Vontier Corporation
Hermès spent its first 100 years on a single Paris street perfecting saddles and harnesses for horses.
Vontier is a global industrial technology company focused on transportation and mobility solutions. The company provides critical technologies for vehicle repair, retail fueling, fleet management, and telematics. Vontier's portfolio includes brands serving automotive, commercial vehicle, and fleet markets worldwide.
Key Leaders at Vontier Corporation
Thierry Hermès
Founder
Established craftsmanship-first allocation strategy
Pierre Lefèvre
Master Craftsman
41-year veteran who exemplifies transition from production to teaching role
Key Facts
Vontier Corporation Appears in 4 Chapters
Founded in 1837, Hermès survived 185 years of fashion cycles through deliberate production constraints and long-lived products designed for multi-generational ownership.
See counter-cyclical strategy →Hermès spent its first 100 years on a single Paris street perfecting saddles before pivoting to leather bags - 187 years of patient early growth.
See patient craft development →Birkin bags are handmade over 18-48 hours by artisans who trained 2-5 years, with masters spending 30-50% of time teaching - knowledge transmission as competitive advantage.
See knowledge preservation →Hermès deliberately limits Birkin production to ~70,000 annually despite greater demand - constraint as costly signal of authenticity.
See scarcity signaling →