Country for PR: United Kingdom
Contributor: PR Newswire Europe
Wednesday, October 12 2022 - 10:06
AsiaNet
Firmenich Inaugurates New Campus in Geneva
GENEVA, Oct. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

The state-of-the-art campus represents an investment of nearly CHF 200 million 
and confirms the long-term importance of Geneva in the company's global 
operations

Firmenich, the world's largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, 
today officially inaugurated its new campus in Geneva, in the presence of local 
dignitaries and authorities. This new campus, at the cutting edge of the 
industry from both a technology and capacity perspective, represents 
Firmenich's commitment to operational excellence. The total investment for this 
multi-year project amounts to nearly CHF 200 million and confirms the 
importance of Geneva for the long term.

"Our state-of-the art campus will be a key component in accelerating innovation 
and driving global expansion with enhanced capabilities," said Gilbert 
Ghostine, CEO of Firmenich. "Our new campus in Geneva is the most significant 
site for Firmenich and one of the most technologically-advanced in the industry 
in terms of digitalization, innovation, science and naturals. Consistent with 
our pioneering spirit, we developed this site to deliver superior services and 
experiences to our customers, from the creation of their fragrance or taste 
ingredients, right through to seamless production, while optimizing our 
environmental footprint."

"This investment of nearly CHF 200 million is the most important one Firmenich 
has ever made on a single site," revealed Patrick Firmenich, Chairman of the 
Group. "This site significantly raises the bar of excellence within our 
industry, and we are proud to be setting a new global benchmark in Geneva, the 
heart of the global fragrance and taste industry. This site integrates 
leading-edge technologies, nurtures innovation and seeks to push the boundaries 
of scientific research. With this unique industrial project, we are 
strengthening our center of excellence in Geneva for our long-term growth."

At the official ceremony, Mauro Poggia, President of the Geneva State Council 
and State Councilor in charge of the Department of Security, Population and 
Health (DSPS) said: "Firmenich is an industrial flagship, an excellent symbol 
of the values that are specific to the canton of Geneva: it brings together 
diverse cultures and identities; and it also combines a certain sense of 
attachment to one's roots with an openness to the world."

The ceremony was attended by senior members of the State of Geneva, mayors of 
local governments, academics, civil society representatives and business 
leaders.

The new campus in Geneva, is located across the two communes of Satigny and La 
Plaine. The combined surface area equals 225,000m[2], and houses 132,000m[2] of 
infrastructure in total, including 22,000m[2] of new highly sophisticated 
facilities. Firmenich Geneva includes: three technologically advanced 
production plants with adjacent lab capabilities for Perfumery, Taste & Beyond 
and Ingredients creation; a logistics hub and automated warehouse; an R&D 
biotech pilot plant; and a pavilion for work and social gatherings where people 
can also enjoy meals.

The campus is built upon the company's vision of a future-proof operation, 
aimed at optimizing end-to-end workflows, using industry best practices and 
integration of the latest robotics and artificial intelligence.

In addition to its operational excellence, the campus is designed to have a 
limited environmental impact through innovative construction and intelligent 
eco-management strategies. The new buildings benefit from minimized energy 
requirements for heating and cooling. A smart system of thermal envelopes 
significantly reduces heat loss, while renewable energy sources such as heat 
pumps and geothermal boreholes are integrated to reduce dependence on fossil 
fuels.

Extensive planting in and around the central pavilion, including a green roof, 
aligns with the design intention of creating a habitat for flora and fauna, 
improving biodiversity. The green roof also improves thermal insulation as well 
as rainwater retention.

The new campus' award-winning design puts people's well-being at the center by 
maximizing natural daylight in laboratories and offices. The multipurpose and 
open workplaces foster collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing.
The site promotes low impact mobility and is equipped with charging stations 
for electric vehicles and a large dedicated space for bikes.

The Geneva campus was built in various phases, starting in December 2017 and 
the final fitting was done in February 2021. The campus is home to 1,450 
people, including some of the world's leading scientists, perfumery and taste 
creators, technicians, and operators.
 
About Firmenich
Firmenich, the world's largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, was 
founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, and has been family-owned for 127 
years. Firmenich is a leading business-to-business company specialized in the 
research, creation, manufacture and sale of perfumes, flavors, and ingredients. 
Renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its leadership 
in sustainability, Firmenich offers its customers superior innovation in 
formulation, a broad and high-quality palette of ingredients, and proprietary 
technologies including biotechnology, encapsulation, olfactory science, and 
taste modulation. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 4.7 billion Swiss Francs 
at end June 2022. More information about Firmenich is available at 
www.firmenich.com.

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Source: Firmenich