2023-08-23 12:47:56
In the shadow of an A86 ramp, the Le Pavé d’Aubervilliers factory is running at full speed. Commissioned by promoter Bouygues to produce the 11,000 seats for the Arena Porte de la Chapelle and the Olympic Aquatic Center, just one year after its creation, the start-up had to adapt its production capacity. “We are on timeassures Marius Hamelot, co-founder of the company which now operates in three shifts. All seats are expected to be delivered in early fall. »
At the back of the sheet metal warehouse, a candy pink silo dumps white and yellow shavings into large bins. A smell of soap escapes. “These are old shampoo bottles mixed with used caps,” explains Marine André, communications manager for Le Pavé.
Le Pavé specializes in manufacturing materials from recycled materials. Here, the plastic beads used to make the chairs for the Arena, for the 2023 Olympic Games. Aubervilliers, August 21, 2023. / Valentin Caball for La Croix
These shavings are then heated and then compressed to form the recycled plastic that will form the seats and backrests of the bleachers at the Olympic sites. Prototypes of black seats for the arena and white seats for the Saint-Denis swimming pool are displayed in an improvised showroom at the entrance to the factory.
A first golden contract
This contract with the manufacturer Bouygues has helped the finances of the young company, which today employs 32 people. “Managing the production for an event of this magnitude was an incredible opportunity, admet Marius Hamelot. For a start-up, the long term is a three-month vision. We were lucky enough to have orders for three years. »
Less than a year from the end of the partnership, the challenge now is to think about the post-Olympic Games and find new customers. “We don’t want this adventure to be a wet firecracker”, says the co-founder.
To increase its chances, the company continues to innovate. The Aubervilliers premises are a laboratory for testing new processes. The common kitchen is entirely made of plastic plates produced in the neighboring workshop, as are the offices. Made from car dashboards and polystyrene, the material could be mistaken for marble.
A partnership with the Élysée
On a piece of furniture, the Olympic rings cut from plastic scraps are next to the last samples of materials. In the corner of an open space, a multicolored pavement catches the eye. “It is a coating for sports or playgrounds made from the soles of sneakers”explains Marine André, taking the sample.
Marine, employed by Le Pavé for a year, presents one of the seats from the order for the 2024 Olympics. At 29, she is one of the “doyens” of the young company. Aubervilliers, August 21, 2023. / Valentin Caball for La Croix
Further on, a new material made from living room carpets is exhibited. Today, the company only concentrates on the production of material. “We are now trying to build a network of craftsmen and architects trained to work with these new materials, projects Marine André. They are worked a bit like wood, but also keep properties specific to plastic. These are new techniques to learn. »
In this life without the Olympics, Le Pavé can count on new financial support. In September 2022, the company completed a fundraising of 10 million euros. A new factory in Burgundy, in the heart of the “Plastics Valley”, will open before 2024. This site should quadruple the company’s production capacity: Le Pavé plans to transform 1,400 tonnes of plastic waste in 2024.
To continue on its way, the young shoot can also rely on prestigious partnerships to promote its products. Recycled plastic plates from the Aubervilliers factory have recently adorned the walls of the Élysée sports hall.
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