Frederique Constant officially opens its new headquarters in Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland. Already in the year, the brand felt the need to expand its production facilities and took the decision to move to a 3,200 square metre building in Plan-les-Ouates, where other major players in the Swiss watch industry are based. After thirteen years, the group (which includes Frederique Constant, Alpina Watches and Ateliers deMonaco) is running out of space due to strong growth and high demand on the world market. The construction of an additional 3,000 square metre space took two years. The headquarters of the Frederique Constant Group thus reached 6,200 square metres and completely reorganised the layout of the different spaces. On the ground floor, guests will find a dedicated space where they will be able to enjoy a "Manufacture Experience" and discover the universe and history of each brand. Numerous showcases and settings will allow visitors to discover the watches of the past, the manufacturing process of each brand's in-house calibres, the details of some of the most iconic watches, innovative savoir-faire, the specific functions of certain timepieces, connected watches and much more. The rest of the floor will be occupied by the new staff canteen, the after-sales service workshops, the design and industrialisation department, quality control and the workshop dedicated to connected watches. On the first floor, production workshops T1 to T4 will be grouped together, optimising workflows and logistics. On the second floor, the offices for top management, accounting, human resources, marketing, sales and administration will be located. The overall aim is to increase the production capacity from 160,000 to 250,000 watches per year within the next five years. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, personalities such as Toshio Tokura, President of Citizen Group, Peter and Aletta Stas, President and Co-President of the Frederique Constant Group, and Niels Eggerding, Managing Director of Frederique Constant, invited guests to discover the Manufacture Experience and tour the various floors, cheered by a pleasant outdoor cocktail party. Peter Stas said: "Frederique Constant has been manufacturing watches in the heart of Plan-les-Ouates since 2006. It is a pioneer of innovation and excellence in the Swiss and global watch industry with its first Horological Smartwatch and Hybrid Swiss Made collection. The strong vocation to invest in new technologies and new in-house mechanical movements at an affordable price reflects the brand's commitment to enabling more people around the world to enjoy the pleasure of luxury.
