BADINIÈRES, France — February 27, 2017 — Porcher Industries will implement a multi-million euro growth and restructuring phase as the company moves into 2017. Porcher, founded more than 100 years ago and recently acquired by Warwick Capital, has appointed André Genton as chairman of the Executive Management Board, to provide the expertise for this exciting new phase in Porcher’s history.
André Genton joined Porcher Industries in 2016, bringing more than 20 years’ experience in the composites and polymer industries and a passion for the innovative chemistry that makes up the DNA of the Porcher Group. He has held senior positions with Ciba-Geigy, Vantico and Huntsman, as President of Huntsman Advanced Materials, overseeing a $1.5 billion global business operating in many of the same markets supplied by Porcher Industries. André has already been instrumental in accelerating the pace of Porcher’s development and is committed to increasing the group turnover from approximately 300 million euros to 500 million within the next five years by improving quality, driving innovation and adding capacity and resources.
Porcher Industries’ products deliver exceptional performance, quality and safety across a massive range of industries and applications including aerospace interiors, F1 clutches, industrial floor coverings and paragliding canopies. As technical textile specialists, Porcher’s innate understanding of fibre and yarn surface treatments, 2-D and 3-D weaving, cabling, nonwoven scrim and impregnation processes is backed up by an exceptionally strong technology development team.
The recent integration of Cordtech International into the group illustrates Porcher Industries’ commitment to development in existing market sectors, strengthening both the R&D expertise and the automotive product range. Whilst the company is also planning further acquisitions in the near future, significant investments in existing operations are key to much of the forecast growth.
€50+M of new investments, beginning in 2017, will be used to add new weaving capacity and develop quality control technology at sites in the US, Europe and China; significantly increasing output in Porcher’s key automotive airbag and aerospace interiors markets. Thermoplastic prepreg solutions, such as the pioneering Spheriflex CFRP rotor hub developed with Airbus Helicopters for the H160 — which will be on display on the Porcher stand at JEC World – are also targets for growth in the automotive sector.
With more than 2000 employees and 14 manufacturing sites on four continents, Porcher Industries has the tools to supply customers globally, with the restructuring focus being to optimize efficiency and improve resources throughout the group. Five business units — Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Building, Industrial and Sport & Leisure will be unified across a single business ERP system and targeted recruitment is underway for management, operational and technology roles identified as critical to successful sustainable growth.
“With fibres and chemistry you can create magic. That is exactly what Porcher Industries will do as we expand our unique chemistry and technology capability to consistently offer our customers better solutions”, said André Genton, chairman of the Executive Management Board – Porcher Industries.
Posted February 27, 2017
Source: Porcher Industries
