new Swiss industrial group, Horatec, has officially been launched. It brings together three highly specialised companies — Steiger Galvanotechnique, Stila and Titanium Engineering — around a joint project led by three experienced entrepreneurs: Olivier Piotrowski (CEO), Stephan Müller (CFO) and Ivo Cramez (CEO of Stila).

Horatec is not simply an industrial or financial operation. It is the culmination of a project based on trust between entrepreneurs united by a shared industrial vision. Olivier Piotrowski and Stephan Müller, who have been in contact for more than ten years, have been developing this project for a long time. Together with Ivo Cramez, they decided to join forces to create a structure that is solid, agile and resolutely human, while respecting the identity of each of the entities.

“Horatec was born out of a desire to think bigger without ever sacrificing the attention to detail that has made Swiss Made famous and the added value of our expertise. We are building an industrial group that combines technical excellence, company autonomy, new synergies, new resources and a collective spirit at the service of our customers. Despite the uncertainties of the watchmaking industry, these three companies are in excellent health and will be able to take a new step forward in their growth.” — Olivier Piotrowski, CEO of the Horatec Group

“Joining the Horatec Group is the best possible choice to ensure Steiger’s continuity, growth and independence. Nothing will change for our customers. What will change is that we will have new resources at our disposal and interesting industrial synergies within the group. I will ensure a smooth transition period with Olivier Piotrowski, who will be the new Chief Executive Officer of Steiger Galvanotechnique.” – Samuel Estoppey, outgoing Chief Executive Officer of Steiger Galvanotechnique.

Olivier Piotrowski (CEO) and Stephan Müller (CFO)

The Horatec group is based on an original model: preserving the autonomy and culture of each company while pooling key resources to increase efficiency and innovation capacity. Each of the three companies continues to operate independently, with its own teams, name and customer commitments unchanged.

Three Swiss areas of expertise serving cutting-edge sectors:

• Steiger Galvanotechnique (Châtel-Saint-Denis-Fr) excels in high-tech metal finishes: galvanization, passivation, tribology and UV micro-forming. Its field of activity is vast, but it mainly serves the medical sector, followed by watchmaking, aeronautics, space and electrical engineering.

• Stila (La Chaux-de-Fonds-Ne) is a flagship of Swiss haute horlogerie, specialising in the design and manufacture of bespoke watch cases, combining traditional craftsmanship with industrial precision.

• Titanium Engineering (Yverdon-Vd) is a recognised specialist in electrochemical surface treatments on titanium and rare alloys for applications in watchmaking, micromechanics, medicine and luxury goods.

The Horatec project is supported by the GEI Fund, an entrepreneurial fund that supports the growth of industrial SMEs in Switzerland.

“Horatec perfectly illustrates our approach: a robust industrial project, built on trust and complementarity between companies with solid reputations. This is not a financial operation, but a true entrepreneurial adventure. We are proud to support this team.” — Pierrick Jeannot, Associate Director, GEI Fund.

With cumulative turnover of between CHF 22 and 25 million, Horatec aims to position itself as a key player in Swiss high precision, capable of working on complex, multi-technology projects that require a high level of responsiveness. Development prospects include new certifications, expansion into new target markets (medical, aerospace, luxury goods) and the gradual integration, in the short and medium term, of other companies that share the same vision.