Fonroche, Rotomod, Goupil, Babcock Wanson, Péchavy… The Lot-et-Garonne companies that stood out in 2024

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Lot-et-Garonne shone this year at the national and international level thanks to its businesses, by participating in global events or by making great acquisitions.

A brilliant year for Fonroche

The Lot-et-Garonne company Fonroche Lighting, specializing in solar public lighting, decided to set up almost everywhere on the surface of the globe: the La Paz viaduct in Colombia, the Piera road in Greece, a residence in Casablanca… There are numerous projects, particularly in the United States where the company is achieving a quarter of its expected turnover for 2024, or 25 million euros. It is established in 45 states across the country and has a list of major clients such as New York, San Antonio and Fort Worth, where Fonroche Lighting plans to install nearly 3,500 solar lights in the southern neighborhoods of the city.

Maison Péchavy in the big leagues

It is now placed alongside the biggest luxury brands in the world. Maison Péchavy enters on October 25 at Bon Marché in Paris, a department store in the heart of the capital belonging to Bernard Arnault's LVMH group and with whom it collaborates. The Agen-based company has nearly 400 points of sale in France (including 10 in Paris), but also in Europe, the United States, Asia and the Middle East. It is also selected by Fortnum & Mason, a large luxury goods brand located in central London. Next March, she will participate in the opening of Printemps à New York at the legendary One Wall Street address.

Rotomod rides the Olympic wave

Two Olympic medals, including one gold. This is not the assessment of an athlete but that of Rotomod. For the kayak cross event at the Paris Games this summer, the Bon-Encontraise company specializing in the manufacture of touring and hiking kayaks supplies “70% of the male athletes and 58% of the females”, according to Damien Garreau, marketing and commercial of Rotomod. On August 5, the Frenchwoman Angèle Hug and the Australian Noémie Fox respectively won silver and gold aboard the “Paname”, the 18 kg kayak designed in 2022. The boats are tailor-made for each athlete in lice.

Socra and Dartus Lifting to the aid of Notre-Dame

When Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral reopens its doors on December 7, five and a half years after the fire, Lot-et-Garonne can be proud to have participated in the “construction site of the century”. The new society for archaeological conservation and restoration (Socra), directed by Agenais Richard Boyer, participated in the renovation of the statues of the 12 apostles and the 4 evangelists located around the spire. These 150 kg and 3.40 m high structures had been removed a few days before the fire. The cranes of the Agen-based company Dartus Levage, present on the site since 2022, made it possible to put back in place the arrow and the golden rooster that fell during the fire.

Goupil looks towards 2030

Goupil, which specializes in the design, manufacturing and marketing of electric utility vehicles, is preparing to launch a large-scale project. The prefect of Lot-et-Garonne, Daniel Barnier, visited the company's premises in Bourran on February 12. He officially announces that it benefits from the France 2030 program. This should “make it possible to catch up with French industrial delays, invest massively in innovative technologies and support the ecological transition”, with a budget of 54 billion euros. Goupil is now present in 40 countries and has 25,000 of its vehicles in circulation.

“2 Gareni Industrie” secures the Eiffel Tower

After five years of existence, 2 Gareni Industrie was entrusted with its biggest project by the Eiffel Tower. The company is based in Calignac, a small village of 500 inhabitants near Nérac. It is requested at the end of 2023 to equip the new fire protection system for the work of Gustave Eiffel. In the space of just three months, 2 Gareni Industrie assembles the parts of the system in its workshop in Lot-et-Garonne, adapts them to the system requirements of the system already in place and creates the design. The 2,500 kg pump is installed in one of the four pillars of the Eiffel Tower, thus ensuring the safety of the 300 m high monument.

Babcock Wanson thinks bigger

Industrial boiler manufacturer Babcock Wanson, based in Nérac, has had two strong moments this year. At the beginning of February, he acquired the VKK group from Getek, known for its Standardkessel boilers. This acquisition allows it to develop in Germany, “one of the largest markets for industrial boilers”. Two months later, the Nerac company announced a move to a larger site at the entrance to the city. This project is part of the development of the company with a turnover of nearly 300 million euros. It should move into its new premises in early 2026.

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