CUTLERY LPS OF THIERS: A JOINT INITIATIVE
FROM CRAFSMEN AND CUTLERY INDUSTRIES
What is it?:
The cutlery Local Productive System of Thiers is an actions schedule including 275 businesses of craft and industry with more than 3000 employees, half of which manufacture cutlery products, the other half concerns suppliers and subcontractors.
This collective step has been inspired by the example of English clusters and Italian economic districts. It is based on a local industrial and craft tradition more than 5 centuries old. The Deputy General of DTARA and the Chief Administrator of Auvergne Region launched it on October 29th, 1998.
The 3 targets of LPS:
1. Improve competitiveness of all businesses in the field by promoting innovation on one hand and Quality /Certification on the other.
2. Gather companies to lead joint operations to promote themselves and prospect new French and international markets.
3. Enhance the reputation of cutlery production in the Thiers region and its individual or collective performances as far as employment and market shares are concerned.
The operational schedule:
The mobilisation of businesses is the key condition for LPS's success. For this purpose, a couple of studies have been drawn on economic data of the cutlery field and the state of its market in Europe and the world.
8 projects have already been achieved by professionals or are underway:
Diagnosis of strategic positions.
Creation of the federal site: http://www.coutellerie-thiers.com.
Definition and creation of Quality references common to the field in association with AFNOR.
Organisation of joint missions at international fairs and markets.
Creation of a promotional stall for the Thiernoise Cutlery.
Creation of a logo for French Cutlery.
Use by companies of networks and intelligent economical tools especially in technology development monitoring.
Creation of the CouThix mascot, a real communication symbol enabling all businesses in thiernoise cutlery to be identified and recognised.
CouThix
The cutlery LPS of Thiers is a joint initiative of the Puy-de-Dôme chamber of trade and Thiers Chamber of commerce and industry , the CSNAC and partners listed on the website.
Second stage of actions:
The marketing study done in the cutlery field has enabled to:
Highlight what companies are expecting in terms of export, communication, and improvement of performances (quality, production…);
Set up a development chart for companies.
In the end, the different partners have opted for the following actions:
- Cutlery sector promotion:
Participations in common to professional exhibitions and public fairs under the LPS stall, abroad.
- Publicly accessible communication:
Posters, Point of Sale Advertising, and follow up of the website development.
- Consumer surveys
Target the consumer's expectations for each range of products.
- Improvement of:
- Performance (according to action proposals, Quality A and Auvergne Performances).
- Innovation and creativity (prototypes, pre-ranges)
And follow up of the "quality reference" aiming to a product certification.
- Experience exchange:
Approaching other LPS for experience exchanges with other businesses having mutual practice (common structure for recruitment and training for example).
- Maintain a watch on technology and competition; get new businesses to be aware of it.
Contacts :
Chamber of trade: Jean-Claude
PEYRONNY
Chamber of commerce and Industry: Bénédicte
FRIOT
entreprises
