A symbolic page is turned in the long history of Petitpierre SA and Swiss watchmaking excellence. As announced more than a year ago, and after a period of handover and co-direction with Vincent Rieder, Boris Petitpierre will step down as CEO of Petitpierre SA at the end of this year.
Based in Cortaillod and Boudry in the canton of Neuchâtel, Petitpierre was founded in 1973 by Freddy Petitpierre. His son, Boris Petitpierre, joined the company in 1991, before taking the helm in 1998 and taking Petitpierre SA to a new dimension by quadrupling the workforce, expanding production areas and machinery, and steadily increasing sales.
A key player in the Swiss watchmaking industry and supplier to the most prestigious brands, Petitpierre is renowned for its manufacture of special machines, tooling and subcontracting for the high-precision microtechnology industry. Its fleet of over 50 production machines (CNC turning and milling, wire erosion and sinking, bar turning, surface and cylindrical grinding) enables the production of top-quality tooling, such as torque screwdrivers, torquemeters, dimensional and shape measuring instruments, watchmakers’ magnifiers and luxury watchmakers’ tool cases for collectors.
After a period of co-directing the company with Vincent Rieder to ensure an effective transition, Boris Petitpierre will be leaving his post for good on December 31, 2024. “I’m leaving with peace of mind because I know that Petitpierre is in good hands,” explains Boris Petitpierre. I’ve always improved through contact with my colleagues, and I’ve grown with them. So, during this year of transition, I’ve learned a lot from Vincent, and I’m convinced that the company will continue to grow, despite a more demanding economic climate.“
In his 33 years at the helm of his company, Boris Petitpierre has experienced some great moments. “I’ll always remember the charity auction of one of our Coffret Tradition watchmaking tools in the company of Bono or Chris Martin, as well as the human encounters with watchmakers like Philippe Dufour or our loyal customers for over 40 years from the leading high-end Manufactures. We’re much more than their subcontractor, we’re their partner! And I can’t forget my meeting in 2015 with François Billig, who seduced me and convinced me to join the Acrotec Group, knowing that my children weren’t interested in taking over. One of the best decisions of my career! Incidentally, I remain a shareholder in Groupe Acrotec and will gladly continue to play a part.“
As of January 1, 2025, Vincent Rieder will take over the reins of Petitpierre SA. “I couldn’t have wished for anything better,” confides Vincent Rieder. Boris has played his part to the full, and I’m taking over a baby in great shape. Petitpierre is ending a record year in terms of invoicing, and the teams remain loyal to the company with very low turnover. We turn this historic page with increased confidence in Petitpierre’s future.“
