Carhaisian by birth, Thierry Le Gall created the company SMV (Meat Trades Service) in 2004, but it was not until 2008 that it relocated to Carhaix. “At the time, we benefited from a big helping hand from the City, which purchased the building of the former Gercavi factory. A relay system was put in place, so that each rent paid by SMV was deducted from the initially agreed price,” explains the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Six factories in Brittany and 500 employees
According to the business leader, these favorable conditions constituted a “real springboard” for the company, which has continued to grow since. SMV currently has six factories in Brittany, which represent around 500 employees.
That of Carhaix alone employs around a hundred employees (around fifty on site, the others working with suppliers). The company has two slaughterhouses, in Faouët (56) and Saint-Brandan (22), a turkey cutting unit in Saint-Caradec (22), two processing units in Merdrignac (22) and Le Pin (44). ), the Carhaix factory being responsible for processing all of the group’s co-products.
Increase frozen product capacity
Although the company controls practically the entire upstream part of the business, its capacity to produce IQF frozen products (English term for Individual Freezing of Products) was until now quite limited. To be able to develop this sector, the group is planning the construction of a new factory, with a surface area of 10,000 m², by 2025, on 3 hectares of land in the Kervouasdoué industrial zone. A project led by SCI Volvico, while the group’s economic activity is overseen by SMV Distribution, a subsidiary created in 2006.
At present, the factory area does not exceed 3,000 m². The part currently allocated to IQF production will be used in particular for the production of high-end animal feed products. This investment of €15 to €20 million should generate the creation of around fifty jobs, notably for forklift drivers, heavy goods vehicle drivers and line drivers.
An administrative group in Carhaix
Another project: regrouping the group’s administrative headquarters in Carhaix. “Currently, executives are scattered across different sites,” specifies the CEO. “Excellent news for Carhaix,” rejoices the president of Poher Communauté, Christian Troadec.
To make this project a reality, SMV management approached community services a few months ago. “When you listen attentively, everything is easier,” insists Thierry Le Gall. They were very good and very responsive. » Vice-president of Poher Community, Jacqueline Mazéas, remembers that the company’s request concerned “land and sanitation. We answered yes! “, she emphasizes. In fact, the building permit will be submitted within two weeks, and work should begin in early 2024. “We are counting on commissioning in September 2025,” adds Thierry le Gall.
“A project that brings hope”
With this new development, the Carhais factory, which produces 250 kg per hour of IQF frozen products, plans to increase to two tonnes per hour in two years. “Today, our IQF products are made with gas, which costs a fortune and gives our competitors an advantage,” explains the CEO. With the transformation tool that we are going to build, our cost price will correspond to the market price. »
Christian Troadec, for his part, is delighted with “a magnificent project that brings hope in these difficult times. It’s a confidence renewed over more than twenty years with SMV,” he says.
2023-11-09 01:53:33
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