Sales partner of the KLINGER Group - Groupe Efire in France
Discover Groupe Efire - since 2003 go to source for KLINGER gaskets, expansion joints and valves in France and French-speaking Africa
Meet KLINGER’s Sales Partners!
The majority of our customers have already been in contact with our sales partners: Those are the companies who support us in marketing our products and promoting our services. All of them act as resellers, providing expertise and onsite services. Still, some of them go far beyond that, and market products they diligently manufacture under the KLINGER license. In this series, we bring a few of our international sales partners out from behind the curtain – to give you an idea of the important work they do.
International sales partners mean many advantages for our customers:
shorter delivery routes
faster delivery
flexibility
local production, cutting or assembly as a sustainability measure
reliability even in times of global supply bottlenecks
The conglomerate Groupe Efire is France's and French-speaking Africa’s go-to source for KLINGER sealing products, expansion joints, and valves.
It would be no surprise for a company that dates back to 1872 to have a name that references the classical elements. However, it’s only a coincidence that Groupe Efire branded themselves with a word reminiscent of the element of fire - especially considering that their specialties include both fire safety products and precision waterjet cutting. The moniker is actually an acronym derived from the titles of the first member companies, including Eynard Robin, Fluides Industrie, Imperator and Rank. Though 2023 will mark the 20-year anniversary of the partnership between KLINGER and Groupe Efire, it’s only recently that the team has developed a Group website to present their complete range. The leaders of Efire value the reputations their member brands have earned over decades of industry expertise.
„When they pick up the phone, they still use their brand name. We want to remain a house of brands and keep the 12 names.“
Victor Bedos, Director of Development and Innovation at Groupe Efire
Exceptional growth of a cutting shop
With 150 years of history, the Efire companies are well versed in the constantly shifting landscape of family businesses. When Marcel Bedos purchased Eynard Robin in 1983, the company only had four employees, a small cutting shop with two presses. Marcel and his wife Danielle ran the administrative side of the business, while their son Patrick ran the commercial side. Patrick took over in 1996 upon his parents’ retirement, by then helming a team of 15. Under Patrick’s guardianship, the company expanded the head count and customer base over time, adding Imperator to the portfolio in 2001. More acquisitions followed throughout the aught years, as the group experienced exceptional growth. Hundreds of employees and forty years later, the third generation has now taken the helm, as Patrick’s children Victor, Yohanna, and Jean-Romain assume leading roles alongside the fourth member of the board Cédric Grandemenge.
Modernized energy industry
Like every successful multigenerational company, Groupe Efire is making business decisions years ahead of time, not just via next-quarter projections. Their forecast for the next decade calls for a doubling in turnover by 2030, through a combination of organic growth and acquisition. Increased exports will need revamped software and business platforms to meet industry norms, requiring a significant investment in digitalization and standardization across the group’s holdings. Online bulk sales are becoming more common, both post-pandemic and as the energy industry modernizes, calling for a more robust web presence with a full catalog of their top KLINGER sealing solutions.
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Did you know…?
… that overall, Groupe Efire is buying approximately five million Euros in KLINGER products annually?
… that Groupe Efire’s 260 employees service 10,000 global customers in all industries with three major target markets: nuclear, food /pharmaceutical, and aeronautics industries?
… that Groupe Efire operates a total of eleven plants all over France?
Industry with big prospects
Though the goals they have set for themselves are quite high, the Groupe Efire team is confident that they are on the right track. Their investment in the talented Efire staff and in KLINGER products will no doubt prove to be a winning combination. Cédric looks forward to a bright future, saying, “For us it’s a lot of potential; We have the knowledge, we have the products, we have the certificates. We have a positive experience with our major customers. It’s an industry with big prospects.” With positive and proactive leadership guiding the way, Groupe Efire is no doubt ready to shine brightly for many years to come.
Common History
Groupe Efire’s relationship with KLINGER began in 2003, when KLINGER’s previous French distributor went out of business. Patrick Bedos signed an agreement with Thomas Klinger-Lohr to become the French distributor of KLINGER sealing material. Geographic proximity has always been top of mind for Groupe Efire, as Cédric explains:
„Our plants in France are located to be as near as possible to our customers.“
Cédric Grandemenge, Member of the Management Board at Groupe Efire
Every site has at least one cutting machine and one waterjet machine, with stocking amounts designed to quickly produce gaskets. They also have some dedicated production plants with CNC machines, lasers, and milling machines.
Having the tools at hand to get the job done quickly lets Groupe Efire shift their focus from the basics to more long-term development, such as their recent investment in aseptic gaskets and dynamic sealing.
The product range has earned the attention of industry giants like Sanofi, who selected Groupe Efire as one of only two suppliers for the technology. This success has allowed the group to expand further into the pharmaceutical and nuclear sector. Geopolitical events such as the Ukraine war and natural gas shortage have also boosted their foray into nuclear, as companies respond to the increased need for alternative energies by accelerating their long-term green conversions to meet current demands.
