First methane pyrolysis plant on the V-ZUG site in Zug inaugurated

Zug, November 2025

MEDIA RELEASE 

Switzerland as a hub of innovation: Milestone in the decarbonisation of industry

Zug, November 2025 - Today, the Association for the Decarbonization of Industry (VzDI) and its partners inaugurated a unique methane pyrolysis plant on the V-ZUG production site. The innovative plant is the result of a visionary collaboration between 16 leading companies and Empa, with the assistance of the Canton of Zug. Realised with an investment of over CHF 8 m in recent years, it marks a significant step towards achieving Swiss industry’s net-zero targets by 2050.

Background and technology
Methane pyrolysis is an innovative technology in which methane (CH₄) is broken down in a plasma. This produces hydrogen (H₂) and solid carbon (C) allowing methane to be used for energy purposes without the CO₂ entering the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas. The carbon produced, on the other hand, can be reused as a valuable raw material in construction and agriculture. The industrial pilot plant is set to save around 240 tonnes of CO₂ per year and will deliver up to 10 kg of hydrogen per hour with a purity of 95-99%. The hydrogen from this pilot plant will be used directly as a climatefriendly energy source in V-ZUG’s enamelling furnace, replacing fossil natural gas. This will enable V-ZUG to gradually decarbonise the enamelling plant, the last remaining CO₂ emitter in its industrial processes. Around 66 tonnes of solid carbon will also be produced annually. This will be tested and used in ongoing investigations as a building material for concrete or asphalt and as a soil conditioner.

Project partners and funding
The project was initiated and coordinated by the VzDI. Key partners include Empa, a scientific institution, the companies Accelleron, AVAG, amag, Holcim, Metall Zug, Partners Group, Sakowin, SHL Medical, Siemens, Sika, Sulzer, Swiss Safety Center, Tech Cluster Zug, V-ZUG, VZ Depotbank and WWZ, and the Canton of Zug, which is providing political backing. The partners are contributing both technical expertise and financial resources to the push for sustainable change in Swiss industry.

“This innovation enables V-ZUG to drive the sustainable development of industrial processes and set new standards for emission-free production,” says Adrian Theiler, Chief Operations Officer at V-ZUG. “We are making targeted investments to make processes not only more efficient, but also more environmentally friendly.”

Sustainability and outlook
The methane pyrolysis plant lies at the heart of the Association’s comprehensive strategy to create a circular and wastefree ecosystem for the emission-free use of methane (natural gas). The long-term goal is to use synthetic methane, consisting of renewable hydrogen and carbon from CO₂ already emitted, for the production of hydrogen in the future. This next step should enable negative emissions and thus strengthen the contribution to tackling climate change. Cooperation projects aimed at building an economically selfsustaining global ecosystem that contributes to the decarbonisation of industry are also being developed thanks to the close collaboration between stakeholders from science, industry and politics. “The project shows how research, industry and the public sector can work together to achieve real progress in the climate strategy,” adds Andreas Bittig, Head of Office at the VzDI.

The Association’s managers and project partners emphasise the importance of the plant as a pioneering step towards decarbonisation and the vision of a carbon-neutral Swiss industry. The wideranging cooperation between businesses and research institutes underlines the innovative spirit and exemplary character of the project for other regions.

Further information

Media release (PDF)

About the V-ZUG Group

V-ZUG is Switzerland’s leading brand in household appliances and markets its products in selected premium markets abroad. V-ZUG has been developing and manufacturing kitchen and laundry appliances in Switzerland for over 110 years and offers a comprehensive service in all its markets. The SIBIRGroup AG, which focuses on the Swiss-wide provision of all-brand servicing and the retail of household appliances, is also part of the V-ZUG Group. The V-ZUG Group currently employs around 2,100 people.

V-ZUG Holding AG is listed in the Swiss Reporting Standard of SIX Swiss Exchange in Zurich and represented in the Swiss Performance Index (SPI).
(securities number 54 248 374, ISIN CH0542483745, ticker symbol VZUG).

Legal notes

V-ZUG Holding AG processes personal data in accordance with its privacy statement, which is available at www.vzug.com/ch/en/privacy-statement.