«It’s not just the technical updates and hands-on training. It’s the time spent together, the conversations, and meeting colleagues from around the world.»

Jerry Jung, Melchers Korea

When the first technicians arrived in Bergdietikon on a frosty January morning, many carried more than luggage. They brought experience, curiosity, and a shared commitment to excellence that has shaped Soudronic’s global reputation for decades.

For two weeks, all of that energy converged at our headquarters for the third edition of the Soudronic Service Technician Meeting (STM). A tradition launched in 2019, resumed in 2023, and now firmly established as our flagship training and collaboration event.

A total of 70 service engineers from Soudronic or from our worldwide representatives, our test bench technicians, and many freelancers traveled from 20 different countries. They came from Europe Asia, Africa, and the Americas, and as far away as Japan. What united this incredibly diverse group was a shared mission: to deepen their technical mastery, strengthen global collaboration, and reinforce the Soudronic family, as many proudly call it.

Throughout the event, six trainers from our in-house training team, seasoned freelancers, and specialized process experts, guided the participants through an intensive and inspiring learning journey.

Two weeks of knowledge, insights, and hands-on excellence

The meeting opened with a warm welcome from CEO Rolf Geide and COO Ruedi Umbricht, who provided strategic updates, structural insights, and a clear vision for Soudronic’s future.

Week 1: From classrooms to cutting-edge machines

The first two days of the meeting were dedicated to presentations from various technical departments, giving everyone updates about past and upcoming product developments and improvements. For the rest of the week, the technicians were divided into four groups and moved to workshops.

They rotated through intensive modules covering welders, slitters, seam protection systems, CAN-O-MAT, TEST-O-MAT and Quality Monitoring Systems. For the first time technicians who travelled from far away locations, were offered hands-on experience on the new COMPACT Welder.

A first: the welding line workshop

One of the innovations of the 2026 STM was the Welding Line Workshop. A welding line veteran led his fellow colleagues as well as representatives from line engineering, sales, purchasing and project management through an intensive workshop. This vital exchange of information combined with very intensive discussions culminated in a list of recommendations for improvement that will be implemented within the next few months.

Week 2: deep dives and training at Can Man

Many of our representatives’ service engineers took the chance to visit Can Man in Hallwil for a three days of hands-on training on Can Man equipment thus strengthening ties between Soudronic and its subsidiary while deepening product knowledge across the full production line.

More than training: building bridges across the world

If the technical sessions built expertise, the shared moments built something equally important: trust, friendship, and genuine team spirit. Daily commutes, lunches, and informal exchanges helped break down barriers and made communication easier than ever. Participants repeatedly emphasized how valuable it was to finally meet the people behind the emails, phone calls, and remote troubleshooting sessions. And then there was Thursday night, an evening that many will remember long after the technical details fade.

A Swiss night to remember

Under a starry sky at a cabin in the snowy woods, around 90 guests gathered for a rustic winter barbecue. Warm lights, good music, grilled specialties, and plenty of laughter around a large campfire transformed the «Waldhütte» into a place where the Soudronic family spirit became truly tangible. As Jerry Jung from CMC Melchers Korea put it perfectly: «It’s not just the technical updates and hands-on training. It’s the time spent together, the conversations, and meeting colleagues from around the world.»

Moving forward with confidence

The STM once again demonstrated something fundamental: World class machines require world class expertise. And at Soudronic, we invest deeply in both. The focus on solid training, continuous development, and global collaboration ensures that every customer benefits from the strength of a unified, skilled, and motivated team.

With strengthened networks, refreshed knowledge, and new ideas already taking shape, the participants return home better equipped, and more connected, than ever.

The 2026 STM has come to an end. But the impact will be felt across continents, production lines, and customer relationships for years to come.