Article : La Nouvelle République, 23 February 2005
Download the original article in french
Five million garments are processed every year at Berry Services in Neuvy-Saint-Sépulchre, a little-known workforce at the service of the ready-to-wear clothing sector.
While automisation and computerisation are today at the pinnacle of production, Berry Services, based in Neuvy-Saint-Sépulchre, is an exception to the rule. Its employees' dexterity and expert glance mean that this company is first and foremost driven by manpower. “Our activity revolves around inspecting, finishing, labelling and reconditioning clothes,” says Jean-Claude Benéteau, director of Berry Services. “We process over 100,000 garments a week, i.e. Around five million a year.”
A missing button; a tag deemed non-compliant; printing bar codes, compositions and care instructions— Berry Services will take care of it.
A quick steam to smooth out a batch of 4,000 dresses for a well-known brand, Berry Services also knows how. And, at the end of the chain, packaging and storage.
According to Jean-Claude Benéteau, “Our customers are mainly importers and major retailers and we work with all kinds of large distribution companies. The goods, which primarily arrive from Asia, are often transported by boat. They are crumpled and creased upon arrival. They leave here checked and presentable for sale.”
Employed for ten years at Mead Europe Engineering in Châteauroux, Jean-Claude Benéteau gave it all up to stand on his own two feet. With his packaging and wrapping experience, he went straight into this specific niche that comprises barely more than fifteen companies in France. He founded Berry Services in 1998 and started off on his own, setting up in 500 m² of workspace, before taking on two or three employees. “We started off with franc-to-euro converters, which was a big market. Then, we had one textile company,” he recalls.
At 41 years old, he is now the head of a burgeoning company with forty members of staff. “They are mainly women, some of whom used to work in the clothing industry, which is an asset to the company’s activity,” says Jean-Claude Benéteau. With a turnover of two million euros, Berry Services is keen to keep growing: “I expect activity to increase, and I plan to take on around twenty full-time employees in the next two years.”
Furthermore, the company director has invested heavily. Currently under construction, Berry Services now occupies a covered surface area of over 4,000 m², with a loading dock for the dozen or so trailers that pass through the company every day.
What were the reasons behind you setting your company up in the Indre département?
“When I was creating Berry Services in 1998, I had the opportunity to set up here in a small 500 m² factory on a lease-purchase basis. It was a bit of luck really, and I was able to get going thanks to a little help from the mayor. After that, all the staff members have put a lot into making the business succeed. I’m just the one steering the ship.” Originally from the La Vendée département, Jean-Claude Benéteau, who studied engineering in Besançon (Doubs), got to know the Indre département during the ten years he spent working at Mead Engineering, making packaging and wrapping machines in Châteauroux. “To be honest, I had to look on a map to find the département. Today, for my company, it’s a central location in France. We can deliver to the major cities within 48 hours.”
Jacky Courtin
