Posted Sep 30, 2022, 7:51 AM
The specialist in wound care and incontinence Hartmann inaugurates this Friday, in Lièpvre (Haut-Rhin), a production line of hydrocellular dressings, for the care of chronic wounds. Announced in the summer of 2021 during the Choose France summit, the investment of 25 million euros aims to make this factory with 420 employees a center of global expertise for the production of these dressings.
To stand out from the competition, particularly in Asia, Hartmann relies on its mastery of end-to-end technology. It is inherited from the acquisition, in 2020, of a former subsidiary of the Safran group specializing in silicone. Of the five layers of hydrocellular dressings, “the silicone interface which is in contact with the skin is one of the most important”, supports Christophe Gehl, president of Hartmann France. It allows adhesion to the wound while returning the exudates resulting from healing to the internal layers of the dressing.
“Industrial Footprint”
With the production of new models thanks to the new line, Hartmann intends to grow in the United States and France, the two main markets, as well as in Europe. “The current version is already a major success with a doubling of our sales each month in the United States and a double-digit increase in France”, advances Christophe Gehl. Half of the future production will be destined for export. What “allow the sustainability of the industrial footprint of one of the last production factories of dressings in France”, welcomes Olivier Becht, the Minister (Alsace) in charge of Foreign Trade.
The line, which is almost 70 meters long, was installed in a pre-existing building. About half of the assortment of 70 next-generation shape and size combinations has already been qualified. The start of production is scheduled for next February for marketing from September. The new line promises up to a sevenfold increase in production volumes, with more than 15 million units per year. Hartmann France published in 2021 a turnover of 405 million euros.
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