Sebastian Schäfer is in charge of setting up our new production facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina. A state-of-the-art Ypsomed factory will be built there by the end of 2027. To take on this demanding task, Schäfer, who holds a doctorate in engineering, moved to the U.S. with his wife. In this interview, he discusses how to successfully establish a production facility abroad and the challenges and opportunities involved.
How do you get started when you want to convert an existing building into a production facility?
It all starts with a clear vision: What products will be manufactured here in the future, and in what quantities? Building on that, we determine what is specifically needed: What machinery will be used? To what extent will we automate? And how do we design the production process so that it can be expanded later? At the same time, we begin setting up the organizational structure. After all, a building alone doesn’t produce anything – what matters most is the team that plans, manages, and continuously improves the processes.
What steps need to mesh together to ensure the ambitious timeline remains realistic?
A project of this size requires a clear structure. Multiple teams work in parallel on different areas, ranging from construction and infrastructure to IT and quality. It’s important that everyone coordinates regularly and identifies dependencies or bottlenecks early on. I know from experience that schedules rarely fail due to technical issues, but rather because of unclear interfaces or delayed decisions. That’s why we prioritize transparency, clear responsibilities, and short decision-making paths. We also maintain close communication with local authorities to ensure that approvals and procedures run smoothly.
Who is part of the core team for this site development, and what skills are particularly in demand?
Interdisciplinary teams from across the company are working on the development. These include, among others, infrastructure and renovation, industrialization, quality management, procurement and supply chain, IT, human resources, finance, and legal. Depending on the project phase, different departments are particularly heavily involved. So the site isn’t being built in isolation; rather, many colleagues from across the entire organization contribute to it at one point or another.
How does coordination work between the team in Switzerland and our colleagues in the U.S.?
We established a clear project structure with defined milestones early on. Each team knows what contribution it’s making toward the overall goal and which other areas it depends on. A shared vision is crucial: What are we producing here? To what quality standards? By when? And with what growth prospects? Currently, the project is still largely managed from Switzerland. I’m the first person on site and am building up the local structure step by step. More employees will join us in the coming months.
What role do local partners, government agencies, or service providers play in building the factory, and how did you establish this network?
Local partners are key to the speed and quality of the construction project. The government agencies in North Carolina are also supporting the project constructively, particularly with regard to permits and incentive programs. In the U.S., many coordination efforts take place at the city and county levels. These contacts are especially important to us. To maintain an overview, we systematically track all relevant contacts, from government agencies to educational institutions to industry initiatives. The region around Raleigh – known as Research Triangle Park – is heavily influenced by technology and industry. This offers great opportunities – such as when recruiting skilled workers – but also requires strong local networking.
What has surprised or impressed you so far about the way of working and the mindset in the U.S.?
I find the collaboration to be very results-oriented and decisive. Issues are addressed directly, and expectations are clearly articulated. Personal responsibility and pace play a major role. In Switzerland, we traditionally place more emphasis on broad consultation and long-term stability. Both approaches have their strengths. It’s important to understand the differences and consciously bridge them. To support this, our HR department has organized intercultural training sessions.
How do you ensure that our quality standards and corporate culture are firmly established at the new location right from the start?
Our customers expect the same high quality worldwide, regardless of where a product is manufactured. That’s why we implement our standards from day one. We’re building our quality system in parallel with the technical infrastructure. New employees receive intensive training, and many come to existing sites in Europe for their onboarding – similar to how we did it when setting up operations in China. In addition to processes and regulations, it’s also about culture: taking responsibility, working carefully, and thinking long-term. That’s part of the Ypsomed Spirit and should also be put into practice in Holly Springs from the very beginning.
What did you do professionally before taking on this role – and how does that experience help you today?
I’ve been working in project management since 2015 and have led international development and industrialization programs, including in the automotive industry. In that role, I collaborated closely with U.S. companies such as Ford and Tesla and also gained experience in Asia. Over the past four years, I’ve been working on my Ph.D. while holding down a job. This combination of practical experience and academic work helps me today to analyze strategic issues thoroughly while consistently moving forward with implementation. But the key point is this: a project of this scale can only succeed as a team effort, and here I’m working alongside exceptionally talented colleagues.
How do you personally organize this large-scale project, and what does it mean for your family?
I work with clear priorities aligned with the key project milestones and plan my weeks in a highly structured way. It’s important to me to consciously separate strategic issues from operational details and to delegate responsibility.
From a personal perspective, the move to the U.S. marks the beginning of a new chapter for my wife and me. These will be intense years – both professionally and personally – with high demands, but also with great opportunities and valuable experiences. Our child will be born in the U.S., which makes this move even more meaningful for us. Despite our clear professional focus, we’re looking forward to this time with great anticipation and see it as a special opportunity to grow closer as a family and gain new perspectives. We’re excited!
