▁the ▁found ers ' ▁names , ▁" Z " ▁and ▁" L ". ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁tw enti eth ▁century ▁a ▁factory ▁was ▁set ▁up ▁across ▁the ▁front ier ▁in ▁France , ▁and ▁the ▁Swiss ▁operation ▁was ▁closed ▁a ▁few ▁years ▁later , ▁so ▁that ▁from ▁around ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁the ▁business ▁had ▁become , ▁in ▁effect , ▁a ▁French ▁one . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁company ' s ▁orig ins ▁go ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁when ▁Ernest ▁Zür cher ▁( known ▁in ▁German ▁language ▁sources ▁as ▁Ernst ▁Zür cher ) ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁work shop ▁in ▁Ne uch ât el ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Swiss ▁producer ▁of ▁motor cycle ▁engines . ▁▁ ▁He ▁was ▁commer cially ▁successful , ▁and ▁on ▁ 4 ▁January ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁with ▁Hermann ▁Lü th i , ▁he ▁founded ▁the ▁company ▁" Z ür cher ▁& ▁Lü th i ▁& ▁C ie ▁SA " ▁at ▁nearby ▁Saint - A ub in - S au ges . ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁Hermann ▁Lü th i ▁with d rew ▁from ▁the ▁business ▁which ▁was ▁now ▁renamed ▁as ▁" SA ▁Fab rique ▁de ▁M ote urs ▁et ▁de ▁Mach ines ▁Z L ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁the ▁company ▁established ▁a ▁production ▁facility ▁in ▁Pont ar lier , ▁between ▁La us anne ▁and ▁Bes an çon ▁and , ▁important ly , ▁on