Group Rossignol will implement a $13 million capital investment plan that will reconfirm its position as a world class manufacturer of skis and boots. This significant investment will fund state-of-the-art ski manufacturing and finishing equipment at the Group’s factories in France and Spain. The objective is to enhance factory production competitiveness, product quality, and, ultimately, greater satisfaction and performance for Rossignol and Dynastar skiers.
$13 million will enhance some of the world’s best performing factories!
This $13 million investment includes the modernization of the following sites:
- The Sallanches ski production facility, near Chamonix and at the base of Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc where Dynastar and Rossignol skis are manufactured. Group Rossignol’s Sallanches plant is the last ski factory in France. The Rossignol Group annually builds in excess of 300,000 pairs of skis at this facility.
- The Artès ski production facility in Spain’s Catalonian region, north of Barcelona, where Rossignol and Dynastar skis are also manufactured. Group Rossignol’s Artès plant, the only ski factory in Spain, is responsible for building in excess of 450,000 pairs of skis annually.
These manufacturing upgrades have begun and will be completed by April 2013. Many production lines will be entirely redesigned and others will be significantly enhanced in both Artès and Sallanches. In Sallanches, for instance, 50% of the production equipment will be replaced and a total of 28 “next-generation” production and finishing machines will be installed. The competition and R&D ski workshop at global headquarters in Moirans, near Grenoble, will also see dramatic enhancements. All these investments represent spending over and above normal maintenance capital investments.
According to Bruno Cercley, President and CEO of the Rossignol Group:
With this investment, our manufacturing facilities will reach a new level of quality and efficiency. Our production equipment will compare well with the best ski plants in the world. Our “at once” production capacity will increase significantly. This is an essential part of our strategy… to manufacture the best quality skis, while enhancing our ability to quickly respond to seasonal product demand.
Added Tim Petrick, President of Rossignol Group, North America:
Products are the key to the substantial rebound Rossignol North America has enjoyed in the past two years. With the investments that have been announced, we will deliver even greater quality and consumer satisfaction. The money being spent is a strong example of our commitment to becoming the most reliable supplier of ski and snowboard equipment, worldwide.
Better working conditions
Beyond the technical improvements, this investment will also lead to better working conditions, along with increases in employee skills and productivity:
- An advanced training program for employees will begin immediately.
- This new equipment is expected to deliver greater employment stability and position permanence at the Group’s manufacturing facilities, and, as a result, less need for temporary workers.
An industrial improvement to “prepare for the future”
This major capital investment was possible, in part, due to good financial results. Bruno Cercley concluded:
Now that we have stabilized the financial results of Group Rossignol and become profitable, we must plan for the future. The 13 million capital investment plan we have announced today will allow us to continue to bring innovative, high performance products to market for the benefit of skiers around the world.
Editor’s Note: I feel good that I just bought some Rossi’s, but now I wonder what they will have for 2013-2014. 2013′s SIA Snow Show will be interesting.