The architecture studio Marc Mimram Architecture & Ingénierie has been selected as the winner for the new Cherpines sports and cultural complex located in the Swiss commune of the canton of Geneva This new facility seeks to produce rational and sustainable architecture at the service of the local population. The ambitious project is developed in collaboration with the Geneva-based agency CollinFontaine Architectes The organization of the program is determined by the planning of the territory in which it is located so based on the dispersed form of urban planning that we find in Plan-les-Ouates the project uses public space as a connector to concentrate the activity of the urban area in an attractive way The proposal is part of a neighbourhood project that demands high standards in quality of life architectural approach and environmental sustainability The project developed by Marc Mimram Architecture & Ingénierie distributes its program in three buildings that have different spaces dedicated to sport The intervention proposes a public space in which the different spaces are interconnected by a larger-scale element proposing the whole as a generator of social relations and a new area of centrality in the area The location of the different pavilions and spaces of the center within the park will depend on the solar orientation that each of them needs either with the objective of obtaining good natural lighting as well as for the production and supply of energy to each building in a sustainable way Its production of renewable electricity is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption Cherpines Sports and Cultural Complex by Marc Mimram Architecture & Ingénierie Project description by Marc Mimram Architecture & Ingénierie The new Cherpines sports and cultural complex serves as a vibrant hub for life and activities at the heart of the new urban area It features a very free urban form and an architectural style based on the clarity of construction methods and bioclimatic systems revealing the main building materials: wood and site-specific earth The urban composition emphasizes the idea of pavilions set within a park and optimal solar orientation for both usage and energy production and a cultural center integrated within three buildings These buildings form a cohesive ensemble through which public space flows connecting the various adjacent urban areas all covered by a productive roof: a thoughtful and sustainable architecture serving the activation of uses Lead architects.- Marc Mimram Architecture & Ingénierie.Associates architects.- CollinFontaine Architectes Landscape.- Pascal Heyraud sàrl.Civil engineer.- NGPHI SA.CVSE Engineering construction physics and energy labelling.- AZ Ingénieurs SA Archive Architecture “Today we are unveiling the world’s first MCU AI Developer Cloud which works hand-in-glove with our STM32Cube.AI ecosystem This new tool brings the possibility to remotely benchmark models on STM32 hardware through the cloud to save on workload and cost” said Ricardo De Sa Earp Executive Vice President General-Purpose Microcontroller Sub-Group And we are stopping by to get some first-hand knowledge of what is in store for us at embedded world 2023 from STMicoelectronics as we all wait somewhat patiently for ew '23 let's consume all we can about our kindest of hosts STMicroelectronics will be highlighting the world’s first MCU Edge-AI Developer Cloud in hall 4A booth 148 at embedded world 2023 The MCU Edge-AI Developer Cloud is an online version of the STM32Cube.AIdesktop front-end tool including the resources for developers to validate and generate optimized STM32 AI libraries from trained Neural Networks Plant leaf disease identification is crucial for agriculture helping to prevent the spread of diseases which can have a significant impact on crop yields and food security Identifying the specific disease allows farmers to take appropriate measures to control or eradicate the disease such as applying the correct pesticides only on targeted plants or implementing quarantine measures “Our goal is to deliver the best hardware and services to meet the challenges faced by embedded developers and data scientists so that they can develop their edge AI application faster and with less hassle,” said Ricardo De Sa Earp For more information, visit stm32ai.st.com has responsibilities that include handling the news cycle Chad graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a B.A WATCHPRO USA Rolex has confirmed it is speeding up the expansion of its manufacturing capacity with three temporary facilities capable of boosting production by 2025 Rolex is rapidly ramping up its manufacturing capacity by opening both temporary and permanent facilities in Switzerland The company revealed last year it is investing over $1 billion in a major new factory in Bulle president of the state council for Friburg described the Rolex plan as a “Project of a rare scale” Adding: “This significant investment will create very many jobs The project is on the right track and the Friborg authorities will do everything to ensure that it succeeds” adding around 2,000 employees to the current Rolex headcount of 30,000 is expected to be completed and on stream by 2029 with demand for Rolex watches at an unprecedented high the watchmaker is adding manufacturing capacity even faster with three temporary facilities capable of adding capacity by 2025 A report by Bloomberg‘s Andy Hoffman reveals that production will be increased gradually as the pop-up facilities come online and a workforce of up to 300 is recruited and trained It is not clear which watchmaking disciplines will be housed in each of the new plants Rolex has consistently maintained it will never compromise on the quality of its watchmaking as it works to increase capacity amid a global imbalance between supply and demand “Our current production cannot meet the existing demand in an exhaustive way at least not without reducing the quality of our watches – something we refuse to do as the quality of our products must never be compromised,” a statement from Rolex in 2021 said Construction of all four new temporary and permanent Rolex facilities will start later this year Rolex currently has four major facilities in Switzerland: its administrative headquarters and assembly operation in Geneva; a factory in Plan-les-Ouates making watch cases and bracelets; Chêne-Bourg cerachrom bezels and bezel inserts; and Bienne is the beating heart of the operation to manufacture movements Professional Watches The Frederique Constant Group officially inaugurated their newly expanded factory and headquarters in Plan-les-Ouates Frederique Constant debuted its first manufacture caliber followed a total of 28 in-house movements since then the company felt the need to expand its production facilities and moved into a 3,200 square meter facility in Plan-les-Ouates located amongst many top watchmakers in the area (including Piaget Thirteen years later, the Frederique Constant Group – which consists of Frederique Constant, Alpina, and Ateliers de Monaco, has been owned by the Citizen Group since 2016 – have outgrown their facilities again after two years of planning and construction The Frederique Constant Group has added-on to their existing manufacture and is now at 6,200 square meters The added space has allowed the group – which is all housed in one building despite consisting of three distinct brands – to completely reorganize their factory production and corporate offices visitors will find a dedicated space where they will have a chance to explore the manufacture history and milestones Visitors will be able to “discover heritage timepieces the manufacturing process of the brands’ in-house calibers details of some of the most iconic watches The rest of the ground floor will be taken up by the new staff cafeteria the whole production workshop from T1 to T4 will be regrouped optimizing watchmaking workflow and logistics and administration departments will be spread on the second floor the overall goal is to increase the production capacity from 160,000 to 250,000 watches per year within the next 5 years Jason is a writer and photographer who founded Professional Watches to share his passion for watches How To Wear It The Cartier Tank Cintrée In-Depth Examining Value And Price Over Time With The ‘No Date’ Rolex Submariner Watches In The Wild The Road Through America, Episode 1: A Model Of Mass Production we'll share exactly how Patek intends to further improve its core competencies across multiple areas of manufacturing Following the acquisition of an adjoining plot of land in 2009 the existing Patek Philippe facilities at Plan-les-Ouates will see a substantial Patek first centralized its activies in Plan-les-Ouates but soon outgrew the space in subsequent years the exterior components department was relocated to the nearby neighborhood of Perly the brand will relocate all of its Geneva-based activities back to the Plan-les-Ouates campus which is able to accommodate the expansion due to the purchase of an adjoining lot in 2009 The new building will be massive – containing approximately 50,000 square meters across six above-ground levels Construction is expected to begin this spring the entire nine-figure project was financed entirely by Patek Philippe the investment will also be applied to the following areas of Patek's business: and approval) laboratories will be created facilitating more intensive research in new horological technologies A new department with 40 in-house and external artisans will be dedicated to "Rare Handcrafts." These crafts include, but are not limited to, enameling, guilloché, and engraving – perhaps best seen on the highly-decorated Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175R the manufacture will consolidate its repair facilities providing both manufacturing and warehouse space for spare parts Patek will strengthen its focus on restoring old timepieces With an eye on the future of their business training will be centralized for watchmaking and repairs Sales and marketing training for worldwide distributors will also be centralized For more information, visit Patek Philippe online Business News Rolex Will Raise U.S. Prices In Response To Tariffs Reference Points The Cartier Tank Louis Introducing The Christopher Ward C12 'Loco' (Live Pics) Hands-On Tudor's Black Bay Pro Gets A Surprisingly Dramatic Facelift With An Opaline Dial Hands-On The Chopard Quattro Mark IV — The Most Impressive Release Of Watches And Wonders 2025 In anticipation of increased European and global demand for defence products Mercury's management has decided to streamline internal operations and transfer a part of its European electronics manufacturing to Cicor. The move will allow Mercury to focus on its core competencies of engineering design and systems integration to drive growth in the international market who has a strong footing in aerospace and defence (A&D) electronics was selected as the outsourcing partner due to its expertise and geographic presence across Europe The collaboration includes the acquisition of a Mercury manufacturing site in Plan-Les-Ouates Mercury and Cicor have jointly decided to relocate production to the Cicor sites in Newport "The transaction is further proof that Cicor's pan-European platform for the development and manufacturing of mission critical electronic solutions responds perfectly well to the need of the European A&D industry to establish robust and scalable supply chains," Cicor writes in the press release. Together with Cicor's acquisition of MADES S.A.U. in Spain the partnership with Mercury will further expand the EMS provider's presence in A&D The transaction is expected to be completed within approximately one month subject to customary closing conditions including end customer consents. Mercury has committed to Cicor to – over the next five years – purchase products with a total value in the high double digit million CHF range Both parties also intend to deepen the strategic business relationship which should create additional revenue potential in the coming years The worst hit areas were in the south of the canton Homes were flooded and roads closed – the Drize River broke its banks in many areas. Emergency services were called out to nearly 400 incidents with 3,600 calls Areas of neighbouring France were also hit Torrents of fast flowing water swept through the streets of Collonge Sous Salève A viral video shows a man caught in the water Parts of the A40 autoroute heading towards Chamonix were closed. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Mercury Systems (NASDAQ: MRCY) has announced a strategic supply agreement with Cicor Group (SIX: CICN) involving the sale of Mercury's manufacturing operation in Plan-Les-Ouates Cicor will supply electronic products to Mercury with production relocating to Cicor's sites in Newport expected to complete within one month subject to closing conditions allows Mercury's facilities in Switzerland and the UK to focus on engineering design and systems integration This strategic move aims to meet increasing European and global demand for commercial defense products Mercury will maintain a robust supply chain by sourcing boards from both Cicor and its U.S Mercury Systems (NASDAQ: MRCY) ha annunciato un accordo strategico di fornitura con Cicor Group (SIX: CICN) riguardante la vendita dell'impianto produttivo di Mercury a Plan-Les-Ouates Cicor fornirà prodotti elettronici a Mercury con la produzione che sarà trasferita nei prossimi 18 mesi presso gli stabilimenti di Cicor a Newport che si prevede venga completata entro un mese subordinata al rispetto delle condizioni di chiusura consentirà alle strutture di Mercury in Svizzera Spagna e Regno Unito di concentrarsi sulla progettazione ingegneristica e sull'integrazione di sistemi Questa mossa strategica mira a soddisfare la crescente domanda europea e globale di prodotti per la difesa commerciale Mercury manterrà una catena di fornitura solida approvvigionandosi di schede sia da Cicor sia dalle sue operazioni negli Stati Uniti Mercury Systems (NASDAQ: MRCY) ha anunciado un acuerdo estratégico de suministro con Cicor Group (SIX: CICN) que implica la venta de la operación de fabricación de Mercury en Plan-Les-Ouates Cicor suministrará productos electrónicos a Mercury trasladando la producción a las instalaciones de Cicor en Newport que se espera completar en un mes sujeta a condiciones de cierre permitirá que las instalaciones de Mercury en Suiza España y Reino Unido se centren en el diseño de ingeniería y la integración de sistemas Este movimiento estratégico busca satisfacer la creciente demanda europea y global de productos de defensa comercial Mercury mantendrá una cadena de suministro sólida obteniendo placas tanto de Cicor como de sus operaciones en EE.UU Mercury Systems (NASDAQ: MRCY)는 Cicor Group (SIX: CICN)과 스위스 플랜-레-우아테에 위치한 Mercury의 제조 시설 매각을 포함하는 전략적 공급 계약을 발표했습니다 향후 18개월 동안 생산은 영국 뉴포트와 스위스 브론스호펜에 있는 Cicor의 시설로 이전될 예정입니다 스페인 및 영국 시설은 엔지니어링 설계와 시스템 통합에 집중할 수 있게 됩니다 이 전략적 조치는 유럽 및 전 세계 상업 방위 제품에 대한 증가하는 수요를 충족하는 것을 목표로 합니다 Mercury는 Cicor와 미국 내 사업장에서 보드를 조달하여 견고한 공급망을 유지할 것입니다 Mercury Systems (NASDAQ : MRCY) a annoncé un accord stratégique de fourniture avec Cicor Group (SIX : CICN) portant sur la vente de l’usine de production de Mercury à Plan-Les-Ouates Cicor fournira des produits électroniques à Mercury la production étant transférée au cours des 18 prochains mois vers les sites de Cicor à Newport qui devrait être finalisée dans un délai d’un mois sous réserve des conditions de clôture permettra aux installations de Mercury en Suisse en Espagne et au Royaume-Uni de se concentrer sur la conception technique et l’intégration des systèmes Cette démarche stratégique vise à répondre à la demande croissante de produits de défense commerciale en Europe et dans le monde Mercury maintiendra une chaîne d’approvisionnement solide en s’approvisionnant en cartes électroniques auprès de Cicor ainsi que de ses opérations américaines Mercury Systems (NASDAQ: MRCY) hat eine strategische Liefervereinbarung mit Cicor Group (SIX: CICN) angekündigt die den Verkauf von Mercurys Fertigungsbetrieb in Plan-Les-Ouates Im Rahmen der fünfjährigen Vereinbarung wird Cicor elektronische Produkte an Mercury liefern wobei die Produktion in den nächsten 18 Monaten auf Cicors Standorte in Newport die voraussichtlich innerhalb eines Monats unter Vorbehalt der Abschlussbedingungen abgeschlossen wird ermöglicht es Mercurys Einrichtungen in der Schweiz sich auf Engineering-Design und Systemintegration zu konzentrieren Dieser strategische Schritt zielt darauf ab die steigende europäische und globale Nachfrage nach kommerziellen Verteidigungsprodukten zu erfüllen Mercury wird eine stabile Lieferkette aufrechterhalten indem es Leiterplatten sowohl von Cicor als auch von seinen US-Standorten bezieht Mercury's strategic partnership with Cicor represents a significant operational restructuring that aligns with broader defense industry trends toward specialized production networks By divesting its Swiss manufacturing operation while securing a five-year supply agreement Mercury is refocusing its European facilities on higher-margin activities like engineering design and systems integration This vertical disintegration strategy allows Mercury to leverage Cicor's manufacturing expertise while concentrating internal resources on core competencies The relocation of production to Cicor's UK and Switzerland facilities over an 18-month period creates temporary transition risk but potentially improves long-term operational efficiency The timing aligns with increased European defense spending amid regional security concerns By maintaining dual-sourcing between Cicor and U.S Mercury preserves supply chain resilience—particularly important given recent global supply disruptions in the defense sector While the announcement lacks financial details about the transaction value or expected cost savings manufacturing partnerships often enable more efficient capital allocation and improved focus on system-level innovations where margins are typically higher The five-year commitment suggests confidence in the relationship though successful execution during the transition period will be critical to realizing the intended benefits of this restructuring without disrupting current programs ANDOVER, Mass., April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com) a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge today announced it has entered into a strategic supply agreement under which Cicor Group (SIX Swiss Exchange: CICN) will acquire a manufacturing operation in Plan-Les-Ouates and supply Mercury with electronic products over the next five years is a leading provider of mission-critical processing products and solutions to the international aerospace and defense industry In anticipation of increased European and global demand for commercial defense products Mercury will transition its Swiss electronic board manufacturing operations to Cicor the leading European manufacturer for aerospace and defense electronics This will allow Mercury’s facilities in Switzerland and the United Kingdom to focus on their core competencies of engineering design and systems integration which is expected to drive the company’s continued success and next phase of growth in the international market subject to customary closing conditions including end customer consents as well continue to source boards from Mercury’s U.S Both parties intend to further expand the strategic business relationship in the coming years “Mercury remains dedicated to delivering mission-critical processing capabilities to the European and global aerospace and defense sector,” said Paul Tanner “This agreement with Cicor will allow us to scale quickly to meet the growing demand for leading-edge commercial processing technologies around the world.” Mercury Systems – Innovation that matters® Mercury Systems is a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge making advanced technologies profoundly more accessible for today’s most challenging aerospace and defense missions The Mercury Processing Platform allows customers to tap into innovative capabilities from silicon to system scale turning data into decisions on timelines that matter Mercury’s products and solutions are deployed in more than 300 programs and across 35 countries enabling a broad range of applications in mission computing Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including those relating to the Company's focus on enhanced execution of the Company's strategic plan You can identify these statements by the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “continue,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “likely,” “forecast,” “probable,” “potential,” and similar expressions These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated including unforeseen weakness in the Company’s markets federal government shutdown or extended continuing resolution effects of geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts changes in technology and methods of marketing delays in or cost increases related to completing development continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations federal export control or procurement rules and regulations or in the interpretation or enforcement of market acceptance of the Company's products shortages in or delays in receiving components supply chain delays or volatility for critical components production delays or unanticipated expenses including due to quality issues or manufacturing execution issues increases in scrap or inventory write-offs failure to achieve or maintain manufacturing quality certifications on program execution and the resulting effect on customer satisfaction inability to fully realize the expected benefits from acquisitions and operational efficiency initiatives or delays in realizing such benefits challenges in integrating acquired businesses and achieving anticipated synergies changes to industrial security and cyber-security regulations and requirements and impacts from any cyber or insider threat events changes to interest rate swaps or other cash flow hedging arrangements changes to generally accepted accounting principles difficulties in retaining key employees and customers including the dispute arising with the former CEO over his resignation unanticipated costs under fixed-price service and system integration engagements and various other factors beyond our control These risks and uncertainties also include such additional risk factors as are discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 28 2024 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made Investor RelationsTyler.Hojo@mrcy.comMEDIA CONTACTTurner BrintonSenior Director Corporate Communications Turner.Brinton@mrcy.com Already have an account? Login Search here By continuing to browse the site you are consenting to its use Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information is planning a major new production facility in Bulle Rolex could invest 1 billion Swiss francs ($1.04 billion) in the manufacturing operation that would create about 2,000 new jobs RTS reported citing officials from the canton of Fribourg Based on the outskirts of the city of Geneva Patek Philippe officially opened its new production facility in 2020 Located just outside Geneva (at Chemin du Pont-du-Centenaire 141) the expansive building project has taken over five years to complete The first plans were initiated in January 2014 and by December of 2014 the construction permits we applied for some employees started moving to the new facility The manufacture now houses almost all Patek Philippe watch production operations and the headquarters. Although it’s worth noting, Patek Philippe’s Flückiger & Fils SA dial manufacture —owned by the Sterns prior to them taking over Patek Philippe in 1932 — is located in St Imier And the renowned Patek Philippe Museum also remains in its own building in Geneva Patek Philippe invested 600 million Swiss francs in this project and expects it to accommodate production operations for the next two to three decades its new premises are “not to noticeably increase the volume of watches produced from currently almost 62,000 pieces per year” but to streamline and rationalize manufacturing and assembly The contemporary building design was created by Frisk de Marignac Pidoux Genèva while the interior architecture and design were completed by Frei & Stefani SA The total area of the building is 133,650 square meters (1,438,597 square feet) over 10 floors Over 14,000 tons of rebar steel was required (enough to build two Eiffel towers) On the top floor is a restaurant that can accommodate 880 people In the basement is a multi-level garage that holds up to 635 vehicles Patek Philippe’s new state-of-the-art factory complies with the “Haute Performance Energétique (HPE)” standards pursuant to the energy laws of the canton of Geneva An application has been filed for the Minergie-P label the highest energy efficiency classification “The highly modern architecture of this structure can unite all of the manufacture’s Genevan ateliers under one roof a great advantage given the growing complexity of production operations,” according to Patek Philippe The completion of the structure — an important milestone in Patek Philippe history — is being celebrated with the launch of a special commemorative watch: the Calatrava Ref. 6007A in stainless steel which is being produced in a limited edition of 1,000 pieces In January 2015, Patek Philippe announced its decision to strengthen its presence in Geneva with the construction of a new building on its manufacturing site in Plan-les-Ouates A total of CHF 500 million (CHF 450 million for the construction and CHF 50 million for the production technical equipment) will be invested into this new building which by 2018 will provide additional space for new activities and the transfer of know-how The family-owned company is again making a strong commitment to its Geneva origins The enlargement of the Plan-les-Ouates site with an additional building is motivated by the objective of developing new business activities and creating ideal prerequisites for the multifaceted requirements imposed on Patek Philippe's in-house basic and advanced training programs This applies in particular to the domains of innovation The new building will provide a floor area of about 110,000 m2 spread out on six stories as well as four underground levels it will provide space requirements for future development The new building creates an opportunity to reconsolidate all Geneva-based activities on a single site and is expected to offer sufficient reserves for Patek Philippe's growth in the next 20 to 30 years Both structurally and in terms of its technical installations the new building will comply with strict energy conservation guidelines the building's energy efficiency largely corresponds to the Minergie-P standard Patek Philippe celebrated the laying of the foundation stone last October 15 they lay the foundation stone thus marking the beginning of a major construction site in the development of Patek Philippe Switzerland’s highest revenue watchmaker is reportedly close to signing a deal to build a fourth production facility — to expand capacity beyond one million timepieces annually Based on a report from Swissinfo.ch on November 22, 2022, that used Swiss public television station RTS as its source Rolex will potentially close on the two plots of land it needs to build a new production facility in Bulle The proposed site size totals around 100,000 square meters which equates to over 1,076,391 square feet (almost 25 acres) The potential size of the facility — which could be completed as soon as 2029 — could be massive And preliminary speculation suggests that 2,000 new jobs will be created if everything goes as planned Rolex is owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation and is known to make long-term decisions irrespective of investors because it has none. In other related news this week, Rolex announced its official certified pre-owned program which is notable because even though they’re not the first watch brand to create such a program the decision is sure to cause a ripple effect across the industry — due to the company’s position as a thought leader Professional Watches reached out to Rolex for comment on Thursday and has not received a reply we’ll likely know the official status of the project later this month With Rolex demand at record highs — and supply still not fulfilling demand — Rolex clearly needs more production capacity and has the capital as well as the support of local government to make this project a reality and it looks as though that’s all coming to fruition “A project of exceptional magnitude is on track in Bulle with the prestigious company Rolex,” declared Oliver Curty adding that the authorities would “ensure that it succeeds.” will be extended in the direction of the French border. In fact is now open for operation the new 2.7 km extension of the diametral line 15 from Grand-Lancy to the Plan des Ouates industrial zone (ZIPLO) with four new stops: Curé-Baud-Le Rolliet Plan Les Ouates and Confignon neighbourhoods to the Léman Express network thanks to its connection to the Lancy Pont Rouge station and will provide a quality service to both the existing housing and industrial areas and the new residential complexes scheduled to be built by 2030. Passages on the new route will be every 4,30 minutes at peak times The first departure from ZIPLO is at 4.27 a.m in the evening hours the frequencies drop to an average of 6-8 minutes and on Friday and Saturday evenings the service is scheduled for 24 hours according to the new TPG policy. Line 15 now runs in a total of 38 minutes The current Line 15 was opened for operation between Nations and Pont Rouge on 15 December 2004. To date Line 15 is the third busiest line in the Geneva network The line now employs the most modern rolling stock in the fleet from Stadler Tango to Bombardier Cityrunner An extension to the French town of St Julien-En Genevois Julien railway station on the Bellegarde-Annemasse- Evian Les Bains line thus providing fast access to both the centre of Geneva and the industrial area The neighbourhood communities have welcomed the introduction of this new public transport offer which will support their economic and demographic development the arrival of the tram had been awaited for many years and is considered necessary to improve the municipality’s public transport service whether for the residential areas near the Route de Base the industrial zone or the various schools This extension of the tramway line is also the cornerstone of the development of the Rolliet district with a stop located in the immediate vicinity © Copyright 2012 - 2025 | Vado e Torno Edizioni | All rights reserved | P.I Industry news and insights from Europe and around the World Keep up-to-date with the latest new products and technology FRANCE: Carrier has joined the league of chiller manufacturers adopting the new low GWP HFO refrigerant 1234ze(E) with a debut installation in Geneva Two Carrier AquaForce water-cooled screw chillers using the new refrigerant have been selected for the innovative Plan-les-Ouates district heating project in Geneva The first phase of the mixed-use real estate development project in Plan-les-Ouates enables the energy efficient recovery and re-use of waste heat from a data centre onsite, providing heating to local offices and other facilities. As part of the second phase, the extended installation is expected to provide heating to 3,000 individual homes within a planned residential zone The AquaForce chillers will provide 2.5MW of total heating capacity The project represents Europe’s first district heating project based on a water-cooled screw chiller using the new refrigerant Carrier SCS manufactured and tested the technology in its Montluel factory The system was delivered by Carrier’s Swiss distributor Walter Meier and the installation was completed in June Cooling Post is the leading online resource covering latest news and developments in the cooling industry air conditioning news and the latest heat pump developments Privacy & Cookie Policy © Copyright 2025, Cooling Post Ltd - All Rights Reserved | Website by Capital Web Geneva building brings together all of the manufacture’s watchmaking under one roof; “A great advantage given the growing complexity of production operations,” the company says Patek Philippe has officially announced the completion of its new production facility in Geneva that cost $600 million to build Planning for the building started in 1996 when Philippe Stern was still president and construction began in 2015 under the leadership of Thierry Stern the building that has brought together all of the manufacture’s Genevan ateliers under one roof “A great advantage given the growing complexity of production operations,” the company says To mark the final completion, Patek Philippe released a limited edition Calatrava today its first new watch of 2020 following delays caused by the Covid-19 crisis The architecturally modern facility is five storeys high giving space for expansion over the next 20 to 30 years the project had two key goals: the relocation of the ateliers from Perly to Plan-les-Ouates on the outskirts of Geneva and to create extra space for the growing production and training activities There has never been an intention to significantly increase the number of watches produced from the current 62,000 pieces per year almost half of them described by Patek Philippe as “complicated watches” with functions such as an Annual Calendar while Patek Philippe may have created the space for considerably more watchmaking the watchmaking required for each of its watches is continually increasing Patek Philippe says that the new building’s modern architecture accentuates the landscape of Plan-les-Ouates an odd boast for an area that is effectively an edge-of-town business park Large windows and white concrete passageways are punctuated with bronze-coloured New York-style fire escapes in a way that is designed to evoke images of a huge ocean liner Connoisseurs doing the tour might notice subtle architectural nods to Patek Philippe watches such as the slight horizontal curvature of the passageways reminiscent of the gently rounded octagon of the Nautilus case or the balustrades of the fire escape ladders with a silhouette that resembles the form of leaf-shaped hands Interior spaces are divided into five segments that are separated by four staircases and include 20 passenger and freight elevators The ground floor and the first floor are reserved for production and manual finissage of movement parts (plates etc.) while the focus on the second floor is machining In addition to the production of the current collection these ateliers are also responsible for crafting the inventory of spare parts needed by Customer Service The restoration of antique timepieces also takes place here The third floor accommodates further production-related departments such as Research & Development in the fields of new materials and new technologies (Patek Philippe Advanced Research) The fourth floor provides space for further evolving and handing down of the rare handcrafts skills that Patek Philippe has actively promoted (manual engraving In addition to an auditorium that seats 299 persons the same floor also has rooms where watchmakers and staff members of the international sales network receive training the building is topped by a penthouse restaurant for 880 guests as well as four VIP lounges Get daily business news from the region delivered straight to your inbox built at a cost of CHF500m on the company’s former parking lot at Plan-les-Ouates Modern Swiss fine watchmaking as we define it today during its early days around 300 years ago was essentially a series of skilled individual artisans working in silos creating specific components for watches An attempt to centralise production and gather these artisans into a single place where they could collectively pool their efforts to create a watch entirely in-house led to the creation of ‘manufactures’ universally regarded as among the top three Swiss luxury watchmakers in the world partnered with watchmaker Jean Adrien Philippe to create Patek & Cie – Fabricants à Genève in 1851 Patek Philippe has courted royalty – Queen Victoria purchased a pendant watch back in 1851 now displayed in the watchmaker’s museum – and industry titans was built specifically for US banking tycoon Henry Graves Jr and auctioned for $24m in 2014 Patek has also been a powerhouse of innovation A rectangular Patek Philippe yellow-gold case wristwatch made on commission for the Countess Koscowicz of Hungary became the world’s most expensive timepiece when it auctioned for $31m Patek hasn’t let itself slip into a dreary sense of complacency over the past few decades The brand was acquired by the Stern family in 1933 and remains an independent family-owned business at the very pinnacle of fine watchmaking inaugurated a new production facility in Geneva’s Plan-les-Ouates which was to “reunite under one roof the individual business activities that were previously distributed across over a dozen sites throughout the city and to thus secure the independence of the company in the long term” Philippe reportedly spent a year’s worth of sales budget on that facility But as the watchmaker’s business subsequently expanded some of its manufacturing needed to be shifted to the nearby community of Perly decided to construct an expanded production facility at Plan-les-Ouates to once again consolidate the manufacturing process at a single site and to support the company’s production for at least another three decades the new facility – built on the company’s former parking lot at Plan-les-Ouates – was inaugurated in June Patek spent another CHF100m on the interiors and equipment installed in the building The 10-storey unit (four of which are underground) is 189-metres long and 67 metres wide Describing the architectural flourishes of the building “The large-format glazing (abundant daylight is a must) interacts with white concrete passageways along the entire façade and the intermittent bronze-coloured fire escapes in the New York style The impression is that of a huge ocean liner with clearly defined forms…the slight horizontal curvature of the passageways [are] reminiscent of the gently rounded octagon of the Nautilus case or the balustrades of the fire escape ladders with a silhouette that resembles the form of leaf-shaped hands.” The four subterranean floors offer a 635-car-park facility while the first and second floor above ground is dedicated to the production of components including the bridges and wheels the manual-intensive process of polishing those parts as well as the assembly of its bracelets and cases The second floor also houses the restoration of antique pieces Setting the pace for the future of the company an R&D and prototyping department is located on the third floor and it also houses the Patek Philippe Advanced Research department you need to have a good idea about what you’re going to launch,” Thierry told Gulf Business last year when explaining that he was already working on movements that were destined to come to market in 2023 you will find the rare handcrafts skills division is the head of Patek’s Rare Handcrafts department that creates one-off timepieces using intergenerational artisanal skills such as wood marquetry A 299-person auditorium is also located on this floor a “penthouse restaurant” can seat 880 guests and includes four VIP lounges The objective of the new production facility is not to ramp up production – Patek makes around 62,000 watches a year including 8,000 quartz pieces it has increased production by around 2-3 per cent annually With the current pandemic resulting in the cancellation of Baselworld earlier this year Chopard and Chanel when they decided to exit from Baselworld altogether and set up a new watch show that would take place parallel to Watches & Wonders next year Patek Philippe too did not announce any new novelties earlier this year to commemorate the opening of the new facility at Plan-les-Ouates Patek decided to introduce its first novelty for the year – the Ref is offered in steel – one of the most coveted case materials from Patek a steel Nautilus has a waiting time of around eight years 6007A-001 Calatrava features a self-winding Caliber 324 S C mechanical movement that operates at 28,000vph and has a power reserve of up to 45 hours The 40mm steel case frames the grey-blue dial with a carbon pattern at the centre of it The white gold hands are covered in luminous material – the only Calatrava model currently in Patek’s arsenal to feature hands with this material on it Turn it over and you’ll see an imprint of the Calatrava cross and the “New Manufacture 2019” inscription on it referring to the time when employees began moving to the new facility And with 2020 being a year that we’d all like to put behind us it isn’t a bad idea to not have 2020 inscribed on that caseback 5303R-001 Minute Repeater Tourbillon – it’s worth noting that every minute repeater is passed via Stern’s desk who personally inspects its tonal quality – and even a Ref 5370P-011 Split Second Chronograph the new production facility is already off to a strong start The significant investment increases the production of CEUS microbubbles assists doctors all over the world with more accurate diagnostic data improving patients' quality of life and facilitating personalized treatment plans 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 80 million euros have been invested to build Hexagon a new manufacturing facility located next to the historical 1997 plant which will triple the production and distribution of one of the leading products from Bracco's research The new multi-functional building will supply the world with the innovative contrast agent for ultrasound based on microbubbles which allows real-time diagnosis and offers greater versatility as well as sustainability It is the latest milestone in the Bracco Group's long-standing story of success today the company operates in 100 countries while maintaining its strong Italian roots and counts 1.8 billion euros in turnover and over 3,800 employees The ties with Switzerland go back a long way: first the Research Center followed by the Plan-les-Ouates manufacturing site "It all began with collaboration between our research department and the Swiss Battelle Institute which allowed us to explore cutting-edge modalities in diagnostic imaging," recalls Diana Bracco "As a result of this new major investment we will be in a position to satisfy the high global demand for our products it is both an achievement and a great source of pride to be able to compete on a global scale in such a technologically advanced sector We have invested on average 12.5 million francs per year over the last decade in R&D at the Geneva Research Center," concluded Diana Bracco "employing more than 45 scientists and researchers it is precisely the proximity of the research and development department to production which is an essential factor in the success of Bracco Suisse." Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound is a high-sensitivity non-invasive diagnostic imaging modality free of radiation Microbubbles also have enormous potential in the field of precision medicine because they can serve as vectors of pharmaceuticals activating the temporary opening of the vascular tissue barrier thereby optimizing the therapeutic effect making it as targeted and effective as possible "Bracco has always been at the forefront of scientific progress because innovation is in our DNA," stated Fulvio Renoldi Bracco which enables us to triple and expand our production lines Bracco aims to become the global leader in the CEUS sector We see the potential of this modality as a complement to X-ray magnetic resonance and PET/SPECT to help health systems deliver more efficient care to their patients Our microbubble platform is a more convenient cutting-edge medical technology that adds value to diagnostic imaging We will continue to invest in this area in the near future as it has already delivered excellent results internationally." Inauguration day for the new plant - a 4-story building characterized by contemporary design and constructed according to the most rigorous sustainability standards - began with a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by along with Diana Bracco and Fulvio Renoldi Bracco Director of the FOPH – Federal Office of Public Health and Innovation for the Canton of Geneva and Simona Loizzo the ambassadors from the two countries highlighted the friendly relations between Italy and Switzerland the value of the investment in the Canton of Geneva and Bracco's role in one of the most advanced sectors of the Life Sciences and of prevention the scientific symposium "Bubble Power – Imaging & Beyond" was held at the Spark Auditorium to celebrate the event Head of Global Research & Development at Bracco Imaging the convention featured introductory remarks by Cristina Messa Full Professor of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiotherapy at the University of Milano-Bicocca and former Italian Minister of University and Research as well as numerous valuable contributions from international scientists Bracco is an international Group active in over 100 countries worldwide in the healthcare sector and a leader in diagnostic imaging. It has over 3,800 employees and annual total consolidated revenues of around 1,8 billion euros, 88% of which from international sales. In the Research and Development area the company invests approximately 10% of reference turnover in the imaging diagnostics and medical devices sectors and has a portfolio comprising over 2,600 patents Focus is now on a commercial laundry after scientists determined the fish were killed by a detergent product The Cantonal Water Office estimates around 200 litres of the product was poured into a drain designed to collect rain water within the industrial area in Plan-les-Ouates The cantonal Prosecutor’s Office confirms criminal proceedings have been launched against an unnamed person. WATCHPRO Rolex has reportedly bought 100,000 square meters of land in Bulle and has plans to build a facility employing up to 2,000 people Rolex currently employs around 30,000 people The Swiss watchmaker has not confirmed news of the Bulle development, which was broken by state broadcaster RTS the Swiss canton that will house the new facility is optimistic that all administrative hurdles can be cleared to ensure the development goes ahead He described the Rolex plan as a “Project of a rare scale” Adding: “This significant investment will create very many jobs The project is on the right track and the Friborg authorities will do everything to ensure that it succeeds” RTS says that the new facility could be completed by 2029 There is no information on what Rolex plans to do with its Bulle facility but any additional capacity that leads to increased supply of finished watches will be a welcome relief for authorized dealers and their customers which have seen demand exceed supply by a wide margin for the past two years and I ha my brother Mr Luis Miguel Reis Nunes that is working for the past 12 year’s in the Rolex in Plans-Les-Oates Geneva and myself I have pass 10 years in Geneva working in the Restaurant Comedi as a suchefe The KH-101 devices fly low and fast and so avoid radar detection British analysts examining the wreckage found microprocessors made by STMicroelectronics. ST Microelectronics says it has a comprehensive global trade compliance program through which it complies with all international trade rules and regulations. The company stresses that following the imposition of sanctions and export control measures against Russia and Belarus by the EU and the US since the end of February 2022 it has taken all the necessary actions to comply with those specific new requirements Other components from western companies in Russian weapons have also been found. Text by Kien Lee | Cover photo by Munster In celebration of its new production facility located in Plan-les-Ouates Patek Philippe has created an exclusive Calatrava to mark the occasion The launch follows a tradition in which the Genevan watchmaker commemorates key events in its corporate history with limited-edition timepieces Patek enthusiasts will recall back in 1997 when the Ref 5029 Minute Repeater were unveiled to officially inaugurate the building's first opening at the same address and 10 floors of which four are subterranean It is an expansion of the original 1996 building - all this in measured anticipation of the manufacture's growth in the next 20 to 30 years It also consolidates the ateliers relocated from Perly to Plan-les-Ouates With its 40mm case and broad-cambered bezel in polished stainless steel 6007A-001 is highly collectible as the material is rarely used in the Calatrava collection a railway track with triangular markers serves as an hour circle with applied numerals in white gold with luminous coatings outlining it the date aperture reveals the self-winding caliber 324 S C movement inside Pierced baton hours and minutes hands in white gold 6006 Calatrava that has been part of the collection since 2017 the dial features a "carbon"-style texture with an alternating pattern.The calfskin strap with white decorative seams and a delicately embossed structure reminiscent of textile fabrics are coordinated in terms of colour and structure to match the dial centre a Calatrava cross and a "New Manufacture 2019" inscription provide a finishing touch marking the year when the first work groups moved into the new production facility 6007A-001 is available only in a special edition run of 1,000 pieces More information can be found here Watches & Jewelry Fashion & Style Those who attended the laying of the foundation stone of the Frédérique Constant factory in Plan-les-Ouates in 2004 may remember the small boy taking an active part in this important moment with his two parents This factory was to some extent built for him and embodied the brand's future Piet-Jan has since attended a number of the family-owned brand's events The two children have since grown up and chosen different career paths than those of their parents Aletta and Peter encouraged their offspring to follow their hearts and have now listened to reason by entering into discussions with the groups who had been making advances to them for a number of years After an intense three-day visit to Rolex’s manufacturing facilities Carlos Pedroza is more convinced than ever of the luxury brand’s impressive quality and commitment to values and heritage people think of American mass market brands as the pinnacle of successful global positioning There is one brand from Switzerland that is embedded into our childhood It is the remembrance of our first encounter with luxury: Rolex you’ll find Rolex references on some of the most iconic films in history and on several films with celebrity actors like Dustin Hoffman Rolex has been the background of every single match played at Wimbledon including the famous Björn vs McEnroe final in 1980 golf and several cultural expressions on a global scale not only as a luxury brand but as a reference of elegance A Rolex watch is also a status symbol; one that reflects a success story and has been embraced by celebrities It is the most recognisable watch brand in the world and one that has barely made any major changes to its family of models Read: Rolex watch with Dubai Ruler’s name to be auctioned for up to $160,000 The big question is: Why is Rolex so celebrated and well known or have heard that it has certain quality elements that makes it durable Those elements will fulfill their aspirations of accomplishment A Rolex is made with extremely high-quality standards; so high that they keep the whole process a veiled secret in the industry So high that they have developed and implemented technology usually fitted for aerospace industries rather than watchmaking We had the very rare opportunity to go inside their manufacture facilities in Switzerland Here’s a brief recount of the enlightening experience  In the main corporate headquarters or Rolex inaugurated in 1965 and heavily renovated between 2002-2006 There’s a strong feeling that something very relevant happens inside research and development departments and two 10 floor production units (with four of those underground) where the final assembly of the watches and the Superlative Chronometer certification take place The final assembly is a complex and detailed process with components coming from all different sites of the manufacture process aesthetic and control measures and the registration of a unique serial number for the movement and the case in a centralised database are part of the process on this facility The Superlative Chronometer certification is a unique process that  the brand implemented on top of the traditional COSC certification that is the standard on the Swiss watch industry The certification involves a series of in-house tests with a proprietary methodology and special equipment on the fully finished and assembled watch The precision standards double the minimum requirements of the COSC certification taking every Rolex to a -2/+2 seconds per day accuracy The certification comes with a five-year guarantee and proof of the reliability of Rolex production process we had the privilege to admire some of the treasures of the museum collection while attending a presentation of the history of the brand Several famous editions of Daytona’s – the first Deep Sea prototype – legendary watches from the early 20th century and more that would be the dream of every avid collector were in front of us All Rolex manufactures are impressive  and sophisticated but perhaps the most surprising and unexpected is Plan-les-Ouates The reason is that this facility represents the commitment of Rolex to their in-house production integration The metal that Rolex uses for its cases and bracelets is mostly done in house They have their own metal foundry inside Plan-les-Ouates There are several players in the watch industry that work with proprietary alloys and experimental materials but the general rule is to work with third-party providers to make them real Rolex takes this whole relationship in-house Rolex develops their three 18ct gold alloys (yellow gold white gold and Everose gold) and works the Oystersteel that is so unique of Rolex with extremely high corrosion resistant properties This steel is used in the aerospace industry there ́s a whole metal forming process for the gold with special equipment commissioned specifically for Rolex that assures the quality and specifications that Rolex requires there ́s the Rolex Central Laboratory where all metals are tested and have several quality control processes they can detect any imperfection on the metals Usually a slight color distortion or uneven pattern signals metal contamination and is then labeled as non-fitted for a case or bracelet ageing and resistance tests are also conducted on this laboratory A Rolex bracelet needs at least 190 components and hundreds of operations The whole process is a mix of high technology micro mechanical precision and hand-made craftsmanship Ancient art meets the future in a perfect and balanced mix of commitment to quality Plan-les-Ouates is also where the Cerachrom development takes place is a patented material used on their bezels The process involves a base of zirconium dioxide or aluminum oxide powder mixed with binding agents and colour pigments then put inside a furnace for days at temperatures of over 1,600C Then finishing with special diamond tip tools takes place Rolex has been a pioneer in developing a patented single two colour ceramic bezel for its GMT-Master II model A truly impressive feature of the manufactures is their automated stock system that’s state-of-the-art At Plan-les-Ouates it has 12,000 cubic meters of vaults with 60,000 storage compartments and a rail network of 1.5km that allows the transport of component trays to the workstations directly The system makes 2,800 transports per hour Every single component is uniquely identified and delivered to the precise area and the right time to ensure that the manufacturing process is constantly fluent and on time this system is a true logistics masterpiece This whole facility is focused on the dial production and gem setting procedures technology merges with ancient hand crafted art gold or platinum as a base and can have 18ct yellow meteorite or semiprecious stones and electroplating (application of coloured thin metallic layers to the dial) Brass is a flexible material that is easy to stamp Rolex uses 12 steps to remove excess material from the brass plate they use electric current to ionise and create a fine binding layer with an additional material to achieve different colours and textures Rolex crown and indicators are polished by hand there is a printing transfer process with  a silicon head tool and extremely soft application on the dial is a similar process to traditional lithography on fine arts The gems used by Rolex are of prime quality No other watch company uses this quality of diamonds with the exceptions of high-end jewelers It is very relevant that Rolex is part of the Kimberley process against conflict diamonds All stones are certified and conflict free The final part of the trip is where the heart of the Rolex watches is done The Bienne facility is fully dedicated to movement development and the process is mostly done by hand There are 2,000 employees working on this site the current building it was inaugurated in 2012 and it has the automated stock system in place and works mostly with solar energy Each Rolex movement has from 200 to 400 components finished in machines made to Rolex specific standards There are 350 measurement points just for the mainplate There are five robots taking care of the components Rolex developed its own very special hairspring It can be 10 times more accurate than  a conventional spring and it’s antimagnetic it undergoes fusion process to reduce the diameter of the rod until it reaches 5m long and becomes a wire The last process takes it to 0.1mm diameter and 3km long This hairspring is used in 22 Rolex calibers All Rolex calibers require a skilled watchmaker and several quality control stages The most complex caliber in the current collection is the 9001 from the Sky-Dweller with an annual calendar and two time zone function One of the most famous is the 4130 that powers the Daytona Rolex manufactures in house the main plate bridges and the most strategic components like the escapement and balance wheel After the extensive Rolex experience that I had the privilege of being part of one thing is certain: If you have a taste for watches even if you ́re not a technical geek or an amateur collector owning a Rolex is perhaps the most important step into becoming a proud watch owner Owning a Rolex is a rite of passage into serious watchmaking Rolex has made a huge number of important innovations over the years Here is a list of some of the most notable. There ́s an automated 33-hour quality testing process for each watch The components stock is fully automated and every piece is delivered to a station to be tested All results are also centralised into a database individually identified and sent back to the Bienne facility for reviewing there ́s a 2D camera and a 3D camera that evaluate the precision reading of the hands from every possible angle all linked to an atomic clock as a reference The positions testing has two more steps than the COSC test there’s an acoustic test with several microphones to assure that the whole movement is healthy most of the equipment is made by Comex and there’s different standards for professional and non- professional models There’s a thermal shock test as part of this process The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden Please log in to leave a comment Three of the top six Swiss watchmakers are now in lock down as AP and Patek join Rolex in temporarily mothballing production two of the Swiss watch industry’s top three independently-owned watchmakers Rolex shut down its facilities for at least 1o days on March 17 Switzerland currently has 6,186 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and 58 people have died from the virus It has 715 cases per million of the population one of the highest concentrations in the world Patek Philippe’s closure began on March 18 Distribution has also been shut down in some countries as regional teams have been sent home A statement by e-mail from Patek Philippe says: “Keeping everyone’s safety top of mind at all times will help us to navigate this challenging period and by doing this we may contribute to the stabilization of the situation hoping that we will be able to safely revert to our activities as soon as possible.” which notched sales of almost CHF 1.2 billion in 2019 according to estimates by investment bank Morgan Stanley also announced its decision to mothball its Swiss production facilities on March 18 They will remain closed until the end of March In this period of uncertainty, people’s safety remains at the heart of our priorities. This is why we have decided to close our Swiss production sites as well as some of our offices and boutiques in various countries until the end of March. pic.twitter.com/CXQauug7vO — Audemars Piguet (@AudemarsPiguet) March 18, 2020 and you’re upset over your inability to spend 20k on a watch my heart bleeds for you William…not The inability to supply watches to the consumer has been going on for a lot longer than the current emergence situation that’s going on at the moment so your underhanded comments completely miss the point it is not only Switzerland that is suffering at this time Please try and stay with the point and dont try to score cheap natianalistic oneupmansh