It’s a site you may not expect in one of the world’s most expensive cities. But on the outskirts of Geneva, known for its discreet wealth, high wages and multimillion-dollar homes, the Fortune 500 Europe fragrance producer dsm-firmenich has its biggest perfumery plant in the world, and conducts a huge part of its manufacturing and R&D. (dsm-firmenich’s headquarters are in Kaiseraugst, in Northern Switzerland.)
In one wing of the sprawling site, a few dozen so-called “Master Perfumers” mix vials to create the next Acqua di Gio or CK One luxury perfume, or a new detergent for a client aiming to reach new customers in Singapore, the U.S., or the Middle East. There are thousands of vials, many of them containing copyrighted scents. A friendly robot fetches them for the perfumers, saving time.
