Strong growth at Lacroix’s Symbiose plant
After two years in operation, Lacroix’s Symbiose plant in Beaupréau-en-Mauges shows solid growth.
Two years after its inauguration, Lacroix’s Symbiose plant is exceeding its initial targets. The site saw a 30% growth in 2023, with the first half of 2024 continuing this trend with a 35% increase compared to the same period in 2023, the company states in a press release.
The pace of growth is expected to be consolidated through the second half of the year, with Lacroix projecting the plant to achieve a revenue of EUR 100 million in 2024 — three years ahead of its original goal for 2027.
The company attributes the plant’s success to its Industry 4.0 capabilities, advanced automation and flexibility – as well as its product lifecycle support. Since early 2023, Symbiose has secured over 35 new projects across various sectors, including IoT, home automation, industry, avionics, and defence. Since early 2024, Symbiose has been producing complex circuit boards for supercomputers, featuring 30-layer printed circuits and over 9,000 components.
Notable projects include Mobilize Powerbox, a French charging station developed with IoTecha and Software République for Renault or the smart radiator control unit for Tiko.
Lacroix’s Willich plant in Düsseldorf is also benefiting from the post-COVID reshoring trend. Specialising in small and medium runs of electronic equipment for various industries, including energy, defence, and home automation, Willich has seen a 10% increase in revenue since 2023.
With growth potential remaining, the Symbiose site has available space and development capacity for both design services and industrial services. The plant’s total workforce is now nearly 500 employees.
