TIMEX and SilMach to disrupt watch industry by inventing first MEMS technology movement

MIDDLEBURY, Connecticut, June 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TIMEX, a global leader in watchmaking for more than 160 years, has partnered with SilMach, a French pioneer in Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS), to create the first MEMS powered watch movement. The jointly created MEMS watch motors (boxes) and movements are the first ever to utilize the MEMS nano technology thanks to SilMach's PowerMEMS patented solution. The joint venture will be based, along with SilMach and Fralsen (TIMEX's movement parts manufacturing facility) in the French micromechanical cluster of Besancon. Merging TIMEX' 160 years of expertise in watch making with the pioneering skills of SilMach, the joint venture is set to disrupt the watch industry.

TIMEX expects to release it's first MEMS powered watch movement within its 2019 collection.

Tobias Reiss-Schmidt, TIMEX Group President and CEO commenting on the new disruptive partnership, stated "Thanks to our partnership with SilMach, Timex has succeeded in developing another first in the watch industry.  Together with SilMach we are disrupting the industry and setting the stage for nano technology.  With this development, we are taking revolutionary steps to dramatically enhance design and function in watchmaking in ways that were previously not thought possible."

SilMach CEO, Patrice Minotti, says, "The strategic alliance with TIMEX brings SilMach a century-old expertise in watchmaking and complementary know-how essential to create PowerMEMS solutions tailored for the watch industry."

About TIMEX Group
TIMEX Group designs, manufactures and markets innovative timepieces globally. Founded in 1854, TIMEX Group is a privately-held company with numerous brands, such as Timex, Nautica, Guess, Versace, Ferragamo, counts more than 4,000 employees worldwide and is one of the largest, vertically integrated, watchmakers in the world.

About SilMach
Pioneer in the sector of silicon-based hybrid micromechanics, SilMach designs, manufactures and integrates disruptive MEMS solutions for the motorization of mobile systems and the powerless sensors health control of structures. The company is based in Besancon, France.

SilMach's unique expertise in hybridization enables the combination of MEMS with conventional micromechanics technologies. Created in 2003 by Patrice Minotti, the company has financed the technology maturation of its disruptive innovations by performing exploratory works for the benefit of institutional agencies, research center, and key industrial accounts in the energy, transportation, aeronautics and watchmaking sector. It now has a portfolio of 20 patent families of which 10 are co-owned with the French Government. For more information: www.silmach.com 

Contact:
Patricia Rappaport
[email protected]
212-679-2233

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