A winning return. In 2004, Laurent Pélissier left the presidency of the Grenoble-based industrial oven manufacturer ECM Technologies, in disagreement with the main shareholder. Four years later, he took over the company, founded in 1928, at the bar of the commercial court.
In twenty years, turnover increased from 15 to 180 million euros, while the workforce jumped from 74 to 750 employees. The secret of this dazzling growth? A successful strategy of innovation and internationalization.
ECM Technologies achieves 80% of its production in France, while the majority (85%) of its sales are destined abroad, notably Asia (40%) and the United States (25%). Its customers are in the automotive industry (Stellantis, BYD, Toyota, General Motors), energy (nuclear, photovoltaic) and semiconductors. “We were a generalist in industrial ovens and, to develop our exports, we needed a differentiating factor. This was not possible in terms of economic competitiveness, so we developed an innovative product,” explains Laurent Pélissier. The Isère group has patented a low-pressure cementation process of which it is the world leader.
Its electric industrial furnaces, which operate under vacuum at high temperatures, only use the amount of gas required for carburizing. The advantages are numerous: 80% reduction in the carbon footprint of heat treatment operations, significant increase in the mechanical properties of the treated parts, safety of operators thanks to their cold walls and, above all, the possibility of integrating them into production lines. “We stopped manufacturing gas-fired ovens five years ago,” specifies Laurent Pélissier. The group now has around ten commercial and technical subsidiaries abroad and has just acquired, in February, the German company IOS (12 employees, 2.5 million turnover).
You are reading an article from L’Usine Nouvelle 3732-3733 – July-August 2024
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Source: www.usinenouvelle.com
