How can we help Ukraine rebuild its telecoms infrastructure after more than 1,000 days of war against Russia? To try to answer this question, the infraNum federation, a French union which brings together fiber professionals, went from Tuesday November 13 to Thursday November 14 to Warsaw (Poland) to the second edition of the forum Rebuild Ukraine
[Reconstruire l’Ukraine, N.D.L.R.]dedicated to the future of the country. Among the participants, Étienne Dugas, creator of this federation in 2012 and now deputy general director of the Grolleau company, the French number one in the manufacture of urban electrical cabinets, located near Cholet in Montilliers (Maine-et-Loire).
“Show our French know-how”
During the first edition of the forum, InfraNum signed an agreement with the Ukrainian government to rebuild and modernize its telecommunications network, partially destroyed by the war. This project, estimated at 10 billion euros, will take place in two phases: first, evaluate the cost of total very high speed coverage, with 80% optical fiber. Étienne Dugas confirms that this first part will soon come to an end
. The second stage will consist of deploying an eight-month pilot project to rehabilitate a 4G station in a location far from the front. The objective is to show our French know-how
in terms of telecommunications, both for fiber and for wireless solutions, in the face of active European competition. With a grant of €756,000 from FASEP [un fonds mis en place par Bercy]this project represents an opportunity for Grolleau. By being present in advance, we have the capacity to be part of the reconstruction
underlines Étienne Dugas.
“Peace is obviously a prerequisite”
Although the second edition of the forum focused more on energy, the link between energy and telecommunications remains inseparable, especially in a context of war where infrastructures such as the electricity network remain strategic targets. Telecom networks, although often affected, manage to operate thanks to satellites, in particular. Concretely, commercial opportunities could emerge for Grolleau who hopes sell products
in Ukraine, in particular its famous cabinets which are found at the foot of the antennas and which allow them to operate. Peace obviously remains a prerequisite
support Étienne Dugas, specifying however that economic competition will be rude
in the aftermath of the conflict.
A period of transition
In France, with 80% of homes connected to optical fiber, this market which represented up to 50% of Grolleau's turnover is experiencing a sharp slowdown. It hurts
more we anticipated it
says its deputy general director, adding that there are still a few installations in Brittany and Auvergne. Seen as a growth driver, electric charging stations are also experiencing difficulties. Between the large stocks of its customers, the drop in subsidies, and the hesitation of politicians and manufacturers on 100% electric motors, Grolleau is struggling to maintain the pace. As stocks come to an end, the 2025 outlook is quite good
he nevertheless reassures.
A brighter future
Despite these challenges, Grolleau is banking on strategic investments to diversify. The company has gotten a head start in the modular data center market, where it is starting to reap the rewards of its early positioning. At the same time, the gradual acquisition of OMP Mectron, an Italian company specializing in indoor equipment, should allow Grolleau to double in size and internationalize. This acquisition allows us to become world wide
rejoices the DAG, mentioning strategic sites in China, Mexico and Italy. In France, Grolleau has also consolidated its position with major orders, such as that of Chantiers de l'Atlantique for the cabin doors of a giant liner (3 million euros) or a contract with Enedis for posts of electrical transformation (15 million over three years). With these projects and a team of nearly 200 people, Grolleau sees a more stable and promising future: The winter is going to be long, but there are clearly great prospects ahead!
.
Related News :