New regional companies labeled as “Living Heritage Company”

The new companies of the South Region received the diploma of the “Living Heritage Company” brand from the prefect Christophe Mirmand on Monday 21 November in the halls of honor of the prefecture of Marseille. Other companies have seen their label revamped, sometimes for the third time in a row. These businesses belong to a national network of 1,500 labeled and a regional network of a hundred labeled. Business leaders testify.

« The goal of this brand, created in 2005, is to honor the excellence of know-how of companies in the region insists Christophe Mirmand. The label, awarded for five years and renewable, is intended for small and medium-sized enterprises. “ He increasingly praises innovation, digitization, the transmission of know-how and the social responsibility of companies that combine ancestral knowledge and new technologies. “, specifies the prefect. Increasingly selective, the label sees new criteria being added to the list. Isabelle Bondil, labeled for the third time, specifies: “ you have to train trainees, increase your turnover, treat waste, transmit… ».

« Among those with the label are producers of calissons, jams, olive oil, sails, engines, Saint-Tropez sandals, coffee roasters, potters, santon makers, etc. “, adds Christophe Mirmand. “ The label also allows for a 15% tax credit rate, which reduces the cost of product design “, He adds. However, the labeled Serge Leibovitz does not benefit from it and states on Gomet’s microphone ” which is not easy to claim ».

This was stated by Isabelle Campagnola-Savon, regional councilor in the commission for enterprises, crafts and commerce “ the Region is closely linked to crafts and will allocate 100 million euros for crafts by 2028 Representatives of the National Crafts Institute, the Chamber of Crafts, the regional CCI and the regional Association of Living Heritage Enterprises also took the floor.

Ten new companies then received or renewed the EPV brand: Borghino, an aeronautical construction company in Avignon; Serge Leibovitz, who builds model aircraft in the Var; Rigotti which produces parts for wind instruments in the Var; the Féraud iron and steel works in the Vaucluse; Aromatic herb jams; the Fer à Cheval soap factory in Marseille, classified as an historic monument; Earthenware Bondil at Moustiers; the Negresco Hotel; the Puyricard chocolate factory; and the Roquevaire foundry.

« Crafts need it right now after two years of Covid and the cost of energy and raw materials has increased by 100% in two years says Serge Leibovitz, whose label has been renewed. At Gomet’s microphone, the master craftsman presents his company: ” I founded it in 1987 with my wife, we produce model aircraft pewter. We have been certified since 2009 ». « The interest of the brand is to be recognized by institutional customers such as the State, the Ministry of Defense and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force who buy the miniatures from us. “, he adds.

Thibault Cordesse, co-manager of Voilerie Phocéenne, whose label is expected to be renewed for the third time soon, presents his company: “ We are located at 4 esplanade du Pharo, at the entrance to the Old Port of Marseille. We are the historic Marseillaise sailmaker and the last artisanal sailmaker in the region “. As for the etiquette, it serves to recognize our know-how, to protect society and to show that we are working in old-fashioned ways. It doesn’t necessarily help us get more customers “. The co-manager says to do crafts and ” low-tech: we cut the sails by hand on land “. It was his father who took over the business with a partner. “ It is a local company, we sell to individuals from Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône to Bandol says the son. The company also encourages repairing sails instead of buying new ones and uses recycled materials such as plastics.

Isabelle Bondil, daughter of the creators of the Faïence Bondil workshop and commercial, presents her company whose label has been renewed for the third time: ” we have been ceramists in Moustiers since 1980. We respect tradition: all our objects are handmade. We are the last to know how to shape clay by hand “. I am among the few who have not requested the vignette: “ it is the EPV antenna that has called us many times “. They benefit from the tax credit. “ The label doesn’t allow us to have more customers because the general public doesn’t know about it. It’s just a recognition among artisans because in the midst of craftsmanship everyone knows this label adds Isabelle Bondil. Their terracotta, from 13 euros for a salt shaker to 2000 euros for a large decorative plate, can also be purchased in Marseille at the Maison Empereur (near the Center Bourse). The customers are mostly tourists, some come from far away to visit the workshop. They also do deliveries, notably selling to Zoé de Givenchy, granddaughter-in-law of Hubert de Givenchy.

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Unity is strength for Southern Living Heritage Companies