An Axe Sail floor in Granville
The Axe Sail company settles on the port of Le Hérel, in Granville. This new branch will complement the sailmaking activity created in Cherbourg in 2014. "It is a workshop composed of 180 m² of floor space and 50 m² of offices, in addition to the 550 m² we have in Cherbourg. It will mainly be a service point for repairs and wintering. As in Cherbourg we represent the Incidence Sails brand. We will also do saddlery, seamanship and standing rigging work, but the new sails stay in Cherbourg" explains Axel Gadbin, founder of Axe Sail.
Initially managed by Jules Briand, an Axe Sail employee already teleworking from Granville, the site, installed alongside the quay, is due to open at the end of October 2020. Eventually, Axe Sail, which already employs 14 people, wants to hire 2 to 3 employees there.
An opportunity to better serve local boaters
Creating a new site in the post-covid context may seem risky, but Axel Gadbin assumes his choice and explains the strategic reasons for it. "It's a choice to continue to invest, in order to be ready for the recovery. There was the opportunity to rent the premises in Granville. We were already working in Granville and Saint-Malo, but getting there is always complicated because of the distance from Cherbourg. There you can go to Dinard, Dinan or Saint-Malo. As a representative of J-Boats, this will allow us to develop our boat business. The nerve of the war is the berths and being there, it's easier to get places as a professional."
Refit and traveling sailboats make up for the regatta
Axe Sail was originally a pure sailmaker, but over time it has become a multi-service centre, from composite materials to sailmaking and fittings. "The aim is to offer a turnkey service to the yachtsman with a single point of contact. Today, we only sub-contract the mechanics," explains Axel Gadbin. Sailmaking now accounts for 35% of the business. In the context of the crisis, diversification is proving beneficial. "If the regatta and racing activity has been stopped due to the cancellation of the events in 2020, we have seen a rebound in the travel and yachting sector," concludes the manager.
