The mechanical and electrical engineering industries – known collectively in German as the MEM industries – are one of the major branches of the Swiss economy.

The industries cover four main areas: metallurgy, mechanical engineering and vehicle construction, electrical engineering and electronics, and precision instruments. In terms of both size of workforce and value of exports, the second of these is by far the largest.

At the end of 2009 more than 330,000 people were employed in these industries, which are the biggest industrial employer in Switzerland. They are highly export-orientated, which means that they depend to a large extent on trends in the international market place. Nearly 80 % of their output is exported, accounting for over 35% of Switzerland's visible exports. Relatively high costs at home have led a number of companies to relocate part of their production abroad.

The engineering industry has its roots in the textile industry, which development spinning and then weaving machines in the early 19th century.

The output of today's MEM industries includes household goods, machine tools, construction plant, and highly specialised microelectronic apparatus.