Edouard Dubied & Co
46°55′37″N 6°38′22″E / 46.9269673°N 6.63939°E
The factory Edouard Dubied & Co S.A. was a Swiss a mechanical industry producing machines for the textile industry. Edouard Dubied & Co S.A. was founded in 1867 and was closes in 1987. It's seat was originally in Neuchâtel, until it was moved to Couvet in the Canton de Neuchâtel.
History
It was Henri-Edouard Dubied, son of a absinthe distiller, he founded the factory after he bought Isaac W. Lamb[1], during the universal exposition of 1867 in Paris, he bought the right to fabricate little sewing machines by hand. They where originally destined for socks and pants. They used rocking needles which was recently invented [2].
His son, Paul-Edouard Dubied, engineer at l'EPFZ, succeeded him in 1878 and progressed the industry by motorising the sewing machines. He also created a department of general mechanics, specialised in the cutting and concentrated on this new field. He eventually expanded the industry to Pontarlier, in France, he passed on the direction of the sewing machine to his son, Pierre-Edouard.
Pierre-Edouard Dubied developped not only the two departements of the industry, but also it's social activities: infirmary, dining hall, family support, insurance, real estate company, etc. He installed the seat in Neuchâtel as well as creating a new department in machined-tools. In 1935 he bought Chemnitzer Stickmaschinen-fabrik AG, a German society which produced circular sewing machines, those gave birth to the family of sewing machines known as Wevenit, which later on became famous.
Pierre Dubied had two sons and a daughter, he outlived his sons and his daughter. His daughter, Pierrette, married Rodo de Salis, and she gave birth to a son, Sker de Salid, who entered the counsel of administration and was nominated delegate administrator in 1973, who succeeded his father in this post. At this time, the both types of sewing machines was ordered electronically.
In 1967 the industry celebrated it's 100th anniversary (a logo can be found on the page: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Logo-Edouard_Dubied_%26_Cie.svg). Twenty years later, she had to seek a moratorium and got it in December 1987. The concordat was realized by abandonment of assets in 1988 and the company was dissolved as well.
The Last 20 Years
the years 1967 to 1972 was glorious, due to circular sewing machines, jacquard "double jersey" WEVENIT®, who's demanded never ceased to increase. The stuffing and produced in knit, 150cm wide and of indeterminate length, were intended to female clothing. In 1972, the market collapsed in a few months because the supply of competing manufacturers, become bloated, exceeded demand. Everyone began to sell at any price and under any conditions. The group then held near DUBIED 2,900 4 employees on site at Neuchâtel, two sites Milan and a factory of needles Rheineck ( St. Gallen).
A slow agony began in 1973 with a first year deficit, because the profits made comfortable with the aforementioned circular machines had hidden the economic fragility of other activities. For 14 years, despite an effort development people hopes a sustained recovery could be achieved. The economic situation economic ( current floating currency re of Swiss franc, the quota of foreign labor, first oil shock) has heavily penalized the company. At the end of December 1987, DUBIED no longer occupied as 750 employees concentrated in Couvet. However, the realization of assets allowed the liquidators to repay all creditor s, principal and interest, and serve in a more dividend to 60,000 action and 20,000 participation certificates which was then composed the capital.
Notes and References
- ^ U.S. Patent #50,369 d'Isaac W. Lamb de Rochester (New York) (New York), le 10, ou #39.934 du 15?
- ^ US Patent # 6.025, of James Hibbert of Providence Rhode Island, the 9
- www.couvet.ch (ed.). "Rue Pierre Dubied".