Continuity applied to innovation
A start-up founded in 2002 by five EPFL engineers and supported by Genilem, FiveCo truly took off in 2006 with the creation of the Raptor for Dietlin — a watchmaking display case that eliminated protective glass while guaranteeing maximum security for the displayed object. The company has experienced steady growth ever since. Its 2013 turnover showed a slight increase on the previous year (CHF 2 million versus CHF 1.9 million).
"We have had our best overall year since the firm was founded," says director Antoine Lorotte. "Our revenue is up, we have taken on two new engineers, and we are working on substantial projects."
The firm has also reinforced the diversification drive begun the previous year. "Today, watchmaking accounts for only 27% of our turnover," Antoine Lorotte notes. "Last year it represented 40%. Similarly, industry is now responsible for 25% of revenue compared to 35% the year before, and our products have gone from 15% to 13%. On the other hand, the medical sector's share is growing (13% versus 10%). And we are now entering the automotive and luxury sectors with two very ambitious projects, in collaboration with major players in those fields. Automotive already represents 18% of our revenue. As for the luxury project, it currently accounts for only 5%, but it will keep us busy throughout the coming year and its share will be considerably larger in the next financial period."
2014 therefore looks set to continue in the same direction. "What is already signed today virtually guarantees our 2014 turnover. These projects are all highly ambitious and require us to pursue excellence across every field. The challenge is significant — but that is precisely what drives us."
FiveCo continues to develop its two prestige brands, Mémoire du vin and Art of Secret. Mémoire du vin offers a high-end piece of furniture that introduces a completely new approach to wine cellar management. The wine's information is stored in a ring fitted around the bottle neck, which becomes the bottle's memory. Simply passing the ring alongside the unit allows the reader to retrieve the information, which is then displayed on the touchscreen. This exclusive object costs around CHF 28,000 and required 5,600 hours of development.
With Art of Secret, FiveCo creates luxury furniture with a distinctive character. "Once again, it started out as a somewhat wild idea," Antoine Lorotte summarises. "We wanted to combine furniture excellence with technology. These pieces, in addition to being beautiful, will allow their owners to store their valuables cleverly and securely. I would rather not say more. The very essence of a secret drawer is that you don't tell anyone about it."
Noël Labelle
