News It was a red letter day for Audemars Piguet in Le Brassus on 12 June this year as the firm laid, or rather cemented, the first stone of its new Les Forges manufactory. Founded 132 years ago, the company has grown steadily and today has 820 employees, 620 of whom work in Switzerland. Short of space in their premises on the route de France – already enlarged on two previous occasions – and wishing to regroup the five existing sites spread over the Joux Valley region, managers decided to construct a new building. Planned not far from the current site, it will have a floor space of 7,500 m2 and will house all phases in the manufacture of products, from development to the delivery of watches.
As a mark of respect to the magnificent Joux Valley region, the construction carries the Minergie-Eco Federal seal of approval. This initiative, new in Switzerland for an industrial building, prefigures a trend of which Audemars Piguet is proud to be the forerunner. This philosophy reflects the values of the Audemars Piguet Foundation in terms of the promotion of renewable energy. To be granted the Minergie-Eco label, the new building will have to meet a series of ecological criteria and specifications with regard to health and the work environment.
The president of Audemars Piguet, Jasmine Audemars, presented to the assembled authorities, media representatives and site personnel the first stone of this edifice. To leave a clue for archaeologists and historians of the year "2875", the symbolic stone was replaced by a cylinder of brass containing around a dozen documents relating the history of the manufactory, a five franc coin dated 2007, and a Royal Oak 15 300. Sunk in a bed of concrete, it was then covered by 40 cm of mortar.
The inauguration, scheduled for the end of 2008, will allow the manufactory to come to terms with its constant growth: more than 25,000 watches produced and a turnover of 404 million francs in 2006.
June 28, 2007
