The Swatch Group Ltd.

The Swatch Group Ltd. is a Swiss company and watch manufacturer. It was formed in 1983 through the merging of the two Swiss watch manufacturers ASUAG and SSIH, and took its present name in 1998 (formerly SMH Swiss Corporation for Microelectronics and Watchmaking Industries Ltd). The company is led by G. Nicolas (Nick) Hayek, Jr., son of the late co-founder and chairman Nicolas Hayek. In 2007, gross sales were 5.94 billion CHF. The Swatch Group ha... More

The Swatch Group Ltd. is a Swiss company and watch manufacturer. It was formed in 1983 through the merging of the two Swiss watch manufacturers ASUAG and SSIH, and took its present name in 1998 (formerly SMH Swiss Corporation for Microelectronics and Watchmaking Industries Ltd). The company is led by G. Nicolas (Nick) Hayek, Jr., son of the late co-founder and chairman Nicolas Hayek. In 2007, gross sales were 5.94 billion CHF. The Swatch Group has around 23,600 employees. The Swatch Group formed from two financially troubled predecessor companies: In the late 1970s SSIH became insolvent due in part to a recession and in part to heavy competition from inexpensive Asian made quartz crystal watches. These difficulties occurred even though it had become Switzerland's largest and the world's third largest producer of watches. Its creditor banks assumed control in 1981. ASUAG failed similarly in 1982. Both groups were reorganized and merged into SSIH/ASUAG Holding Company in 1983. Taken...

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