Netstal supplies PET preform system for cooking oil producers in Tanzania
Based in the canton of Glarus, Netstal Maschinen AG exports injection moulding machines for the production of medical technology and food packaging all over the world. Support from Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV means it can also supply customers in developing countries such as Tanzania.
29.06.2026
PET bottles have revolutionised the beverage industry. Unlike glass or clay bottles, they are lightweight and resistant to breakage. Moreover, they are recyclable and do not contain any hazardous chemicals. So it is no wonder that they are used all over the world to package drinks, cooking oils and other liquids.
To produce PET bottles, you need PET preforms. These are small plastic tubes resembling test tubes, but with the screw threads characteristic of a PET bottle already in place at the neck. To make the tube into a bottle, the preform is blown into a bottle shape with the aid of heat.
Glarus injection moulding machines for PET producers around the world
The PET preforms required to manufacture PET bottles have to be moulded with an injection moulding machine. Netstal, which is based in Näfels in the canton of Glarus, is a leading manufacturer of such machines. It manufactures injection moulding machines for the production of medical technology, food packaging, closures and PET preforms and exports them all over the world.
Netstal also supplies customers in Switzerland, but 95 per cent of deliveries go abroad. Netstal already has strong roots in the European market, while the USA and Asian countries are growth markets. But Netstal also has customers in Africa – including a major producer of cooking oils and soaps in Tanzania, which it supplied with a system for producing PET preforms.
The customer needed a high-performance system to produce PET bottles it can fill with its products. It requires a large number of bottles, as it meets more than half the demand for cooking oil in Tanzania and also exports oil to neighbouring countries.
Swiss quality and production efficiency as a sales argument
As a company with a strong focus on exports, Netstal operates in an international market with global competition. “Chinese companies in particular have caught up technologically in the last few years and are making inroads into the global market with low prices,” explains Renzo Davatz, the CEO of Netstal. The Swiss company’s trump card: Netstal’s injection moulding machines are high-performing and energy-efficient. This means that costs per unit produced are low.
Cover from SERV makes it possible to export to less secure markets
The production efficiency of Netstal machines is a clear competitive advantage. This high efficiency also benefits the customer in Tanzania, which needs to produce large quantities of PET bottles for its cooking oil. Tanzania is one of the largest markets in Africa, and over the last few years, its economy has grown by an average of six per cent a year.
At the same time, the political situation in Tanzania is precarious, and the unstable situation can also impact economic activities. In an environment like this, it is particularly important for Swiss companies to be able to insure their exports. Netstal found this support from SERV. SERV insured the export of the PET system to Tanzania with supplier credit insurance and buyer credit insurance.
“As an underwriter at SERV, my aim is to make it possible for Swiss exporters to access challenging markets. The project with Netstal in Tanzania shows that we cover risks and can make innovation exportable as a result,” says Manuel Scherrer, who handled the project from the SERV side.
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