With the laying of the first stone of the new Manufacture des Forges, in Le Brassus, Audemars Piguet has officially launched the construction of an industrial building which, for the very first time in Switzerland, is entirely conceived according to the criteria of the Swiss government’s new federal environment-friendly “Minergie-Eco” label.


Jasmine Audemars and Georges-Henri Meylan. Mr. Meylan presents the automatic Royal Oak that is going to be buried under the first stone.

The new Manufacture des Forges complies with a whole set of restrictive measures designed to safeguard the environment, protect users’ health and promote sustainable development.

Wood-fired heating and heat-recovery installations avoid the use of fossil fuels of air-conditioning. The materials used do not give off any substances that might be detrimental to users’ health, nor to the environment. The surface area is divided between workshops meeting the high standards of Haute Horlogerie. The entire architecture has also been designed to ensure optimal integration within the surrounding landscape.


Jasmine Audemars and Georges-Henri Meylan closing the cylinder that is going to be buried.






The cylinder just before being covered.

The building will be part of a remodelled setting that will be a highlight for the village of Le Brassus: the stream, which has been channelled for the past 161 years through the site of the future building, now flows in a revitalised bed. The current village railway station will be replaced by a tree-lined access road and a new multi-purpose station
will be built on a current industrial wasteland site.

By the end of 2008, the new Manufacture des Forges will enable Audemars Piguet to regroup the entire watch production sector under one roof and to keep pace with its constant growth. Founded in 1875 and still in the hands of the founding families, the company employs around 800 people in Switzerland and around the world, currently
produces approximately 26,000 watches per year and achieves annual sales of 410 million Swiss francs.

The laying of the first stone ceremony was presided over by Jasmine Audemars, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Audemars Piguet Holding SA, and by Georges-Henri Meylan, CEO. It was attended by cantonal and regional authorities as well as representatives of Audemars Piguet and of the various professions involved in the construction of the Manufacture des Forges.

The building site of the Manufacture des Forges


Source: Audemars Piguet Holding SA

www.audemarspiguet.com
Contact:[email protected]
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