Regional implementation
Soromap exists since 1969. While the activity started as a shipschandler in La Rochelle, the company has now modern industrial buildings in Rochefort, still in Charente-Marimite. BoatIndustry took advantage of a meeting to visit the premises. An overview of its multiple activities.
Production of Soromap paints
Soromap's marine paint is produced and designed in the Rochefort factory. All formulations are developed by a team of 3 chemists in the company's laboratory, equipped with the necessary measuring tools to qualify the characteristics and resistance to the marine environment (spectrometer, UV tank, salt spray test...)
A tool is then used to define the pigments needed to obtain the color requested by the customer.
Once the formulation is established, production can begin. The solid raw materials, natural or of petrochemical origin, are ground in a first machine. The liquid part is then added to obtain the paint using high capacity mixers. Soromap is able to produce paint quantities ranging from 300 kg to 1 T in 24 hours. The annual production of the plant is about 300 T.
The company also does the labeling. 10 to 15% of the paint is produced for other brands.
Manufacture of masts and rigging
A first stage of design of the boat rigging takes place in the VMG Soromap design office. The calculations are checked by external service providers.
The Rochefort plant receives tubes, respecting the profiles designed by VMG Soromap, produced in the Netherlands in dies owned by the company. 90% of the aluminum threaders are installed in this European country. It also receives all the peripherals, turnbuckles and connections from its Tunisian factory.
In a first step, the tubes are positioned in the 24 m long machining center to perform all the necessary milling.
An operator then assembles the elements and passes the messengers into the mast.
The shrouds are prepared and crimped by VMG Soromap. A tensile test is performed to validate the quality of the assembly.
Cutting of sail webs
VMG Soromap doesn't just deliver masts to the yard. The company also cuts fabrics for sailmakers. Two digital cutting tables, cold and hot, allow the cutting of any type of fabric.
