Manche: Acome to build a factory in Morocco
16 December 2014
Read by 2123 persons
Acome is a worker cooperative. At the end of 2014, in Romagny near Mortain, Acome enjoys excellent health that many would envy.
In Romagny, in Southern Manche, Acome (Association Coopérative d'Ouvriers en Matériel Electrique) manufactures cables, fiber optics and synthetic tubes for the automotive, telecoms and building industries. It has factories in France, two in China and one in Brazil; and sales offices in Germany, Italy, Spain and Russia. In Romagny, Acome employs 1,098 people, including about thirty on temporary contracts and fifty temporary workers. "This contingent of temporary and agency workers is very fluctuating, it depends on the large variations in volumes ordered by our customers," explains Acome's president, Jacques de Heere.
A president satisfied with the year that is ending. "Even if the building industry is still in crisis. Despite this crisis, our Building Solutions and Networks activity maintains an activity level identical to 2013. And this building crisis is offset by the global automotive market which, after seven years of decline, is rising again and by the very high-speed broadband deployment, supported by Europe and particularly important in France. Our country is at the forefront of the development of fiber optics for subscribers. Telecoms and infrastructure networks activity is up by double digits compared to 2013. It is the fiber optic activity that benefits from this to the detriment of copper. Radio frequency activity is also showing very strong growth."
Acome will build
At the beginning of 2016, Acome will have a factory in Morocco, where car manufacturers and suppliers are setting up and where the company already has two advanced logistics bases. "This factory will manufacture cables for new automotive harnesses. A complementary production, and not competitive, to Romagny," assures Jacques de Heere.
At the end of 2014, Acome's turnover should reach 331 million euros. Up 1.5% compared to 2013. "With a constant quantity of copper, our turnover actually increased by 6%." 48% of this turnover is achieved through exports, mainly to Europe and North Africa. "The turnover of subsidiaries increased by 14%, boosted by the two Chinese industrial subsidiaries. China remains the world's leading market for automotive wiring and global vehicle demand is expected to continue to grow over the next 5 years."
Acome works "in an extremely competitive sector." All the more reason to invest. Fifteen million euros were invested in 2014. This amount will be doubled in 2015 and these investments will concern 75% of strategic projects.
Defend and improve our competitiveness
"We are fighting to defend our competitiveness and improve it. To ensure the sustainability of Acome." And the jobs that go with it. "In particular young people. This year, we have had two promotions of apprentice line operators. Thirty young people in training, 26 graduates and most of them hired on temporary or permanent contracts. These two promotions will be renewed in 2015. They allow us to replace retirements and to increase our skills. An obligation if we want to continue to manufacture increasingly high-performing and high-end products."
Mauricette GUITTARD.
Ouest-france.fr
Published on December 16, 2014.
Posted online on December 16, 2014.
In Romagny, in Southern Manche, Acome (Association Coopérative d'Ouvriers en Matériel Electrique) manufactures cables, fiber optics and synthetic tubes for the automotive, telecoms and building industries. It has factories in France, two in China and one in Brazil; and sales offices in Germany, Italy, Spain and Russia. In Romagny, Acome employs 1,098 people, including about thirty on temporary contracts and fifty temporary workers. "This contingent of temporary and agency workers is very fluctuating, it depends on the large variations in volumes ordered by our customers," explains Acome's president, Jacques de Heere.
A president satisfied with the year that is ending. "Even if the building industry is still in crisis. Despite this crisis, our Building Solutions and Networks activity maintains an activity level identical to 2013. And this building crisis is offset by the global automotive market which, after seven years of decline, is rising again and by the very high-speed broadband deployment, supported by Europe and particularly important in France. Our country is at the forefront of the development of fiber optics for subscribers. Telecoms and infrastructure networks activity is up by double digits compared to 2013. It is the fiber optic activity that benefits from this to the detriment of copper. Radio frequency activity is also showing very strong growth."
Acome will build
At the beginning of 2016, Acome will have a factory in Morocco, where car manufacturers and suppliers are setting up and where the company already has two advanced logistics bases. "This factory will manufacture cables for new automotive harnesses. A complementary production, and not competitive, to Romagny," assures Jacques de Heere.
At the end of 2014, Acome's turnover should reach 331 million euros. Up 1.5% compared to 2013. "With a constant quantity of copper, our turnover actually increased by 6%." 48% of this turnover is achieved through exports, mainly to Europe and North Africa. "The turnover of subsidiaries increased by 14%, boosted by the two Chinese industrial subsidiaries. China remains the world's leading market for automotive wiring and global vehicle demand is expected to continue to grow over the next 5 years."
Acome works "in an extremely competitive sector." All the more reason to invest. Fifteen million euros were invested in 2014. This amount will be doubled in 2015 and these investments will concern 75% of strategic projects.
Defend and improve our competitiveness
"We are fighting to defend our competitiveness and improve it. To ensure the sustainability of Acome." And the jobs that go with it. "In particular young people. This year, we have had two promotions of apprentice line operators. Thirty young people in training, 26 graduates and most of them hired on temporary or permanent contracts. These two promotions will be renewed in 2015. They allow us to replace retirements and to increase our skills. An obligation if we want to continue to manufacture increasingly high-performing and high-end products."
Mauricette GUITTARD.
Ouest-france.fr
Published on December 16, 2014.
Posted online on December 16, 2014.
