Precision automation, rooted in the Jura

Some companies turn to ecosystem partners for funding or expansion support. Others already have strong technical foundations and use those connections differently: to stay close to industry shifts, strengthen their networks, and keep learning as markets evolve.

That is the case for CLA Clinical Laboratory Automation SA, a Delémont-based company that has been developing high-precision automation solutions for nearly 30 years.

For Thomas Parietti, Head of Sales & Marketing, staying connected to the right people and ideas matters. In this article, he shares what makes CLA distinctive, how the company has evolved from its origins in laboratory automation into a broader industrial automation specialist, and why Basel Area Business & Innovation has become a valuable regional partner along the way.

CLA develops automation solutions, measurement systems, robotic applications and special-purpose machines for demanding industrial environments. Today, its main sectors are watchmaking, microtechnology and medical technology, with additional work in areas such as aeronautics and connectivity.

CLA focuses on automation and measurement solutions for small microtechnical parts – typically parts that fit in the hand. Its work includes complex assembly solutions that combine manual and automated operations, as well as robotic systems for automated quality control.

One area of particular expertise is micro-torque measurement. According to Parietti, this is a highly precise and relatively rare capability in the market – one that has become a real differentiator for the company over more than 15 years of experience in the field.

When asked what sets CLA apart, Parietti points first to the company’s integrated model. “We are a one-stop shop,” he explains.

That means customers can come to CLA with a requirement or technical brief and rely on one partner to manage the full solution – from concept and mechanical design to manufacturing, software, integration and after-sales service. Even when third-party equipment needs to be incorporated, CLA can act as the overall project lead, giving the customer a single point of contact throughout.

That model is strengthened by CLA’s use of standardized platforms, including its own transport systems and software solutions, which allow the company to build customized machines on proven technical foundations. The result is a combination that many industrial customers value highly: bespoke solutions without reinventing everything from scratch.

CLA’s story began nearly 30 years ago with a concrete laboratory need.

Parietti explains that the company was originally founded by a physician from a medical analysis laboratory in Hamburg together with current CEO and owner Patrick Fleury, a microtechnology engineer from the Jura region. The initial goal was to industrialize transport systems for blood samples for laboratory analysis.

From there, the company expanded naturally. Being based in a region with deep microtechnology expertise, CLA began developing automation solutions for nearby industrial sectors, especially watchmaking. Over time, that became one of the company’s main markets, alongside medical and broader microtechnical applications.

Today, CLA employs around 40 people in Delémont, where it carries out both R&D and production.

For CLA, the connection with Basel Area Business & Innovation began locally.

Because both are based in the canton of Jura, Parietti says the organization first came onto CLA’s radar through regional economic promotion activities and the communication surrounding the creation of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area site in Courroux.

From there, CLA began participating regularly in events organized in that wider ecosystem.

For Parietti, these events are valuable above all when they offer good insights into new trends in the industry and high-quality networking. As a company operating in advanced automation, CLA sees real benefit in staying informed about current developments, hearing from people with deep expertise, and exchanging with others from the region and beyond.

One event that stands out for Parietti is Le tout connecté, which he recently attended.

What made it relevant was not just the theme, but the quality of the discussion – especially around current topics such as artificial intelligence. For CLA, these kinds of formats can provide useful impulses, help validate strategic directions, and reinforce confidence in where the company wants to go next.

But the value is not only in the content on stage.

Parietti also highlights the opportunity to connect with political stakeholders, regional peers, and external participants. For a specialized technology company, maintaining that kind of network is important. It helps CLA stay visible, stay informed, and stay in touch with people and organizations that may become relevant collaborators in the future.

This is where Basel Area Business & Innovation plays a meaningful role – not as a distant institution, but as a nearby partner with visibility, convening power, and strong regional connections.

When asked what Basel Area Business & Innovation can bring to CLA, Parietti’s answer is practical.

For him, the organization is a local partner with good visibility – one that can help companies like CLA extend their networks, access the right contacts, and benefit from the right impulses at the right time. He also sees value in building stronger collaboration within the region itself, so that companies from Jura can be better connected and better positioned outwardly.

“Basel Area Business & Innovation reinforces our technological anchoring in Switzerland by connecting us with the right partners,” he says. That may sound modest. But for many established SMEs, this kind of support matters.

Basel Area Business & Innovation supports established companies in the Basel Area through expert coaching, innovation programs and events that connect regional businesses with the people, insights and partnerships that help them stay competitive.

Check out our SME-focused Level-Up service offerings or get in touch with us to find out more.