The Acrotec Group unveils its new headquarters

After 15 years in development, the Acrotec Group is today unveiling its new headquarters in Develier, establishing Acrotec’s local roots in the Jura and its desire of federating companies to benefit its customers in the company’s three main industrial sectors.

Develier, December 1, 2021 – Founded in 2006 in Develier by François Billig, when Vardeco and KIF Parechoc were brought together under the same corporate entity, the Acrotec Group has continued to develop through acquisitions and organic growth.

“What a journey we have been on in the last fifteen years,” says François Billig, CEO of the Acrotec Group. “When I set up Vardeco in Develier in 2001, the precursor of the foundation Acrotec in 2006, I had no idea that this entrepreneurial adventure would take on such a human, economic, and industrial dimension.”

Today, the Acrotec Group consists of twenty-four companies, located mainly in Switzerland but also in France and the United States, with an annual turnover of over CHF 300 million. These companies employ more than 1,300 people skilled in high-precision micromechanics. They are based on some 20 sites and operate a total inventory of 1,400 machines to meet the orders of more than 1,200 customers based in 40 different countries worldwide.

Diversification and innovation

There are three divisions that cover the group’s activities: watchmaking and jewellery, which remain dominant; Medtech, which is growing rapidly; and high-tech precision. The medium-term objective is to achieve a balance between these three divisions within the group. Since the beginning of 2020, certain operations have benefited from the R&D division to create innovative synergies between the group’s companies, and STS’s alternative to rhodium flare and H2i’s Accuracy Motion are perfect examples of the group’s innovative approach. They have been recognised by the profession and have quickly found their markets.

Acrotec likes to present itself as a federation of companies rather than a group that accumulates acquisitions. “Each company that joins us keeps its DNA, its local roots, its autonomy and its governance,” explains François Billig. “Each company’s CEO sits on the Group’s executive committee. The desire to work together must be mutual because Acrotec’s primary added value is precisely our ability to transform the individual expertise of each company into a collective force with a long-standing attachment to Swiss-made values. We offer complementary services between member companies to build chains of expertise that help our customers to limit their number of subcontracting contacts.”

Global ambassador for Swiss made

Today the Acrotec Group is opening its new headquarters in Develier, as well as Vardeco’s new industrial premises. This CHF 6.3 million investment benefits the local economy and perfectly illustrates the Group’s growth dynamic. This dynamism was welcomed by the Minister of Economy and Health for Jura, Jacques Gerber, as well as the Mayor of Develier, Gabriel Chappuis, who takes pride in Acrotec’s local roots and Vardeco’s development. Marjolaine Cordier, CEO of Vardeco, also took the opportunity to point out that if her company’s rate of development is sustained, they will have to find new premises and land.

The construction of this brand-new headquarters coincides with the arrival of a new investor, the Carlyle Group, at the beginning of 2021. This investment will enable Acrotec to strengthen its industrial, technological and geographical diversification efforts to serve its customers better, particularly its longstanding watchmaking customers.

To conclude this unveiling, François Billig wished to send a strong message to those who have made this impressive growth possible. “First of all, a big thank you to all the group’s employees, to our 1,200 customers, and to the most prestigious among them for their loyalty and their trust, which honours us. We would also like to thank all our fellow subcontractors who work in the background of major brands and who contribute to the worldwide success of Swiss-made precision!”

During this day called “Acrotec Tour”, the guests visited all the Jura companies of the Group, namely:

• AFT Micromécanique Suisse, WatchDec, mu-DEC in Cougenay
• Vardeco and the group’s holding company in Develier
• easyDec in Delémont
• PoliTrempe ( only in french )in Courrendlin
• Décovi in Vicques

To read the press release, clic here.