Chapter 3: The 1960s
the first LEMO factory
and international expansion
The sixties burst into colour as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones revolutionised pop and rock, while Bob Dylan gave voice to a generation hungry for change. From John F. Kennedy's tragic assassination to the upheavals of May ‘68, the Prague Spring, and the breathtaking first steps of man on the Moon, the decade swung between turbulence, the tensions of the Cold War and exhilarating possibility.
Young Swiss citizens were debating hair length, education and women's voting rights. Within just a few years, society underwent a profound transformation. By the 1960s, Switzerland's key innovations lay in high-precision manufacturing, particularly watchmaking, where specialised component craftmanship and refined mechanical engineering techniques positioned the small country at the forefront of global technological excellence.
By 1960, LEMO had 10 employees and, in 1963, the first factory was inaugurated in Morges/Lonay.
Our company started its international expansion, as the first foreign subsidiary was founded in Milan, Italy in 1964, followed by Munich, Germany in 1969.
E Series launched on the market in 1967
A watertight variant of the S Series, called the E Series, for even harsher environments, was designed and launched on the market in 1967. Success came just as quickly as with the S Series.