Established in Eschert, Switzerland in 1964, family-owned G&Y Leuenberger SA came under new management in 2014 with family member Boris Leuenberger, a young and enthusiastic engineer, taking the reins. This period was a particularly troubled time for Swiss companies, and even though pressure remains today, it has to be noted that the company responded to the situation with significant investment in a new Tornos MultiSwiss 8×26 machine.

Thanks to its flexible structure, the company processes orders ranging from 500 to several million parts with diameters from 1 to 65mm. Materials such as brass, steel, stainless steel, titanium and even plastics can be machined, and this shows the ability to adapt to the latest product developments and trends.
G&Y Leuenberger produces meticulously designed components that are used for the manufacture of luxury-brand products, including for the watchmaking and connector industries. By way of example, the company produces customised magnifiers for watchmakers.
“This is our sole finished product,” Boris Leuenberger emphasises. Invented in 1995 by the former managing director, Yves Leuenberger, the body and ring are made of aluminium, which makes the magnifier light and pleasant to wear. The range of colors and versions is virtually infinite; anodised and engraved models can be produced. They can even be used as high-end giveaways for any business active in the field of precision engineering.

In 2017, the company decided to apply for ISO13485 certification to extend its range of activities and make G&Y’s expertise available to other sectors. Boris Leuenberger is convinced that the company’s production experience and ability to work with its customers will appeal to broader industry: “We specialise in solving problems and push the limits of machining. I would like to invite any company having machining problems to contact us as we are amenable to new challenges.”
The 45-employee business offers comprehensive services ranging from assembly to roller burnishing, polishing and anodising, as well as watch decoration.
“Our strength is being able to free our customers from the need of subcontracting,” says Leuenberger. “In particular, we offer logistics solutions of all types. Upon request, we can implement Kanban stocking, consignment stocking and on-call delivery.”
To achieve all this, G&Y Leuenberger has a plant list that includes the new Tornos MultiSwiss 8×26, 23 Tornos Deco and EvoDeco machines from 10 to 32 mm capacity, a Tornos SAS 16, two machining centres and 10 fixed-headstock turning machines.

Alluding to the arrival of the MultiSwiss, Leuenberger says: “As a Swiss company, the economic environment we are operating in is rather complex. We compete with enterprises based in the Eurozone with a different cost structure. With the uncoupling of the Swiss Franc from the Euro in 2015, our prices rose 15% overnight. We had to tackle the crisis and reinvent ourselves. All these constraints brought us to utterly rethink our strategy; we were looking for a means that enabled us to quickly respond to peaks in demand, a means to accelerate our production and a means of making us competitive.
“And that’s how we came across the MultiSwiss 8×26 machine,” he continues. “Until then, our machine inventory consisted of single-spindle machines only. Of course, we could face demand peaks by using several Deco or EvoDeco machines, but this would be at the cost of the production schedule. Furthermore, with its eight spindles and multiple back-machining functions, the MultiSwiss 8×26 unites the productivity of up to eight machines while using minimum floor space.”
G&Y Leuenberger recognised that the MultiSwiss 8×26 is far more compact than competitor machines and does not need much more space than a single-spindle lathe designed for 20 mm diameter parts with an associated bar feeder.
“The machine is also extremely user-friendly,” says Leuenberger. “Programming is performed using TB-Deco software that we have been familiar with for many years. It can be set up in no time and is therefore not only profitable for large series runs but ideal when responding to urgent demands comprising several thousands of parts.”
“In terms of ergonomics, when entering the machining area, there is no need for the operator to worry about oil dripping on his head,” he adds. “What’s more, the tool holders are easy to install and everything is close at hand. The MultiSwiss can be set-up as quickly as a single-spindle lathe – only the replacement of the nine collets takes a bit more time, although adjustment from the front makes this comparatively easy.”
The fact that the MultiSwiss 8×26 makes multi-spindle technology available to users of single-spindle lathes certainly poses some challenges as the operator enters a new dimension. For instance, the wear of inserts is proportional to production output and chip management therefore becomes more important. However, hydrostatic technology within the MultiSwiss 8×26 is designed to offer a considerable reduction in insert wear.
“Moreover, we can now achieve surface finishes we never thought possible,” says Leuenberger. “The machine has an accessible machining area and is equipped with a conveyor that can efficiently discharge both long and short chips. With its low-, medium- and high-pressure pumps boasting a high flow rate, and its 2000 litre coolant tank that is heat-stabilised, the machine has the cooling capacity needed to tackle virtually all machining challenges.”
Leuenberger concludes: “It should also be noted that the Tornos service is simply excellent, especially with regards to the MultiSwiss 8×26. Commissioning the machine was easy and we feel that the technicians are fully receptive and ready to support us. They are doing an excellent job.”
For further information www.tornos.com