12 May 2023

Inauguration of the AluK France Expansion Project in Gannat

Inauguration of the AluK France Expansion Project in Gannat

Gannat (03), France, 12 May 2023 – AluK France is proud to announce the official inauguration of its “Dynamo” expansion project. The expansion will enable the company’s Gannat site to increase its production capacity by 50%.

To mark the occasion, the company organised an inauguration week from 25 to 28 April, with a number of highlights that brought together a total of around 500 people. Between work meetings with partners, visits by employees, recruitment activities, a family day, and the official inauguration day, the week produced many productive exchanges in a friendly, sociable atmosphere.

The official inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, 26 April was attended by the various project stakeholders (employees, representatives of the AluK group, shareholders, suppliers, etc.), customers, the press, and local partners (including Véronique Pouzadoux, Mayor of Gannat, representing the local government and community). The day was punctuated by speeches from the entire management team and included a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony as well as guided tours of the factory. Participants were thus able to view the latest improvements at the production site for themselves. The new showroom was also open to visitors. Quality workshops were organised to showcase the latest product developments, which provided the opportunity to discuss both existing and future product ranges.

A major investment project

The two new buildings, which are adjacent to the existing one, cover an area of 5,400 m². Additionally, new state-of-the-art and highly efficient manufacturing equipment has been installed. These include:

  • An automated profile conveyor which improves both operational comfort and ergonomics.
  • A new rotating CNC thermal break assembly line.

A total project budget of €6.6 million positions the company as a major economic investor at the local and regional levels.

A project which improves service to our customers

Construction of the new buildings started at the beginning of February 2022 and was completed on schedule, without any impact on the current production schedule.

The expansion and refurbishment allow AluK France to increase its production capacity by 50% and meet growing customer demands. Additionally, AluK is able to offer steady improvements in efficiency and service levels, which improves the factory’s overall production flow.

Philippe Lisse, Managing Director of AluK France, said: ”The expansion at Gannat is an important step in our long-term growth strategy. On the one hand, the additional production capacity allows us to optimise our internal processes and procedures and to improve employee safety. On the other hand, this investment will also allow us to support growth. Not only supporting AluK France’s growth but also that of our customers.”

AluK France grows together with its teams                             

This event was also the perfect occasion to officially announce the appointment of Cédric Ferrandon as Deputy Managing Director of AluK France. Cédric started his career at AluK France in 2010 as Warehouse & Continuous Improvement Manager. He then moved on to the position of Production Manager in Gannat and then Operations Director, during which time he was in charge of the facility’s expansion with the "Dynamo" project. Cédric's mission is to forge an even closer bond with his customers to improve AluK’s service. Therefore, his new responsibilities include overseeing all services related to customer order processing.

Job creation in the region

The expansion project at the Gannat plant will create about twenty new jobs in the region. It includes positions in departments such as maintenance, quality control, handling, etc. To support this development, the company organised a recruitment event, after working hours, on 27 April with various partner agencies and interested candidates. The program included a tour of the site, a presentation on the available positions, as well as informal, friendly discussions and meet-ups with the various teams.

Tribute to Jean-Pierre Tourbez

The inauguration ceremony was also marked by a tribute to Jean-Pierre Tourbez, former Managing Director of AluK France, who tragically passed away on the 14th of December 2022. The entire AluK France team and the AluK Group paid tribute to an extraordinary individual who exuded incredible energy and brilliance. He was a caring leader and an excellent listener. Above all, he possessed a tremendous sense of humour. Jean-Pierre contributed a significant amount of hard work and energy to the expansion project before his passing.

 

 

AluK France before Dynamo

AluK France after Dynamo

Coating:

820,000 bars per year

1,250,000 bars per year

Coated thermal break profiles:

270,000 bars per year

430,000 bars per year

Total area:

11,000 m²

16,000 m²

Annual electricity production (solar farm):

410,000 kWh

820,000 kWh

For more information about the Dynamo project from AluK France, please contact us.

Dynamo inauguration factory Gannat AluK
Dynamo inauguration factory Gannat AluK
Dynamo inauguration factory Gannat AluK
Dynamo inauguration factory Gannat AluK
Dynamo inauguration factory Gannat AluK
Dynamo inauguration factory Gannat AluK
Dynamo inauguration factory Gannat AluK

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