When the DUARTE Group (a major player in the development of tools at the turn of the 2000s) went bankrupt, two former employees of ATLANCIM, Daniel GIRARD and Guillaume ROCCATI, joined up with Claude Marquet, an entrepreneur from Mayenne. They employed five former colleagues and started a small tooling development business for the plastics industry.
From 2007, the staff and technical resources grew year-on-year. Their production system, with its continuous improvement strategy, enabled them to double their turnover by 2014.
They started out with a contract with a large French automotive equipment manufacturer and did a lot of sub-contracting work for other mould makers and then gradually regained the trust of their former part manufacturer customers.
Key dates:
2007:
- Company founded with only 5 employees (Yannick ALIAU, Jean-Louis BARAULT, Philippe ECORCHARD, Ivan PUECH and Frédéric VAIRE) with technical equipment bought from the liquidation sale of the former company (the 3000T injection moulding machine, 1 spotting machine and 2 cranes (20 t and 40 t))
2008:
- Number of customers increased from 10 to 20 customers
- Reynald ALI joins ADI in order to start the blow moulding activity
2009:
- A new tool technician, Florent GIRARD, and a person in charge of accessories shop, Valérie ALIAU, join ADI
- ADI started to supply large automotive equipment manufacturers
2010:
- Purchased a MIR 1000 t injection moulding machine from the auction at Halla Visteon Climate Control
- Two new experienced CAD designers, Frédéric BENETEAU and François GUICHON, join ADI
- ADI was awarded its first big new tool project (Mercedes)
2011:
- Large increase in the prototype tools market: turnover increases five-fold over 1 year
- The WEPP (Plastic Processing Experts Web) was created with 4 partners who are experts in their own fields to offer car makers a comprehensive service to help them develop their new projects.
- ADI is selected to participate in the Durafip Research project, managed by Rhodia (now Solvay) to study the behaviour of Polyamide charged glass fibres over 4 years.
2012:
- A young toolmaker, Christophe TOUGERON, joins ADI
- A vibration welding machine is purchased in order to provide customers with prototype services for assembled parts
- ADI participates in the “Dinamic” programme, with the Chamber of Commerce to optimize its performance
2013:
- Two experienced toolmakers, Sylvain MAHE and Dominique ROCHETEAU, and an executive assistant, Audrey CAILLE, join ADI
- Structure with 8 x 10 t overhead cranes installed in the tool room
2014:
- A new CAD designer apprentice, Valentin PICARD, joins ADI
- A 450 t injection moulding machine is purchased
- A new ERP (Cegid PMI) is implemented
- Reports about ADI (newspapers and local TV) regarding the signing of a contract with Tatematsu Mould Works LTD (a large Japanese toolmaker)
- Former share holder Daniel GIRARD sells his shares and Guillaume ROCCATI and the ICM Group become the two main shareholders with 98% of ADI.