By VDC staff 

A Swiss immigrant who founded a successful manufacturing business in Brattleboro has donated $4 million to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, helping shore up the hospital’s finances and preserve access to local health care.

Willy Buhlmann, founder of Swiss Precision Turning, made the donation out of gratitude to the community where he has lived and worked for more than half a century, according to a report in the Brattleboro Reformer.

“I’ve been very fortunate, and I’m grateful for what I’ve been able to accomplish here,” Buhlmann said. “I came from Switzerland 56 years ago, and over the years, I’ve come to love the people and this community. I’m glad I made Brattleboro my home, and I wanted to give something back.”

Buhlmann said he wanted to make the gift during his lifetime so he could see its impact.

“The hospital is important to this community, and I wanted to do something meaningful to help ensure that people can continue to receive care close to home,” he said.

Buhlmann founded Swiss Precision Turning in Brattleboro in 1990. The precision manufacturing company operated locally for more than three decades before being acquired in 2023 by Geokon, a New Hampshire-based engineering and manufacturing firm.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital officials say the $4 million gift will help strengthen the hospital’s long-term financial position.

“Willy’s gift is an extraordinary investment in Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and in the future of health care in our region,” said interim CEO David Sanville.

“A gift of this magnitude provides lasting strength and stability for the hospital and helps ensure that BMH can continue to be here for our neighbors, families and communities,” Sanville said.

The donation represents one of the more substantial private investments in the hospital’s future and comes as Vermont hospitals face ongoing financial pressures.