“High energy prices threaten our existence,” the newspaper said, quoting Alain Creteur, general manager of the plant belonging to the Italian group Beltrame.
“No one may have to resort to partial unemployment. But we may also have to send part of the workforce or all of the 560 employees home.”
No one was available at the company on Sunday to comment on the report, which highlights the impact of the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Swiss government last week launched a voluntary campaign to urge consumers and businesses to save energy as looming winter shortages raise the possibility of worst-case rationing.
The NZZ said a nationwide stress test was planned for this month to examine how large consumers would react to an energy ration.
Monika Ruehl, director of the economic lobby Economiesuisse, last week cited estimates from the civil protection office that energy shortages lasting several weeks could hit the Swiss economy by more than 100 billion francs. Swiss ($102 billion).
($1 = 0.9804 Swiss francs)