French sports gear makers bring partners along

The operations two of the world”s leading sporting goods manufacturers, the French companies Salomon (a producer of skis, ski boots, snowboards) and Mavic (bikes), carry out in Orastie have attracted investments worth around 7 million euros for this area from other French companies, traditional partners of the two producers.

The two sports equipment manufacturers have been gradually followed by firms such as SavromMulage (a producer of parts), Jaquemet (bicycle spokes), CTS (painting in electrostatic fields) and Anorom (chemical treatment for bicycle hubs), which set up offices in Hunedoara County.

In three years, each of these firms has grown, boosting their production capacities and doubling their number of employees.

Anorom, a French-held company was set up in 2003 in Deva, and specialises in the treatment of aluminium and aluminium alloys, which are used as components for the bike industry. Here, Mavic supplies surface treatments for the bicycle hubs manufactured by Chimsports Orastie, while Salomon come up with various ski and snowboard sub-assemblies.

“These treatments are performed in order to enhance resistance against corrosion. Additionally, such a treatment can be made in various colours, thus offering a product with a unique appearance,” says Septimiu Lascau, a production manager with Anorom. Approximately 40,000 Mavic bicycle hubs were chemically treated in Deva last year.

“This year, we will open a technological line for zinc coating in order to diversify the range of services we provide and to attract as many customers as possible. This happens as we saw orders decline last year due to the fact that Mavic transferred a part of orders to China,” states Anorom production manager. The company”s total investments will reach 800,000 euros this year. Anorom was set up in the same year, when CTS France representatives arrived in Deva to open the first plant in Romania painting in electrostatic field with liquid paint.

The reason behind this is that CTS France works for Salomon and Mavic, and a plant in Deva spared them the effort of transferring the parts manufactured in Orastie (30 km away from Deva) to France for completion.

Another reason why the French came to Deva was the amount of cost-cutting it could achieve in Romania. As a result, CTS Romania was created in 2003, with the Frenchman Denis Hochede as a sole partner. In this case, investments exceed 1.2 million euros.

The two global leaders do not have any production facility in Romania, and they only provide the necessities such as, technology, raw materials and orders.

The most important and oldest collaborator of the two is Chimsports Orastie, a Romanian owned company, which started collaborating with Salomon in 1996, when the French bear producing parts for ski boots and snowboards.

Salomon and Mavic partners in Romania

@ Anorom, set up in 2003 in Deva, specialising in the treatment of aluminium and aluminium alloy parts; investments will total 800,000 euros this year

@ CTS France opened the first plant doing painting in electrostatic field, in Deva; turnover, estimated to rise by about 20% this year

@ Chimsports Orastie, the two companies” most important and oldest partner in Romania, a wholly Romanian-held company