“… two young engineers from the neighbouring village of Court, Lardon and Marchand, buy several machines and tools from Junker. They set up the Ultra factory in 1906.”
Pierre-Yves Donzé, “Histoire de l’industrie horlogère suisse” [History of the Swiss Watchmaking Industry] (2009), p. 59
Paul Lardon and Alfred Marchand join forces and acquire several machines and tools before setting up their watchmaking factory in Court specialising in the machining of barrel-arbors and mounted stems.
Alfred Marchand becomes the sole proprietor of the company. His sons Roger and Francis join him in the business five years later.
The company changes its name to “Fabrique ULTRA”.
The third generation, Jean-Luc Marchand and Bernard Aimone, start work for the family business.
The arrival of the quartz watch in the 1970s triggers a wave of technological upheavals and requires radical changes on the part of watch manufacturers. ULTRA cuts back significantly on its production of mechanical watch parts to focus on making time-setting components for electronic watches. It also diversifies its business to ensure its long-term success, specialising in turning complex parts and making small-scale devices.
ULTRA extends and modernises its premises. As mechanical watches make a comeback in the 1990s, the company resumes the exacting practice of making high-end barrel-arbors and other components for mechanical movements.
At the start of the 21st century, ULTRA enhances its production facilities with a number of highly efficient numerical control machines that can reliably meet the qualitative and quantitative standards associated with state-of-the-art technology.
The fourth generation joins the company: Sylvain Marchand, followed three years later by Benoit Marchand, ensuring the long-term success of the Court-based family business. They modernise the production, equipment and control procedures as soon as they join the company.
The company from the Arc Jurassien continues to grow, dedicating an entire building to the finishing of watch parts.
The company changes its trading name to Ultra Décolletage SA.
Ultra Décolletage SA develops an optimised, modern manufacturing process to handle all quantities of sliding pinions and winding-pinions.
Using CAD technology, the company can now design its own systems and create original plans for its clients.
A CAM system is installed, enabling the company to turn parts up to 22 mm in diameter.
The company improves its control methods by investing in new equipment.
After working for the company for about ten years, with several of those years spent as the head of the bar turning workshop, Jonathan Boillat became a shareholder in Ultra Décolletage SA and assumed the role of Director alongside Benoit and Sylvain Marchand.
English
Français
Deutsch