T 35/35) Heavy-duty vineyard end-posts designed to anchor trellising wires at row ends, available in profiled steel sheet (Zigi R80/R60) and hot-rolled T-section (Fer T 35/35), with pre-punched hole patterns and hot-dip galvanisation for outdoor durability.
• ZIGI intermediate stakes (R25, XL, 48/35, PRO, MAC 4, ZIGINOX, Omega, Culture en lyre) Profiled-steel intermediate vineyard stakes with hexagonal ZIGI cross-section, designed for mechanisation and stony Swiss soils, available in galvanised steel, stainless steel, and Omega profiles, plus a Culture en lyre support variant.
• Espalier stakes (Echalas profil U, Tuteur-échalas, Tuteur en fil cranté) Espalier stakes for supporting individual vines, available in U-profile galvanised steel, corrugated galvanised wire, and notched raw steel wire cut to length on demand.
• Anchors and contre-fiche systems (Hélice, Harpon, Fer T avec plaque, Contre-fiche Gripple) Anchor systems for vineyard trellising, including rod, winged, and T-iron anchors, plus contre-fiche (counter-brace) systems adapted to regional Swiss viticultural traditions.
• Wire spreaders and trellising wires (Ecarteurs, Crapo, Bayco, inox) Wire spreaders (écarteurs) and trellising wires offered in galvanised steel (Crapo), synthetic (Bayco), and stainless-steel (inox) variants for vineyard row construction.
• Wire tensioners (Gripple, Idelys, Colignon) Wire tensioners for vineyard trellising offered in Gripple, Idelys, and Colignon variants to suit different wire diameters and tensioning requirements.
• Plant protection products (game protection net, Tubex, hail net) Protection accessories for vineyard plants including a UV-stabilised synthetic game net, polypropylene Tubex plant tubes, and manually deployed hail nets.
• Tying accessories (RAPIDFIX, PLASTILIEN, Vitefil, Pince RAPID, Agrafe Althéo) Tying and fastening accessories for vine shoot training, including reusable synthetic ties, weather-resistant ties, biodegradable twine with embedded wire, tying pliers, and biodegradable wire clamp staples.
• Winery and cellar equipment (Chemo tanks, OFF barrels, floating cap tanks, storage tanks, pressure barrels, harvest boxes, Mavigne tools, custom metalwork) A range of winery/cellar equipment for Swiss winegrowers, including fermentation and storage tanks, barrels, harvest boxes, food-grade handling tools, and custom stainless-steel metalwork such as walkways, stairs, and doors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 20% cost savings on investment with Zigi MAC 4 stakes compared to alternative stakes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GIVEL SAcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGIVEL SA operates the production workshop (atelier de production) for Zimmermann SA, located at Le Bey 23, Montagny-près-Yverdon, 1400 Yverdon-les-Bains. GIVEL SA handles the physical manufacturing of vineyard stakes and equipment on behalf of Zimmermann SA, which focuses on product development, sales, and design. This is a key manufacturing outsourcing partnership essential to the company's operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Provitis: French manufacturer specializing in vineyard trellising systems and accessories. Direct peer because Provitis operates in the same niche (trellising hardware for viticulture) as Zimmermann SA and competes for European vineyard customers.
• Bayco: German/Belgian producer of synthetic trellising wires for vineyards and orchards. Direct peer in trellising wire accessories; also a current supplier whose products Zimmermann distributes.
• Gripple: UK-based manufacturer of wire tensioners and trellising accessories widely used in viticulture. Direct peer because Gripple competes in the same vineyard-accessory category (and is even distributed by Zimmermann).
• Colignon: Belgian manufacturer of wire tensioners and vineyard accessories. Direct peer in the same trellising-accessory category; also distributed by Zimmermann.

Regional players

• Clemens: German manufacturer of viticulture equipment and vineyard machinery, focused primarily on the German-speaking and central-European market. Comparable because it sells vineyard mechanization equipment and accessories to a similar regional customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Pellenc: Major French manufacturer of broad viticulture and arboriculture equipment, including mechanized pruning, harvesting, and trellising tools. Comparable as a broad incumbent in viticulture equipment, but operates at much larger scale and scope than Zimmermann.
• Pöttinger: Austrian agricultural machinery manufacturer with a viticulture equipment line. Broad incumbent with overlapping vineyard-equipment offerings, though most of its business is in hay/forage rather than trellising.

Emerging players

• Agrofrost: Belgian manufacturer of frost-protection machines and hail/crop-protection systems for vineyards and orchards. Comparable emerging player because Zimmermann also sells hail-protection nets and plant protections, overlapping in the vineyard-protection category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 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 ZIMMERMANN SA