Roto Armor has no shortage of equipment or expertise. It is now looking for a partner. Placed under court-supervised restructuring on July 22, the rotary printing plant in Châtelaudren-Plouagat, in the Côtes-d'Armor department, is the subject of a request for proposals. Candidates have until 10 a.m. on September 24 to submit their bids.
As the head of the company, Pierre-Yves Le Brun knows the site particularly well. A former technical sales representative at Roto Armor, he took over the company in 2020 while it was undergoing safeguard proceedings. "It had been a last-minute rescue" ", he recalls.
"We've had our ups and downs?some good, some not so good?from being unable to get paper during the shortage to the French utility EDF refusing to supply us with gas and electricity..., he continues. "Up until now, we had always managed to comply with the plan agreed upon with the court."
Business has been sluggish since May
But business slowed significantly starting in May. "We don't necessarily have fewer customers, but per customer, we're handling significantly lower volumes." ," explains the executive.
Roto Armor had generated 4 million euros in revenue in 2025. This decline in volume during the summer led the CEO to file for court-supervised restructuring for the printing company. Initially, this was intended to allow him to restructure the company on his own, but the deterioration in cash flow ultimately led him to seek an outside partner.
A leaner structure for a stronger comeback
Roto Armor remains open to several options, ranging from an injection of capital to the acquisition of the business. A few parties have already expressed interest.
Pierre-Yves Le Brun, however, places one goal at the forefront: "My concern is preserving jobs." The executive believes that a team of 10 to 12 people would be more than enough to get the business back on track with a structure better suited to the current level of activity and a more achievable break-even point.
Roto Armor, a printing company with plenty to offer
Especially since Roto Armor has many strengths. It has a client base that is deeply rooted in the Brittany region. About two-thirds of its revenue is generated in western France. The remainder comes mainly from the Paris region. Pierre-Yves Le Brun emphasizes the loyalty of his customer base and his commitment to local production.
The team is another one of the printing company's strengths. Nearly all of the employees began their careers at Roto Armor. "Employees feel a very strong connection to the company" , the executive points out.
The facility also uses a five-unit, 16-page Manroland Goss M600 web press, "well-maintained and highly automated" . The press is equipped with a die-cutting unit, a pre-folding unit, and a flat-out feed, as well as trimming lines and peripheral equipment, all of which have been doubled. This configuration provides Roto Armor with "an interesting strike force" in particular, to quickly produce campaigns for distribution via mailboxes.
Pierre-Yves Le Brun intends to facilitate the transition. He says he is willing to assist the future buyer on a volunteer basis. "There are definitely still some great projects to work on with Roto Armor" .
