The French company Tri Qualité Service with its headquarters in Marignier has developed machines which can be used to automatically sort the smallest watch components. To guarantee production close to its customers, in May 2014 a small subsidiary was opened in Villaz-Saint-Pierre, in the canton of Fribourg.
The company, which originally specialized in sorting systems for the automobile industry, is now indispensable for the watch industry. «We realized fairly quickly that there was a lot of demand in Switzerland. Then we had an idea: let’s go there! » reports Pierre Lozes, Director of Tri Qualité Service.
A French engineer was working alone for a year with one sorting machine in Fribourg, however he recently has received support from another Swiss colleague and a second machine. Lozes can look back on an extremely positive 12 months: «We achieved our goals and were able to establish a trusting relationship with our customers. The prospects for growth are good.» Thereby, the manager is already envisioning the entry in other markets such as in the medical sector.
The Swiss authorities helped the process run smoothly
Tri Qualité Service was founded in 2004 by three associates. Nine years later the promising SME contacted the Swiss Business Hub France of Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE), which was able to put it in touch with the business development programs of three cantons in western Switzerland. At the time the company was already working with a supplier from Villaz-Saint-Pierre and therefore decided to establish its site there. Lozes put the smooth process down to the excellent contact with the Swiss authorities.
For its investment in Switzerland, the company received the «Prix Croisé de l’Ambassadeur» from the Swiss embassy in France at the end of 2014. The prize is awarded for investments by Swiss and French SMEs in France and Switzerland respectively. The jury praised the innovative spirit and the technological and commercial value that Tri Qualité Service has brought to Switzerland.
