The Aveyron-based company, the eighth French company in its sector, has big ambitions.
It is one of the jewels of the Aveyron economy. Based in Lioujas and Anglars-Saint-Félix, the laser company ATS, specialist in industrial sheet metal, could be said to be experiencing exponential growth. “We’ve seen double-digit sales growth almost every year”Damien Boulanger, CEO, is going in this direction.
To the extent that today, this “small SME”, as its founder and president Pascal Tournié fondly calls it, has a turnover of almost 25 million euros and employs 130 people in its two locations. And apparently, this is just the beginning for this company founded in 2008. Today, the eighth French tinsmith company plans to create a factory in Olemps in the Malan area, employing 70 people for a project worth 16 million euros (read elsewhere).
turnover of 25 million euros
It was this ambition that led it to become, alongside six other Aveyron companies, the winner of the French government’s 2030 investment plan, which will provide ATS with several million euros to implement its project. In addition, this Saturday the sub-prefect of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Christophe Burbaud, officer of the department for this system, visited the premises of the company in the company of many elected officials on the occasion of an open day.
Because that activity is great for that and in many sectors such as armaments, construction, energy or, for example, agriculture. “Our business strategy is multi-sector. We also have a really diverse client base.”, explains Pascal Tournié. There are actually 1,700 of them. Either for large markets or smaller-scale but historic relationships, such as with the production of Laguiole knives.
A reputation based primarily on the equipment available to the ATS. A specialist in cutting, mainly by laser, bending or welding, transforms 10,000 tons of metal per year. And it relies on high-tech machines, manufactured by the specialized German company Trumpf. “We renew our vehicle fleet approximately every five years. These are heavy investments, but new parts are more efficient and optimal each time.”assures the founder.
Enough to embody the so-called Aveyron-style industry 4.0, this concept evoking a potential fourth industrial revolution, based on the power of intelligent and autonomous machines, the entire concept of the future Malan factory.
In 2026, the state-of-the-art factory in Malan
It’s a mammoth project. On the one hand, from the point of view of investments, representing 16 million euros, but also from the point of view of technology. In 2026, the ATS laser will move from its historic site based in La Loubière to migrate to Olemps and the Malan area (the Anglars-Saint-Félix site will remain), where a 10,000 m² factory awaits it (compared to 4,000 currently). The first stone of this 200 m long building will be laid in June. And the ambitions are big. A linear production chain with a complete renewal of the machine park will enable optimization of performance and a reduction in the demands of employees. A new robotic cell will be created especially for the management of heavy parts. Solar panels on the roof will power the factory for a month and a half. A big project that should allow the company to grow. It is planned to hire 70 employees with a possible hiring of 200 employees. The state congratulated the economic success. The company is one of the 7 Aveyron winners of the France 2030 plan and will benefit from several million euros. “This should represent 20% of the investment,” announces Pascal Tournié. Or around 3 million euros. In the same way, Rodez Agglo subsidizes this equipment in its territory with the amount of EUR 360,000.