The everyday heroes during the Covid-19 crisis are also our entrepreneurs. At the start of the pandemic, when respirators, masks and gowns were lacking, some reviewed their entire organization to produce them. This is particularly the case in Cluses in Haute-Savoie,the company Savoy international. Automotive supplier in the bar turning industry and now producer of masks.
– Savoy International
One million surgical masks produced per day
For this bar turning company, an automotive supplier specializing in mechatronics and plastic injection and its 1,000 employees, everything changes the evening when Emmanuel Macron announces the confinement of the country in March 2020. “Already, we told ourselves that we were going to honor all of our customers’ orders and therefore not close“explains Arthur Allamand, now sales director of the masks division at Savoy International. Then comes a second question: how to help the country and participate in the national effort?”What immediately jumps out at us is that the production of masks can be an element to which we can respond and provide a solution as an industrialist.“.
“We had nothing. Producing masks was totally different from anything we’ve done until now.” – Arthur Allamand, commercial director of the masks activity at Savoy International
“We invested, we bought means of production that we brought from Asia at that time. These machines have been brought up to European standards and improved to make them more reliable. We started production like this“says the sales manager. the corporate solidarity initiative turns into a real economic opportunity. A year later, Savoy International produces one million surgical masks per day and 200,000 FFP2 masks for hospitals, clinics, but also companies and individuals. The activity has even become a full-fledged pole of the group, not to mention hiring of 200 employees. In total, 10 million euros have been invested by the company in this new branch.
If this evolution of the industrialist of the Arve valley is already “profitable“according to the deaths of Arthur Allamand, Savoy International intends to perpetuate its activity. While a fall in production costs remains to be imagined for the company due to Asian competition in the market, “it’s a trade war we’re ready to wage“explains Arthur Allamand. Objective: to remain a major player in the sale of the mask in the future.
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