From "Plastimo on the fishing port" to Lorient La Base
When Plastimo was born in 1963, fishing was still flourishing. The company settled between the Keroman area, near the fishermen and the military base. "We used to say Plastimo, on the fishing port. The building was turned towards it" explains Cathy Millien, in charge of the company's communication. While the company was developing, the fishing industry was undergoing major changes. Plastimo remains anchored in Lorient and participates with the pioneers in the growth of the yachting industry. In 2008, the company is one of the first, with the skipper Alain Gautier, to invest in the former submarine base. It had the pits of the old abandoned ships filled in to set up its logistics base and took its place in what has become Lorient La Base, a national and international hub for yachting.
Plastimo rafts in Plastimo Romania
At the end of the 2000s, Plastimo had to find a solution to reduce its costs in the face of competition from Asian rafts. The company chose to set up in Romania by buying land and building its own factory. "We didn't really want to go to Asia because we still had a lot of patented elements like our percussion head for inflating the rafts. We wanted to keep flexibility in relation to the season and not be obliged to make one big order at the beginning of the season. Hence our desire to be closer with more control because there was too much at stake for safety and our brand image." Today, a weekly truck connects the Plastimo site in Romania to Lorient where all the rafts are finalized. The Romanian factory, certified ISO 9001 like the one in Brittany, has 80 employees.
Renewed anchorage in Lorient
Although the sewing of the rafts has been relocated to Romania, Plastimo retains an essential part of its activity in Lorient. 100 people work there, joined in season by 30 additional employees. The company assembles its compasses and produces molded parts such as its windsocks and Topoplastic rulers. Research and development, as well as the prototyping of new products, take place in Lorient. "The whole process up to the approval is done here," confirms Cathy Millien, whose marketing team is also on site.
The administrative teams should leave their current outdated offices for new premises in 2020. "There was a desire to remain in Lorient and in the Lorient environment of ocean racing. It's a nice sign of confidence from Alliance Marine to invest for Plastimo on Lorient La Base."
