This ultramodern campus represents an investment of almost CHF 200 million and confirms the long-term importance of Geneva in the company's global activities.
Firmenich, the world's largest privately-owned fragrance and flavor company, today officially inaugurated its new campus in Geneva, in the presence of VIPs and local authorities. With its unrivalled production capacity, this new campus, which is at the cutting edge of the industry from a technological point of view, reflects Firmenich's commitment to operational excellence. The total investment for this multi-year project amounts to almost 200 million Swiss francs, and confirms the long-term importance of Geneva.
" Our state-of-the-art campus will be a key element in accelerating innovation and driving our global expansion" said Gilbert Ghostine, CEO of Firmenich. " This new campus in Geneva is our largest site in the world and one of the most advanced in the industry in terms of technology, digitalization, innovation, science and natural products. True to our pioneering spirit, we have developed it with the aim of offering superior services and experiences to our customers, from fragrance creation or food ingredient development, to fully integrated production, while reducing our environmental footprint.. "
" This investment of almost 200 million Swiss francs is the largest Firmenich has ever made on a single site." commented Patrick Firmenich, Chairman of the Board. " This site takes our industry even further in its quest for excellence, and allows us to proudly set a new standard in Geneva, the heart of the global fragrance and taste industry. This site integrates cutting-edge technologies, nurtures innovation and seeks to push back 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 Conseil d'État and State Councillor in charge of Geneva's Department of Security, Population and Health (DSPS), declared: " Firmenich is an industrial flagship which, par excellence, embodies a number of values specific to the canton of Geneva: it is a link between cultures and identities, an attachment to roots combined with an openness to the world."
The ceremony was attended by the mayors of the communes of Satigny and Dardagny, representatives of the authorities and administration, researchers, representatives of civil society and business leaders.
The new Geneva campus is located in two communes, Satigny and La Plaine. The combined surface area is 225'OOOm2132,000m² of infrastructure.2of which 22,000m2 new, highly sophisticated facilities. Firmenich Genève boasts three state-of-the-art production plants, as well as adjacent laboratories for the creation of fragrances, flavours and ingredients; a logistics platform and automated warehouse; a pilot plant for biotechnology research and development; and a pavilion dedicated to staff exchanges and catering.
The campus builds on the company's vision of future-proof operation, optimizing end-to-end workflows, capitalizing on industry best practices and integrating the latest robotics and artificial intelligence innovations.
In addition to its operational excellence, the campus is designed to have a limited impact on the environment, thanks to innovative construction and intelligent eco-management strategies. The new buildings benefit from reduced energy requirements for heating and cooling. An intelligent system of thermal envelopes significantly reduces heat loss, while renewable energy sources, such as heat pumps and geothermal drilling, are integrated to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Numerous green spaces in and around the central pavilion, including a vegetated roof, are part of the drive to create a habitat for flora and fauna, thus enhancing biodiversity. The green roof also improves thermal insulation and rainwater retention.
The award-winning design of the new campus puts employee well-being at its heart by maximizing natural lighting in laboratories and offices. Versatile, open-plan workplaces encourage collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing.
The site promotes low-impact mobility and is equipped with charging stations for electric vehicles and ample space for bicycles.
The Geneva campus was built in several phases starting in December 2017, with the final fit-out completed in February 2021. The campus is home to 1,450 people, including some of the world's leading scientists, fragrance and taste creators, technicians and operators.
