JOURNAL DES ENTREPRISES
1st March 2016
High performance bolting with Sofast
BOULONNERIE. Four former employees of GFD in La Talaudière create Sofast Technologies. Their credo: structural bolting.
The creators
Four partners, four former employees of the GFD site in La Talaudière, made redundant at the end of 2014 following a strategic realignment of the Fontana group [European bolting specialist) and the decision to discontinue the production in France. Laurent Gineys was the Technical Director, Julie Gagnaire, the HR Manager. Florian Arnaud, the Quality Manager and Cédric Barlet, the Safety and Environment Manager.
The project
After their company closed down, they decided to continue this profession that they know well but focusing on a very specific product: HR high-strength structural bolting.
Thanks to bank loans guaranteed by BpiFrance and funding from the Réseau Entreprendre Loire, the four partners have already invested €500,000 to launch their business.
The screws are produced by Sofast. The nuts and washers are sourced from European suppliers and subsequently retreated and tested by this local stakeholder.