Serra, also interviewed for the article published on Sunday, told the newspaper the Schaffhausen-based company is considering broadening its range of products to include parts for airplanes.

Expanding in a new sector would require acquisitions, he said, in part to ensure the company meets the aviation industry's safety standards.

"We can't start from scratch by developing everything ourselves," Serra told the newspaper. He did not name potential targets or how much the company may be willing to spend.

Georg Fischer is building a new plant in Switzerland that will create 460 jobs.

Serra told the newspaper that it is also expanding factories in India, Malaysia and the United States, where it is building a light metal foundry.

Serra said the company also plans to add workers in China, where it now has 23 factories.

(Reporting by John Miller; Editing by Andrew Bolton)