"Investment is part of our culture."
In 2023, Composites Busch celebrated its 35th anniversary, alongside the 60th anniversary of the Busch Group. What would you say are the keys to your success?
There is a fundamental principle that guides all our decisions: our commitment to creating meaningful value for our clients. This core value has allowed us to continuously adapt internally, innovate, and meet the exceptional quality standards our clients expect. We’ve successfully navigated market shifts and technological evolution thanks to our customer-centric mindset and our ability to listen. This has enabled us to become leaders in sectors as diverse as ice hockey equipment and then highly specialized fields like the medical industry.
Our strength lies in our broad presence: across all industrial sectors and in every region of the world. This strategic diversification makes us more resilient to cyclical risks.
Our success is also built on our people. We proactively invest in skills development to nurture their talents, both professionally and personally, which helps foster long-term motivation. Our very low turnover is a testament to their engagement and loyalty.
Investment—whether in people or in industrial capabilities—is part of our DNA. It’s always paired with a prudent risk management approach to ensure the long-term sustainability of the company, for the next 60 years and beyond.
At the beginning, you hired a “pioneer in composite materials,” and innovation remains at the heart of Composites Busch. How do you continue to cultivate this pioneering spirit?
This spirit of innovation is a multidisciplinary effort that involves the entire company—not just the R&D department. We encourage employees at every level to contribute ideas, and many decisions are inspired from the ground up.
This requires giving everyone not only time to operate, but also time to explore. That crucial difference keeps us aligned with market needs and allows us to spot emerging trends early.
To support this, we promote active participation in innovation networks and industry events. Staying open to the world and to what others are doing is key.
And finally, we make it a point to celebrate and reward innovation within the organization.
Human values seem to be at the core of your company culture. In 2019, you launched ROCH – Réussir notre Objectif Collectif et Humain. Can you tell us more about the origins of this initiative?
ROCH was developed by a cross-functional working group representing the entire company. It reflects our strong, lasting commitment to developing both soft and hard skills throughout our organization.
To succeed, all resources within the company must be aligned. Everyone should feel recognized, respected, valued—and know that their voice matters. Leadership behavior must set an example.
Just like in sports, winning teams are those that operate in sync. ROCH is the embodiment of our participatory and collaborative culture. Everyone’s energy is acknowledged and channeled toward a shared objective.
You’re deeply committed to environmental and community responsibility. What drives your decisions in this area?
Sustainability is no longer optional—it’s imperative. Each of us has an impact, and we must do everything we can to reduce our energy footprint.
We fully embrace our responsibility, which is why we’ve adopted environmentally conscious practices across the entire production chain. Since 2018, we’ve been on a path to reduce energy consumption. In just one year, we cut electricity use by 38% and water consumption by 50%.
Our efforts continue, both internally—in every part of the company, including our offices—and externally, in collaboration with suppliers to identify and eliminate sources of energy waste. By 2025/2026, we’ll be launching a major project to install solar panels. Our commitment aligns with the expectations of all stakeholders: employees, clients, and suppliers. It also strengthens team engagement—our employees are proud of it. In fact, a dedicated working group is focused on advancing sustainability in our day-to-day operations.
This proactive approach is also essential for meeting CSR standards and staying competitive. More and more, clients are choosing partners who take sustainability seriously.
Although it requires investment, our commitment to sustainability yields a triple return: we help protect the environment locally, we strengthen the long-term resilience of our company, and we achieve energy cost savings.
What do you see as the main challenges for companies in the Jura region over the coming years?
There are four key challenges ahead.
The first concerns digital transformation. Companies must adapt and invest in innovative solutions to improve efficiency and meet customer expectations. But making the right decisions isn’t easy, especially in a sector that evolves constantly.
The second challenge relates to energy transition and sustainability. It’s a dual issue: complying with the CSR standards that will soon be required, and meeting client expectations. Taking on this kind of approach demands strong, long-term commitment—which isn’t always easy. But if we, in the Jura, don’t take the lead, we will quickly fall behind.
The third challenge is internationalization. Many companies in the Jura are diversifying through industrial leverage, moving beyond the watchmaking sector. But diversification must also happen at an international level to build greater resilience to crises. We have excellent products here in the Jura. We must keep companies anchored in the region while building partnerships with other businesses and institutions to reach the next level—faster and stronger.
Finally, the fourth and perhaps most critical challenge is talent management. It is a key factor for the development of our businesses. Employee expectations are shifting, and we need to create an attractive working environment—not only to recruit, but also to retain talent. We must take into account their concerns, their aspirations, and provide meaningful responses.
You’re also involved in an innovative collective project with other Jura-based business leaders. Why is this important to you?
We live in a VUCA world—volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous—which demands agility to anticipate future challenges. This collaborative initiative is a way to meet those challenges together.
We each have so much to offer—and so much to learn from—one another. The challenges we face in the Jura are shared. Coming together to address them collectively is what gives this group its purpose.
