Franco-German Meeting with Sebastian Weber, Managing Director of Vorwerk Semco S.A.S. : A Peek Inside the Future Thermomix Plant in Châteaudun.
DISCOVER THE Vorwerk PROJECT IN CHÂTEAUDUN, by Elcimaï
January 22 marked the celebration of Franco-German friendship. A brief history lesson on this symbolic day : The Élysée Treaty, signed on January 22, 1963, aimed to anchor Franco-German reconciliation within society, particularly through culture and youth exchanges. This day serves as a catalyst for a better understanding of the partner country.
In keeping with this friendship that has endured for over 60 years, Elcimaï is serving as the general contractor for the construction of the new Vorwerk plant—a 15,000 m² facility located in the Greater Châteaudun metropolitan area.
This event therefore gave us the opportunity to interview Sebastian Weber, Managing Director of Vorwerk Semco S.A.S., to discuss this exciting project.
1/ Can you tell us about the Vorwerk Group ?
Vorwerk is the European leader and global leader in direct sales of high-end home appliances. Founded in 1883 in Wuppertal, Germany, Vorwerk is now an international family-owned company. Its core business is the production and sale of high-quality household products (Thermomix® kitchen appliances, Kobold® cleaning systems).
Vorwerk always strives to be as close as possible to its customers and achieves this primarily through its sales consultants, who play a central role in sales activities and customer relations.
The Vorwerk family is also part of the akf Group. Overall, Vorwerk generates consolidated revenue of 3.2 billion euros (2022) and operates in more than 60 countries.
2/ Could you describe the project and the role of your new factory ?
The Vorwerk Group will invest 57 million euros in the construction of a new production plant dedicated to the Thermomix® in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France, in order to meet the growing demand for Thermomix® in the future.
This facility will create 74 new local jobs. To paraphrase our CEO, Dr. Thomas Stoffmehl : “Our investment project in a new production site is part of the Vorwerk Group’s long-term global strategy, which will continue to rely on its expertise in product development and manufacturing, as well as on the expansion of direct sales.”
3/ Why did Vorwerk choose to set up operations in France, and in Châteaudun in particular ?
Vorwerk has been present in the Centre-Val de Loire region for over 50 years with our Thermomix® Vorwerk Semco production plant in Cloyes-les-Trois-Rivières. This new production plant located in the Greater Châteaudun area fits perfectly into the group’s history and confirms, if confirmation were needed, the bond between the company and the region.
4/ In your opinion, what are the most important steps in carrying out this project ?
There are several important phases in a project of this scale, so I wouldn’t want to single out any one phase as particularly important at this stage.
What matters is the consistent quality standard to which everyone involved in each phase of the project is committed. From the planning phase to the implementation by the various trades, the project has been well managed, and I am confident we will continue to manage it effectively until the building is delivered.
5/ Why did you choose the Elcimaï Group as the general contractor ?
We chose Elcimaï because the company has extensive experience in the construction of production facilities, its size is ideal for our project, and it has demonstrated a high level of expertise in executing this type of project.
Their proven expertise convinced us that they were the best choice for building our new production plant in France.
6/ How are things going on-site ?
Things have been going very well since construction began, and we are pleased with the project’s progress and efficiency.