gys, a growing french welding markets · number one manufacturer of mma inverters in france. at the...

WELDING

A new challenger in Europeanwelding markets

With a modern and integra-ted plant factory of 12,500m2 in Saint-Berthevin(France), dedicated to the

production of arc welding machines,resistance welding equipments andbattery chargers, GYS has positioneditself within the key players of thisindustry. According to generalmanagement, with the latest expan-sions, GYS has now one of the lar-

gest welding manufacturing sites inEurope. Enlarged by 5,000 m2 inFebruary 2007, the company is nowin the process of adding a newextension in 2008 of 4,200 m2 tohouse a R&D centre, an additionalwarehouse and additional places formore functional services. GYS, withits two subsidiaries in Germany andChina, has generated €42 million ofsales in 2007, which represented an

GYS’ headquarters and manufacturing facilities located in Saint-Berthevin (Mayenne). More than 12,500m2 dedicated towelding machines and battery chargers manufacture.

BBi n°60 1 Janvier/Février 2008

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GYS, a growing Frenchindustrial company, hasconquered in less thanten years a premiumposition in Europeanwelding equipmentmarkets, throughproduct expansion,factory integration andfocus on R&D. Once asupplier primarilyservicing craftsmen,SMEs and maintenancesegment, the companyis now focusing its R&Defforts on the industrialequipment segmentwhere it wants to berecognized as a solidpartner in the next twoyears.

BBI anglais copie:BBI 60 10/04/08 10:43

Example of in-house tools designed and manufactured by GYS. This apparatustests the thermal signature of an SMI card to check the quality of the welding.

Gys

increase of 22% compared to 2006and a tripling of 2002 sales.

Inverters at low pricesTypical of the French industrial

environment, the Company hascompletly transformed itself overthe last 10 years. Historically theFrench leader in manufacture of pro-fessionnal battery chargers and wel-ding machines, the Company deci-ded early to concentrate on invertertechnology to obtain a competitiveprice advantage in the market. GYSchose to invest in the process SMI-Substrate Insulated Metal-whichallows an optimization of heatfluxes and an improvement of theproducts’ solidity and quality.Thanks to this technology, GYS isdemocratizing the inverter weldingproducts through extremely compe-titive prices and complete automati-zation of the production process.Thereby, GYS opened the MMA wel-ding machine market to and rende-red this equipment accessible evento tradesmen and for use in smallmaintenance workshops. Gradually,this range of inverters has been enri-ched with TIG (2004) and plasma cut-ters (2005). GYS expect to launch thefirst MIG inverters by the end of

GYS’s research and developmentlaboratory. This department will berelocated to the new site, which canaccommodate up to 40 people fromtoday’s team of 22.


Since June 2007, GYS has integrated a mechanics workshop, which for exampleproduces the grips of the welding machines.

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WELDING

2008.This strategy of marrying high

technology with low prices has pro-ven itself effective, since GYS hasincreased its production considera-bly; in 2007, the Company has pro-duced over 120,000 welding inver-ters, with approximately half ofthem being exported. At the sametime, the technology has becomemore accessible, and as the Head ofSales for GYS states, « it is now rarefor tradesmen not to own an inverter».

All purpose inverter

As mentioned above, GYS beganby manufacturing welding equip-ments with electrode MMA compo-nents, essential materials for trades-men and for use in maintenanceshops. It was critical for the compa-ny to successfully supply its existingbase of customers before expandingto other users. GYS achieves its goal,since the Company is today thenumber one manufacturer of MMAinverters in France. At the end of2004, GYS began developing inver-

ters for plasma cutters and TIGs. Inthis category of more technical pro-ducts, GYS has profited from enor-mous success. GYS sells more high-tech products abroad than in France,because those products are primari-

ly distributed by welding specialistimporters. With more than 10% ofthe French market, the MIG rangewill experienced strong sales growthin 2008 and 2009 with the introduc-tion of inverter technology.


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Several stages ofproduction,

including theelectronics

components of theSMI card, the

serigraphy, theassembly and thefunctional testing(here illustrated a

“Batium” charger).

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Promotion example through SYNERGIS onGYS’s website

GYS offers 3 different cataloguesdedicated to each of its productsegmentation. These cataloguesprovide information on the Companyand describe in detail its productrange in 8 different languages withproduct photos. They are publishedseveral times a year to illustrate thelatest technologies and prices. Thecatalogues are not intended to betechnical documents (which can bedownloaded off of the Companywebsite) but serves as a quick toolto feature with maximum technicalcharacteristics the availableofferings. On the Company’swebsite: www.gys.fr , users can

find all products, complementaryproducts and best seller products.The information on the website isavailable in 8 languages: English,French, German, Spanish, Russian,Finnish, Arab, and Chinese. One canalso download the products’ visualsand characteristics in high and lowdefinition. Through a protected link,distributors can also access differentfunctions and images throughIMAGYS for training, throughSYNERGIS PDF-files to print directlyspecial promotions. By 2009, thesite should also be able to integrateeach distributor’s orders on-line.

Gys

Website and catalogues

In parallel, GYS has built up itsproduct range of consumables,accessories and welding protectionequipment in order to provide a one-stop shop around MMA,TIG and MIGproducts. In particular, GYS providesa very wide range of crystal liquidelectro-optical helmets, with a salevolume of more than 30,000 piecesin 2007.

Strong R&D teamThe success of GYS is linked to its

technology choices, its organisation,and also its dynamic R&D team thatenables the Company to evolve itsproducts at breakneck speed; theCompany’s catalogue is updatedseveral times per year. GYS’s R&Dteam is composed of 22 engineersand is expected to expand once the

R&D centre is built.This team is critical for technologi-cal advancement in GYS’ productsand for process improvements inproduction. Latest developmentsinclude: incorporation of microcon-trollers on order charts, LCD screenson resistance welding machines, SDmemory chips for storage of infor-mation, and use of LEDs on the TIGdashboards.

Ambitious launch of new2008 welding products

GYS’s laboratory works on theconception of new products andenables the Company to launchregularly innovative products. TheCompany will introduce Spring 2008the first ever MIG with synergisticconversion. This synergy feature

allows parameter adjustmentsbased on the material and the wirediameter, providing a better qualityof welding. The automatic adjust-ments can also be manipulatedmanually. Concretely, the MIG 200Aand 250A’s conversion will decline inthe synergy version. At the end of2008, the two products will be com-plemented by a MIG inverter, com-pleting an industrial range by 2009.Moreover, GYS will by this time fina-lise the development of a three-pha-sed TIG 250A of industrial standards.This laboratory will also focus onmechanical developments.

Saint-Berthevin Factory

The main factory facility in St.

GYS’s threecatalogues forwelding, spotwelding and batterychargers ranges.

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WELDING

Berthevin has been automatisedto a large degree, with the exceptionof small manual tasks such as themanufacturing of transformers,assembly and final testing of equip-ment; GYS generates more than 50types of transformers, making it cost

prohibitive to automatise this. Whatis automatised, however, touchesthe heart of the process; includingthe electronic cards accommodatingthe substrate aluminium and thesubstrate silicon. Four robots supplytwo lines of production and can

deposit on the plates up to 10,000electronic components per hour.

On each line of CMS production,the test systems incorporating 12cameras checking various values(presence and identity of the compo-nents, positioning, brazing aspects)in order to classify the cards as:"conform", "correction" and "failu-re". These data are stored in a cen-tral server and are analyzed by theteams for permanently improvingquality of the products. At this stage,GYS projects to reach at the end of2008 95% of qualified cards applyingthe CMS process. The largest remai-ning components (transformer, andcondensers, for example) are thendeposited and are welded automati-cally. Once this process is finished,the cards pass a second test, beforeleaving on the assembly lines.

The production is extremely inte-grated and optimised to processstraight through punching machinesand folding machines with numeri-cal control for the sheet-iron works,a chain of automatic painting asso-ciated with a workshop of semi-automatic serigraphy and a robot ofwiredrawing mill which strips,crimps and galvanizes the entireinternal wiredrawing mill. At theend of the chain, all the elements areassembled on the dedicated assem-bly lines. Each assembled product isthe subject of a third and last testand then is identified by a singlenumber to guarantee its traceability.

In addition, GYS opened last Junea precision mechanical workshopthat fabricates all the specificmechanical pieces, including forexample the welding machine gripsand dentpulling tools. GYS is active-ly trying to better understand andhave competency in plasturgy. Thissort of integration ensures greaterreactivity and price optimization.

Wins in internationalmarkets

GYS can afford to play an aggres-sive commercial policy in correspon-dence with its global vision.As indicated by Philippe Thebaud,

“one must take our Asian competi-tors seriously and our pricing policy


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GYS’s salespeople (10 in welding and battery chargers, 11 for spot welding)receive training 2 days a quarter in production and welding techniques to perfecttheir technical appreciation, so that they can better inform their clients.

GYS manufactures its transformers and designed a machine to wind coppersheets for a transformer delivering more than 12,000 amps.

For seven years, GYS has developed the unique know-how in spotwelding. Carriage manufacturers have had to renew their point andbronze welding equipment due to increasingly light and resistant steelsin the market. Thanks to this market renewal, GYS has respondedquickly to the technological challenges through its technology invertersand have been favoured by the automotive industry. There are 11demonstrators on the road, equipped with truck workshops, availablefor distributors and end-users.

FRENCH LEADER IN SPOT WELDING

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Gys

must be competitive against the Chi-nese”. This is the reason why GYShas an aggressive tariff scheme.With the automation of the factoryplant in Saint-Berthevin and theincreasing of sales volumes, GYS hasregularly transfer the price benefitsto its customers; except in 2007when there was a spectacular rise inprice of copper. Again in January2008, GYS effected an average 5%reduction of its inverter prices. Morethan 45% of the Company’s revenues

come from 80 countries across theglobe.

2009 product range

According to Bruno Bouygues,GYS has a robust development plat-form for the future; “the Companyhas the infrastructure and salesvolumes to build a wide industrialrange.” What was originally targetedfor tradesmen and plant maintenan-ce uses, the GYS range now extends

to all industrial usages.Nonetheless, to penetrate the

industrial welding segment, it isnecessary to convince not only theend-users but also the distributionspecialists. In order to reassurethem, GYS has received ISO 9001version 2000 certification by GermanTÜV on safety and reliability stan-dards. In the beginning of 2007, theCompany also initiated the 5S pro-cess which is centered on cleanli-ness and functionality for all per-sonnel. The focus being for person-nel to better manage their own wor-king environment and seek organi-zational competencies.

It is important for GYS to be reco-gnized by European organizationsand that the Company’s products arevalidated to reach all operatingrequirements and high level of end-user safety standards. Hence, 3 typesof MMA inverters have been certifiedby the German TÜV and one weldingmachine had been certified by theFrench Emitech.

As summarized by BrunoBouygues, GYS has ambitions toquickly become a major player in thewelding market with a product ran-ge meeting the needs of tradesmenas well as the most demandingindustrial segments. The Companyfaces ahead an ambitious but realis-tic challenge, thanks to a state-of-the-art French production site, astrong research department, and theCompany’s ability to price productsextremely competitively.

A page of the website www.gys.fr.Visuals, technical characteristics andinstructions can be downloaded inseveral languages.Eventual corresponding additionnalproducts are indicated on the side.


In the purpose of GYS Academy’s formation programs, the society proposes 2cars on which welding operations can be made.

In May 2006, GYS created its German subsidiary in Aachen, and todayemploys 16 people. The company is linked to the parent company by anERP system and has a sizable stock and after-sales service. Moreover,in China, GYS has a 42 person subsidiary which fabricates mass batterychargers. The Chinese subsidiary also works as an affiliate to sourceGYS raw material components in Asia and manage quality controldirectly locally; components coming from other parts of the world aredirectly delivered to St. Berthevin.

GYS’S TWO SUBSIDIARIES

GYS’s revenue in 2007 was composed of: 63% in welding products, 18% in spot welding, and19% in battery chargers. Over the last year, the welding and spot welding markets progressedat a constant rate while the battery chargers experienced growth in the neighbourhood of 8%.

20072006200520042003200220012000

10 M€ 12 M€ 14 M€ 15 M€ 19 M€ 24 M€35 M€

42 M€REVENUE GROWTH


gys, a growing french welding markets · number one manufacturer of mma inverters in france. at the...

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