What do the headquarters of a major bank in Spain, a cruise ship that sails the world's seas, a hotel in Dubai and a Dior display have in common? Luxury obviously. But not only that.
Meuse know-how is found everywhere. That of the Ober group, whose head office is located in Longeville-en-Barrois (just over 1,000 inhabitants), on the outskirts of Bar-le-Duc.
Decorative surfaces
This know-how is these panels, called Oberflex, in laminated wood veneer invented in 1968 at the heart of a small carpentry founded in 1925 by the Ober family. “Panels made of real wood veneers, ultra-resistant, fire-resistant,” explains Clément Lescanne, sales and marketing director of the Ober group in charge of development, marketing, export and strategy.
These veneers applied to supports are found “put on the wall, perforated to be placed on the ceiling or used to make furniture or arrangements. » As many decorative surfaces as widely proven acoustic solutions which make Ober “a reference in wood in interior decoration and in the very high end”.
Four markets
Very, very little focused on the individual market, Oberflex is present in four main markets: luxury first. “With displays for major brands like Dior, Hermès, Clarins, Swiss watch brands, which are installed all over the world.”
Added to this key market is the tertiary market. “It could be tower blocks at La Défense which decide to redo their entire interior decoration, a law office, the headquarters of a Spanish bank…”, Clément Lescanne provides an example.
Large 100% export market, that of the naval sector. No longer through the decoration of large cruise liners, but on the expedition ship market, these 150-cabin boats which offer very luxurious cruises for around 30,000 euros per week.
Finally, Oberflex is also present in the high-end hotel market. “Palaces, hotels from 4/5 stars”.
Starck, New…
So many markets which are not prospected directly “but in prescription with employees who visit designers, architects like Philippe Stark, Jean Nouvel… with whom we work”, explains the commercial director. And this internationally with offices based in San Francisco, New York, London, Madrid, Barcelona, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong. But also from Longeville-en-Barrois to manage the European market.
The largest market is on American soil, followed by Asia, Spain… 65 countries in total. For a market which is divided equally between France and export for a turnover of €22 million. 20 years ago, when the company was taken over by the current team, only 25% of turnover (€13 million) was generated through exports. An evolution which involved the hiring of numerous export salespeople and the opening of international offices.
Conquer mainland China
In terms of competition, we have to look towards the Germans, the Italians or the Swiss, “but especially not the Chinese”. Clément Lescanne explains: “As we are working on a very standardized product (environment, fire safety, etc.), we don’t see the Chinese”.
Within a year, the 130 employees of the Meuse factory could learn of the opening of an office in Shanghai to conquer mainland China which is becoming sensitive to French luxury, recently in search of made in France in interior design.
With the general aim: moving further upmarket, accentuating international development and moving towards the greenest possible product with a recyclable, recycled, insulating product. And from French forests, if fashion returns to beech and no longer to the oak and white walnut found in North America.
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