Difficult to find a place in the sun for French manufacturers. In the photovoltaic panel market, nine of the ten largest come from China. A made in China with a heavy carbon footprint, far from a truly green approach. The setbacks of the pioneer Photowatt, from which the EDF shareholder would seek to separate, illustrates these difficulties. However, some continue to believe in the emergence of a virtuous French sector. This is the case for Systovi, in Carquefou, near Nantes, and the Alsatian Voltec Solar. The two manufacturers recently announced their Belénos joint venture project, aimed at producing “eco-designed and rare-earth-free” solar panels.
Mastodons and young shoots
In the heat pump market (PAC), which is booming, France has nothing to be ashamed of. The sector has around twenty production sites in France, including that of Saunier Duval (subsidiary of the German group Vaillant) in Nantes, with 650 employees. The factory, which exports most of its CAPs, will invest nearly 10 million euros in 2021, to increase its aerothermal manufacturing capacities. Demand increased by 38% last year. After recruiting 155 employees last summer, it provides for around fifty additional hires.
Its Vendée competitor, the Atlantic group (nearly 10,000 employees worldwide, turnover of 2.2 billion euros), announced last March the opening of its 13th French factory. Located in Boz in the Ain, it must notably strengthen the heat pump activity. Today, all the indoor units (hydraulic modules) are assembled in Billy-Berclau (Pas-de-Calais) and Merville (Nord). The outdoor units are from a partnership with Fujitsu and come from Japan.
The wood industry not to be outdone
The wood industry is not left out either, with the manufacturer Inovalp in the Alps or Invicta in the Ardennes. But it can also count on the Breton Lorflam, whose seat is at Lorient, and which is part of the Drôme industrial group Qaeli. And on the young Vendée company Cocon, which specializes in pellet stoves. Manufactured in the Monroc axle factory in Vendée, they highlight robust materials and components that are as local as possible, with the exception of electrical and electronic parts from other European countries. On the distribution side, we can also mention Asgaard (Valéor group).
With around thirty shops, the Breton brand, which does not however manufacture its wood stoves, hopes to reach 45 million euros in turnover at the end of 2021 (against 34 million in 2020). She wants to spread all over the France. Proof that the market is buoyant.
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