Superspeed lasers. Micromachines that manufacture components invisible to the naked eye. Sensors based on microtechnology that measure singular physical phenomena and continuously supply analysis systems with data. Artificial intelligence that can handle immense volumes of data. These examples demonstrate that technologies developed by science form the foundation for the competitiveness of the Swiss luxury giant Richemont.
The group unites some of the most prestigious luxury brands in the world under its roof, such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Jaeger- LeCoultre, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, Montblanc, or Chloé. In the financial year 2024-2025, Richemont reached a revenue of 21.4 billion euros with an operating profit margin of approximately 21%. The company employs nearly 39,000 people worldwide, 9,000 of whom are in Switzerland, where its headquarters and the majority of its manufacturing sites are located.
Fundamental Research as a Foundation for Industry
"We structure our research and development projects according to their respective technological maturity," explains Vahid Fakhfouri, Head of Research & Innovation at Richemont. "In the early phases of research, when it’s still about basic principles, materials, or technical concepts, we cooperate with EPF Lausanne and ETH Zurich. The closer we get to industrial implementation, the more technical universities become our key partners."
The geography of Switzerland with its short distances promotes this kind of collaboration. "In just a few train hours, you are at the heart of the academic ecosystem," highlights Vahid Fakhfouri. "The labs available to us are among the most efficient in the world, and we benefit from unique structures and highly specialized skills. For a major player like Richemont, such an environment is extremely valuable." Moreover, the training of professionals within the company and at the universities is comparable, which facilitates mutual understanding and ensures efficient collaboration.
Collaborations with Swiss research cover a wide field, from modern materials to data science and robotics up to microtechnology. "Isolated use and exploitation of data is no longer realistic," notes Vahid Fakhfouri. "Technical progress is rapid and obliges us to work closely with universities and specialized research centers like the Swiss Data Science Center."
From Academic Prototype to Economic Success Model
At Richemont’s production sites, technologies are in use that testify to this collaboration. "More than ten years ago, we started working on femtosecond lasers together with researchers from ETH/EPFL," says Vahid Fakhfouri. These lasers can emit extremely short pulses - in the range of one quadrillionth of a second. Due to this tiny duration, materials can be processed with extreme precision. "They are used today in our manufacturing processes and secure our competitive edge."
Research also affects Richemont Group's production in other ways. "Some of our high-speed micromachines - they work on a microscopic scale and reduce costs, CO2 emissions, and even space requirements - were developed at Swiss universities," adds Vahid Fakhfouri.
A Crucial Yet Fragile Competitive Edge
The dynamic collaboration also points to technological priorities that Richemont sets. This results in the classification of certain research areas as formative for the next decades: durable materials, microfabrication, artificial intelligence, sensors, and digitized traceability. "AI will retain its central importance," Vahid Fakhfouri is sure. "But it must not be forgotten that without sensors, there would be no data. Microtechnology, therefore, remains fundamental." Developments in robotics also illustrate how the group approaches the future. "We do not want to replace humans," states Vahid Fakhfouri. "Our main goal is to make tasks less burdensome and preserve high-value artisan activities."
For industrial companies like Richemont, the entire supportive Swiss ecosystem in research and innovation is a crucial competitive advantage. "The financing opportunities from Innosuisse and offers like the CoBooster simplify collaboration and make investments more profitable," spells out Vahid Fakhfouri. He observes how fundamental research and applied innovations fertilise each other. "Projects funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation are of decisive importance. Without this groundwork, there would simply be no technologies that later find their place at the heart of the industry."
For the Swiss economy, the competitiveness of the industry is therefore more than ever based on the proximity between research and production. But this balance is indeed fragile, warns the expert from Richemont: "If public funding for research projects should decline, Switzerland could lose strategic skills and advantages."
The Swiss Ecosystem as a Catalyst for Competitiveness - The CoBooster Example
The collaboration between Richemont and the universities takes many forms: internships for students, support for theses, research assignments, continuous education, or access to unique research facilities. "For instance, we use highly specialized imaging technology at Empa or the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)," reports Vahid Fakhfouri, who is responsible for Research & Innovation at the company. "Without these academic resources, certain advances would not have been possible at all."
In this ecosystem, which unites actors from the economy and science, some initiatives act as catalysts, like the CoBooster platform. "The nationwide, independent platform for collaborative innovation helps to transform ideas, business needs, patents, and concrete problems into feasibility studies while bringing together companies, start-ups, universities, and research institutes," explains Joëlle Tosetti, Director of CoBooster.
Those registered on CoBooster can publish their topics on the secure platform - anonymously if necessary, to meet confidentiality requirements. Other platform users can offer their expertise, quickly forming multidisciplinary teams that share costs and risks. For Richemont, this brings noticeable advantages. "Thanks to CoBooster, we can test collaborative projects without high costs," confirms Vahid Fakhfouri.
Currently, the platform connects more than 750 actors on a national level - large corporations, start-ups, specialized institutes, professional associations, and universities. So far, 52 teams have been formed this way. Over 75% of feasibility studies turn into more ambitious projects, mostly funded by Innosuisse.
The text of this press release, a download image, and more information are available on the Swiss National Science Foundation website.
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