Made in France: the Quillanese company “It’s a hit” will hold a trade show in Paris this weekend

Produce in France and remain competitive? It’s possible, the exhibitors at the Made in France show prove it. Porte de Versailles in Paris, the event will open its 12th edition tomorrow until November 11. A thousand exhibitors meeting the label and 100,000 visitors attended last year what is now the largest event celebrating French manufacturing. The Aude department will be represented by three companies, including “ ça cartonne ”, from Quillan.

From hat boxes to educational games

This company specializing in cardboard, as its name indicates, is part of the Martin Tim industries created in 1908. In 2019, Catherine Brechignac had the opportunity to take over the production tool which was part of a group then in liquidation. During the golden age of the shoe and hat industry in the Upper Valley, the company specialized until the 1990s in the manufacture of cardboard boxes for these two sectors. Subsequently, the production of binders and related products occupied the factory's work.

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With this takeover, the business manager has expanded the range: “We have developed other products on the packaging market. Personalized objects that meet the demands of our customers. Small series of boxes, boxes of a hundred copies up to 10,000 pieces, from e-commerce to the luxury sector. At the same time, Ça cartonne has invested in educational game boards.

A minimum of 70% of raw materials coming from France

As stipulated in the company's specifications, manufacturing takes place in Quillan with a minimum of 70% of the raw materials coming from France, the rest coming from Spain and Italy. Everything is carried out in the Quillanais workshop located in the economic activity zone of La Plaine, whether manually or by mechanization. The company's partners are chosen for their environmental approach such as the PEFC label for cardboard and the wood sector, or Imprim'Vert for inks. In total, nearly a thousand references leave the workshops for professional clients (industry, service companies, communication agencies, VSEs) and for individual clients.

Present for the 2nd consecutive year at the Made in France show, Catherine Brechignac sees this as a great opportunity for the growth of her business: “This allows us to meet many potential customers, professionals or individuals. The French Fab launched in 2017 sees with this tool the desire to develop French industry There are today 275,000 companies in France, 90% of which are SMEs, which represent more than three million direct jobs, or 13% of GDP.