Michael Merkle

Michael Merkle is the managing director of Agathon, a company based in the canton of Solothurn that specializes in the production of high-precision grinding and laser machines. As a result of the escalating U.S. tariffs on imported goods, Merkle's company has faced significant economic challenges, leading him to implement short-time work for nearly one-third of his 190 employees to maintain employment amid a struggling market.