13/10/2026
๐๐๐๐ง๐ฅ๐ข๐ซ ๐ก๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ต ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ (๐๐ก๐), ๐ต๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ญ๐ฑ, ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ป-๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ, ๐ก๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ต ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ.
The event featured not only a generous blast of bio-degradable confetti and giant, re-usable scissors, but also a 9-foot Alphorn to set the tone for FNAโs decidedly Swiss, but also environmentally conscious brand setting up shop in Transylvania County.
โItโs a fully functional old American town, where everyone seems to be one with nature,โ observed Zemp, FNAโs Director of Sales and President before showing off his Alphorn playing skills for an impromptu concert. Zemp, who himself hails from Lucerne, Switzerland, and runs FILTROX from his home office in Elgin, IL. Zemp, has been leading the North American branch of FILTROX, since 2024 and oversees a fully remote work force of seven employees. He has been playing the signature-Swiss instrument, once used for ridge-to-ridge communication in the famously Alpine nation, for six years.
He serenaded a small group of Brevard officials with โSโVreneli vom Dorfโ just prior to the actual cutting of the bright red ribbon in the new office location on 22 Trust Lane. Brevard Mayor, Maureen Copelof, along with Jessica Edney, representing Blue Ridge Community College and Richard Zollinger, the past president of the Brevard/Transylvania Chamber, and himself a Swiss expat, attended on behalf of the local chamberโs 400+ members. Brevard/Transylvania Chamber Director Tamika Hunter and Asheleigh Jamerson, the chamberโs membership/community outreach manager, officiated the brief ceremony for maximum photogenic effect.
FNA relocated to Brevard in early 2026, partly because three of its employees live within the Eastern Standard Time Zone and partly for geographic and economic reasons after 23 years of maintaining a business presence in Seattle, WA.
โIt allows for our food and beverage sales manager to have access to a lab to run tests for future filtration challenges in the beverage industry,โ Zemp told the group of the officeโs small laboratory set up by FILTROXโs Stephen Daniels, a vintner by trade, who serves as the companyโs sales and business development manager for the food and beverage industry. โAnd it is much easier to access for the entire FILTROX team than Seattle,โ Zemp said.
โHaving a global company choose Brevard as home for their North American operations shows the versatility and desirability of Brevard as a business location,โ said Copelof, who meets monthly with citizens and makes a point of attending as many chamber gatherings as her schedule allows. โWe continue to work hard ensuring Brevard is a business-friendly location with the high quality of life that businesses today require. FILTROX opening here proves that Brevard can successfully attract businesses with international ties and global markets.โ
