Fribourg - a future watchmaking canton

If there is one Swiss canton that epitomises both sides of the Röstigraben, then it is Fribourg. Not only is it both German- and French-speaking, but it is also in close proximity to the strongholds of watchmaking - between Geneva and Biel. So close that he himself will soon be caught up in the dynamism of the industry?

I recently had the opportunity to visit one of the few watch manufacturers that have set up shop in the canton of Fribourg: SwissKubik, the specialists in watch winders. On the way, we drove past the imposing Cartier factory in Villars-sur-Glâne. One of the pioneers of this luxury brand, Jean-Jacques Paolini, was recently honoured with the Prix Gaïa in the entrepreneurial spirit category, in particular for introducing the lean manufacturing approach to the watch industry.

Cartier set up in Villars-sur-Glâne in 1972 - originally to manufacture lighters. Thirty years later, the factory was expanded and developed into a watch manufacture: At this site, which employs around 250 people, the brand manufactures and assembles watches made of stainless steel and gold.

Also in the canton of Fribourg, a few years ago I discovered one of these entrepreneurial gems that harbours the secret of the art of watchmaking: Mauron Musy. Founded in 2013, the brand has just opened a new production site in Saint-Aubin in the Broye Valley. It is characterised by its innovative strength and has registered a patent for its nO-Ring technology: a mechanical sealing system without rubber gaskets. It also bears the "Swiss Crafted" label: All components - movement, case and dial - are designed, manufactured and assembled in Switzerland, many of them within a 60-kilometre radius of the manufacture.

TURNING POINT IN FRIBOURG

Despite the presence of these companies, Fribourg has barely been able to keep up with the watchmaking density found in Geneva, Biel, Neuchâtel and Schaffhausen, as well as in the Vallée de Joux. But although it is still largely missing from the map of watchmaking, the canton of Fribourg could soon play an important role - because the arrival of Rolex will change things. in 2022, the giant with the crown in its logo announced the construction of a production site of unprecedented size in Bulle.

The project, with an estimated budget of one billion Swiss francs, envisages an industrial area of over
261,000 square metres and is expected to create several thousand direct and indirect jobs. According to the timetable, commissioning is to take place in stages up to 2029. In the meantime, Rolex has already started using the former Tetra Pak factory in Romont as a temporary site for training and production.

The advantages of Fribourg? The canton is ideally located between Lausanne and Bern and is the youngest in Switzerland in terms of the average age of the population. The project is a turning point for Fribourg: it puts the canton on the watchmaking map. The business world is preparing for this new dynamic: Cartier and Rolex have already announced that they will be working together to train apprentices from next year. And watchmaking is getting ready to open a new chapter in the middle of the Röstigraben.

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE
Serge Maillard from Geneva is a journalist and editor of the renowned watch magazine "Europa Star". europastar.com