Our history
Industrial heritage for the future
A long reflection
As long ago as 1999, François Schoch was dreaming up the outlines of a structure to which he wanted to attach SMEs in the manufacturing industry, with the aim of preserving and developing local industrial skills. FIRST, which at the time stood for Fondsd'Investissement Romanddans le Secteurde la Technologie, took root.
A close friendship
During a discussion in February 2005, Charles Trolliet, who, with his sister Anne-Catherine, had just inherited Fabrique d'articles en métal Renens SA, showed great interest in the FIRST vision.
The three childhood friends, Anne-Catherine and Charles Trolliet and François Schoch, decided to turn the FIRST Industries project they had begun in 1999 into reality with the creation of First Industries Holding SA on June 29, 2005.
Historical foundations
While FIRST's history is relatively recent, its foundations date back to the interwar years of the last century. Active since April 3, 1929, Zinguerie de Renens was purchased by our three friends on May 11, 2005, and transferred to FIRST Industries on June 29, 2005.
Until 1983, Zinguerie operated mechanical, polyester, paint and electrolytic zinc workshops. With the construction of the current factory in 1984, the company reoriented and developed its activities in hot-dip galvanizing, electrolytic galvanizing and industrial painting.
Acquisitions of equity interests
In addition to Zinguerie de Renens, acquired on May 11, 2005, FIRST Industries has also made the following investments:
July 4, 2006 - Formation of FAM Fabrique d'articles en métal SA to take over the industrial and commercial activities of Fabrique d'articles en métal Renens SA, a company founded in 1946.
November1, 2006 - Acquisition of 51% of the share capital of Alunni SA, a hard chrome-plating workshop that has been active in hard chrome-plating, chrome-nickel plating, electrolytic zinc plating, blackening and industrial grinding since 1957.
November 28, 2006 - Acquisition of a 10% stake in the share capital of Mottier & Cie, Villeneuve SA, sold on October 31, 2009 due to inconclusive synergies between FIRST Industries' metal construction and industrial sheet metal businesses.
November1, 2008 - Acquisition of Durox fonderie de précision SA, in business since 1955.
These holdings and the long-standing nature of their activities confirm FIRST Industries' vocation for preserving and developing the industrial skills of local manufacturers.
Industrial development
In 2005, CHF 1 million were rapidly injected into the Zinguerie de Renens plant to improve its processes, reducing production lead times from 7 to 3 days and introducing a 4.5-day, 40-hour working week from October1, 2005.
A new powder-coating plant was commissioned on November 10, 2006. The cost of this treatment line was in excess of CHF 1,350,000.
On December 12, 2008, the last bake in the hot-dip galvanizing bath took place, heralding the launch of Operation Phoenix. This involved transforming the hot-dip galvanizing section of Site 4 into a powder coating and industrial paint plant. At the same time, major work was also carried out on the facilities at Site 21-23. Nearly CHF 5 million was invested in 2009 to modernize and commission the following production facilities:
Site 4
An automatic electrolytic galvanizing system
A liquid paint system
Two powder coating plants
Two sandblasting cabins, to be replaced by a shot-blasting cabin in 2023
An automatic high-bay warehouse system for the metal goods trade
Site 21-23
A semi-automatic anodizing plant
A degreasing system
A blackening plant
To keep pace with market developments, and in particular to meet the requirements of a major customer at the time, in 2010/2011 FIRST Industries invested CHF 2.3 million in modern foundry facilities (robot, dewaxing autoclave, baking oven, etc.) at a new production site in Mex. Unfortunately, for various economic and structural reasons, on February 26, 2015, the Board of Directors of FIRST Industries will be forced to put a definitive end to the foundry activities after 60 years.
At the same time, after the flange production line joined the new Mex site in 2011, it will be transferred to a partner in Glarus in 2015.
Administrative management
On August 16, 2005, First Industries Services Sàrl was entered in the Commercial Register. Its role was to ensure the administrative and commercial management of the FIRST Industries group. This company will be merged into First Industries Holding SA on February 6, 2015.
Marking the arrival of the new powder coating facility, First thermolaquage et peinture industrielle SA was founded on May 26, 2006. It was finally deleted from the Commercial Register on February 6, 2015, following its merger with First Zingage Electrolytique SA.
To underline the industrial development of 2009, the Group created First zingage électrolytique SA on April 30, 2008. On November 23, 2009, it will merge with Zinguerie de Renens, then on December 19, 2014, with First thermolaquage et peinture industrielle SA. Following these operations, First zingage électrolytique SA will change its name to First Industries SA on December 19, 2014.
Durox fonderie de précision SA will sell its building in Aubonne on July 14, 2015, thus enabling repayment of its move to the Mex site.
With the industrial activities of FIRST Industries clarified, the Board of Directors decided on June 24, 2009 to merge the companies of Site 4 (Durox fonderie de précision SA, FAM Fabrique d'articles en métal SA and First Industries SA) into First Industries Holding SA, and also to transfer the industrial activities of Alunni SA, hard chrome-plating workshop, to First Industries Holding SA. In exchange for this transfer, FIRST Industrie sold 2% of the share capital of this company, which became Alunni Immobilier SA.
To complete these operations, First Industries Holding SA also took on its current name of First Industries SA on June 24, 2019.
Management
Since the realization of his long reflection in 2005, François Schoch led the destiny of FIRST Industries until December 31, 2017, when he took a well-deserved early retirement. Since then, he has remained with FIRST Industries as Managing Director.
Nathalie De Castro took over operational management of First Industries SA on January1, 2018.