Fifteen years after its creation, Expliseat is transforming into an industrial SME with the opening of a new assembly plant in Angers. This 6,000m² factory embodies the vision of a “Made in France” industry, reflecting Expliseat’s strategic decision to establish its first production line in France.
In a recent interview, Cédric Térésa, our factory director, shared insights into the ambitious journey that followed the establishment of our new factory in March 2022. The primary goal was to rapidly scale up production and secure the essential Part 21 certification, a crucial requirement in the aerospace industry. To achieve this, we prioritized initiating production as swiftly as possible, establishing a “low volume” zone that enabled us to meet certification requirements in a record six months. This initial phase was critical not only for compliance but also for addressing urgent customer needs.
Simultaneously, we laid the groundwork for a “high volume” production zone, designed to handle larger orders and sustain higher production rates. This transition necessitated significant investment in state-of-the-art industrial machinery, with the goal of shifting to high-volume production by the latter half of 2024. Notably, our commitment to supporting the French industry is reflected in our decision to source almost all our equipment from local suppliers, some even within our immediate vicinity.
Key Parameters for Success
1. Operator Ergonomics:
Ensuring optimal ergonomics for our operators is paramount, and we have invested considerable effort in creating comfortable workstations. This focus not only minimizes absenteeism and turnover but also enhances quality and productivity by fostering a conducive working environment.
2. Quality Assurance:
Implementing processes that guarantee the highest quality standards is essential. Our goal is to project a superior image through our products, ensuring that every item we produce meets the most stringent quality criteria.
3. Productivity:
Ergonomics plays a significant role in productivity, but so does having advanced production lines. Hence, our investment in cutting-edge equipment is aimed at maintaining a consistent and efficient production cadence.
Our new factory in Angers has a target production capacity of 26,000 units per year, a significant increase compared to our historical capacity of 6,000 units annually with our long-standing partner in the South of France.
Embracing Industry 4.0 Technologies
We have integrated several Industry 4.0 technologies into our factory development, each chosen for its tangible benefits in quality and productivity.
1. 3D Scanning:
We have adopted 3D scanning to streamline dimensional control processes, which are typically performed by contact-based machines. This technology simplifies implementation, requires easily accessible skills, and provides highly accurate measurements.
2. Virtual Reality:
By using virtual reality, we can visualize production lines before their physical setup, allowing us to anticipate potential issues. This approach includes input from operators to optimize workstation layouts for maximum efficiency and comfort.
3. AI-Powered Quality Control:
In assembly, ensuring the correct installation and tightening of components is critical. Our AI-driven automated control system uses cameras and machine learning to identify conforming and non-conforming assemblies. Although still in testing, this system aims to eliminate errors such as improperly tightened screws.
Future Goals and Environmental Commitment
Our long-term objective is to harness data intelligently for factory optimization. For instance, the process of assembling a seat involves around 200 operator clicks. We aim to reduce this to 100, and potentially even 40 clicks, through improved data architecture.
Since the project’s inception a year ago, our team has grown to over 30 employees. We plan to increase this number to 45 by the end of 2024, focusing on hiring technicians and operators. By 2026, we aim to reach our maximum capacity of 120 employees.
Choosing Angers as our location was strategic, avoiding the saturated aerospace regions of Nantes and Toulouse. This decision facilitates easier talent acquisition. Additionally, we have implemented a four-day workweek for our operators, providing several benefits such as reduced travel costs, a three-day weekend, and operational flexibility for handling overtime.
Our factory’s energy performance is exemplary, with a white roof that helps maintain comfortable temperatures, reducing the need for heating in winter and cooling in summer. We are committed to further enhancing energy efficiency through measures like replacing neon lights with LEDs and installing solar panels.
Environmental responsibility is a cornerstone of our operations. From the outset, we appointed a Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Manager to ensure our processes are environmentally friendly.
In conclusion, the ramp-up of our factory is not just about increasing production capacity but also about pioneering innovations, enhancing operator welfare, and committing to sustainability. As we continue to grow, we remain dedicated to these principles, ensuring our operations contribute positively to both our industry and the environment.
Visit our product page to explore our latest innovations and join us in our commitment to a sustainable future.
Cédric Térésa
Cédric Térésa, an engineer with over 15 years of experience in the automotive and aeronautical sectors, has managed various production facilities for Safran, covering numerous processes across electronic, defense, and aircraft engine activities. He successfully led the establishment of a factory from scratch for Safran in Casablanca, and has overseen several activity transfers both within France and internationally. Cédric now serves as the factory director for our new facility in Angers.
