There is no doubt that IWC's new integrated facility is its pride and joy, and one that it is proud to show to the world. In our second outing to the heart of German-speaking Switzerland for the opening of the IWC Manufakturzentrum, there are absolutely no limits on photography or video-recording, and we practically breathe down the necks of some of the watchmakers. This is a far cry from four years ago, when we visited IWC's headquarters and its other key facility at nearby Neuhausen, and strict restrictions were placed on photography, as well as where we could venture.
We would want to show it off, too: Located in Merishausen, a Schaffausen municipality just a ten-minute drive away from the brand's headquarters on Baumgartenstrasse, the 13,500 sqm facility makes a definite first impression. Amid a thoroughly verdant setting, it is a long, low-lying building with a facade dominated by floor-to-ceiling glass windows and rigorously rectangular white concrete structures. Partly designed by the brand's CEO, Christoph Grainger-Herr "an architect and interior designer by training" the facility is meant to see IWC at least 50 years into the future.
04. MOVEMENT ASSEMBLY
Movement assembly is carried out in a class-seven clean room (more on that later). While small-series movements such as that of the Tribute to Pallweber watch and complex modules like the perpetual calendar are still assembled the traditional, A-to-Z way over at headquarters, the line system applies to the assembly of all the movements at the Manufakturzentrum. These comprise the automatic movements of Calibre families 52 and 82, the Calibre family 59 hand-wound movements, and the Calibre 69 chronograph movements; as well as the new Portugieser Chronograph movement.
Explains IWC COO Andreas Voll: “Before one watchmaker was doing one movement from A to Z. Now, we have broken down the whole assembly process into multiple sub-processes, which allows us to assign dedicated watchmaking specialists to each production step.”
The expansive spaces between stations allow for greater versatility in quickly reorganising the assembly lines an important feature that allows IWC to react to fast-changing market demands.
