Firmenich

Firmenich is a Multinationale Suisse and an important global manufacturer of chemicals. The Perfume S and Arôme S which it produces are generally employed in the Parfumerie, the beauty products, drinks, the food or the products of household.

History

The company is founded on November 1st 1895 with Geneva, where it always has its head office, by the Swiss chemist Philippe Chuit (1866 - 1939) and the wholesale trader Martin Naef (1869 - 1954). It settles in the district of Servette near the garden of Charles Firmenich (1847 - 1934), representative in Geneva of the German factory of dyes Bayer AG. The girl of Charles, Therese (1875 - 1968), makes the meeting of Chuit and the wife a few years later on September 22nd 1900, creating bonds between the two families. In 1897, the production is moved in the new factory built in the district of the Junction and the offices follow in 1900. Fred Firmenich (1874 - 1953), wire of Charles and brother of Therese, joint with the business on January 1st, 1900, after studies with the the United Kingdom, becomes the majority associate of the company and deals with the commercial development of the company. Chuit withdraws in 1910 management, while remaining with the head of the Scientific research until in 1931, Fred taking only the orders of the company after the withdrawal of Naef in 1933. After its own departure with the retirement in 1943, its descent ensures its succession.

In 1952, the company acquires of the Factories of Allondon SA to the Plain, a competitor, whose installations function as workshop-pilot starting from 1962. The factory of the Junction develops gradually and a new factory is inaugurated in 1976 with Meyrin - Satigny.

Giant of perfumery

Patrick Firmenich, back-back-small-wire of Charles, is chairman company since July 1st 2002. It succeeds thus his uncle Pierre-Yves Firmenich (1989 -2002) and his father Fred-Henri Firmenich (1973 -1989). It is thus the 4th generation which is today with the orders of the company which opened of long time to external contests in Switzerland and abroad. Always in family hands, Firmenich was acquired a world reputation in its field and has 22 factories, of about fifty companies and 23 subsidiary companies distributed on all the continents. It employs in 2005 some 4760 people, including approximately 1400 in Switzerland. The turnover reaches then 2,035 billion Swiss francs.

In the beginning limited to the production and the synthesis of perfumes, Firmenich engages in manufacture of synthetic flavors by creating a substitute of Framboise in 1938, followed by substitutes of Citron and strawberry. Multiple savors follow whereas the flavor of synthesis is required more and more by the agribusiness industry.

Since then, Firmenich became a leader of the worldwide market of perfumery and flavors right behind Givaudan, another Genevese company with dimensions with SMI.

Reward

In 1921, Philippe Chuit, until there responsible for research, makes sure collaboration of another chemist, the Croatian Lavoslav Ružička then privatdocent with the federal Polytechnic school of Zurich. In 1939, this one receives the Nobel Prize of chemistry for its work.

Successive names

1895 : Chuit & Naef (Partnership)
1898: Chuit, Naef & Co (limited partnership)
1910: Naef & Co (limited partnership, partnership in 1923 and Public limit company in 1927)
1934: Firmenich & Co
1972: Firmenich SA

See too

Classification of the more Swiss large companies
List of Swiss companies

External bond

Official site of Firmenich

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