2023-07-02 10:00:00
In the next few days, Obut will be commissioning a new production line in its Saint-Bonnet-le-Château home in the Loire region, which should be a landmark in terms of machining. The petanque boules manufacturer has invested 3.4 million euros there, including 400,000 euros provided by the Region.
By removing the “annealing” stage which softens the shells welded together to form a ball, it will probably speed up its rates and also gain a few kilowatts of electricity. And this, without affecting the quality of its products.
Debounce treatment
Because. As with all the modifications made to its products, the world leader in the sector has developed this new technique by submitting it to its customers. “We work with a thirty players under contract who test each innovation brought to our products, before we move on to the production stage”, explains Romain Souvignet, Managing Director of Obut.
The players test, sometimes criticize, and, in return, the expertise of the collaborators manages to modernize the manufacturing stages. Another novelty promised for the end of the year is still subject to adjustments. Decked out with the code name RCX, this stainless steel ball will benefit from an anti-rebound treatment. “It is a strong demand from competitors, we have already put anti-rebound balls on the market, we are taking a new step”, explains the manager.
Replacement market
This close collaboration with its customers has been valid since 1955, when Romain Souvignet’s grandfather started manufacturing pétanque boules, surfing on the post-war craze for this sport. At the time, it was about equipping the players.
Now the company 83 employees and 25 million euros in turnover – of which 15 to 20% for export , in Spain, Germany, Belgium, Cambodia or Japan, in particular – lives essentially from renewal. In its Saint-Bonnet-le-Château workshops, Obut transforms 200,000 tonnes of steel each year, and not far from as much stainless steel, to produce 1.8 million pétanque boules weighing 700 grams each.
The French leader markets more than 70% of them through a network of specialist sports, leisure and outdoor retailers. Its three shops located at the head office, in Paris and in Vallauris, in the Alpes-Maritimes, allow it to also sell a large part of its production directly, such as its website.
And Obut remains, at the same time, faithful to the sales technique that has made it successful. ” We always have two sales trucks that travel to major competitions “recalls Romain Souvignet. One of them is also on his way to the Mondial La Marseillaise, which takes place from July 2 to 5 in the Marseille city.
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