Swatch Group has announced plans to support the expansion of watch brand Blancpain by merging it with movement and component manufacturer Frédéric Piguet, completing the brand’s “verticalisation as a manufacturer”. Frédéric Piguet based in Sentier has been producing movements and components for Blancpain timepieces for many years. With immediate effect the combined entities will now be officially known as the Manufacture Blancpain.