On January 31st, flexible packaging and label printer and converter Brodart Packaging acquired Groupe Richard-Laleu, its direct competitor in the soft cheese packaging market.
Until now, the Richard-Laleu Group has been run by Françoise Andres, the founder's granddaughter. On her retirement, she entrusted the manufacturer, based in Troyes (Aube), with Richard-Laleu, based in Iteuil (Vienne), which generates 98% of its sales in cheese packaging, and Polykote, specialized in technical films for industry, based in Gournay-en-Bray (Seine-Maritime). Together, the two companies have 150 employees and sales of around 22 million euros.
A back-up for all cheese packaging manufacturing processes
"With Richard-Laleu, we wanted to have a back-up for the cheese business, which is a strategic activity for us, representing 40% of the Group's sales. Until now, we had a back-up for a part of the process, such as printing and coil cutting, but not for the entire process. Today, we have two sites that are technically capable of supplying the same product to our customers", explains Sébastien Brodart, General Manager of the Troyes-based group.
Richard-Laleu family group's business continues to grow
The executive continues: "The second important point for us is that we now have more clout in the cheese market. And as a result, we're ensuring the future of the Richard-Laleu company. We've seen other companies taken over by funds, leaving nothing but an empty shell... This is absolutely not what we wanted to happen to our historic competitor: this is a business we are passionate about, it's a Franco-French business, and we wanted the business to remain Franco-French."
Worldwide geographic coverage
This acquisition also completes the Group's geographical coverage. With 11% of sales generated abroad, Brodart Packaging is present in North America, notably Canada, Poland and, until recently, Russia.
The Richard-Laleu Group has established itself in regions where Brodart was not yet positioned, such as the United States, Latin America, England and Australia.
As for Polykote, which produces reams of paper and induction and laminating of technical products, Brodart Packaging plans to eventually specialize the company as a laboratory and in-house production site for new products, such as barrier papers.
Today, with these two new additions, the Brodart Group comprises 10 production sites, all in France, represents over 87 million euros in sales and employs around 450 people. And with these acquisitions, Brodart is positioned on a par with Amcor, the French leader in soft cheese packaging.
