The information had leaked in a letter signed by the president of the Brittany region Loïg Chesnais-Girard. Yes, the Intermarché group is going to transform its diaper factory installed in Morbihan into a large production unit for FFP2 masks and surgical masks to combat the epidemic of coronavirus in France. From August to September, 130 million masks should leave the Les Celluloses de Brocéliande site, located in Ploërmel. About sixty jobs will be created to meet the growing demand for protection.
Known for making diapers of the Pommette brand, very widespread in French nurseries, the Ploërmel factory usually releases 3.2 million diapers per day and 1.8 million feminine hygiene units of the Intermarché brand. From July, it will produce FFP2 masks thanks to the acquisition of three machines purchased from the Stéphane company Cera. These masks are intended primarily for medical personnel. Two machines were also purchased from the Angevine company Ose to produce surgical masks in August.
It will not be a first for the company. On its Breton site, opened in 1990, the Intermarché production unit already produced FFP2 masks in the 2000s, but their production had been abandoned and the line sold. "The know-how in the production of masks is still present today within the factory's management teams and design office," the food group said in a press release.
Since the announcement by President Emmanuel Macron of his desire to "relocate the production of masks in France", many industrial groups in France had been surveyed. Intermarché thus wishes to "contribute to the independence of supply of masks for France" and prides itself on having succeeded "in less than a month", in finding solutions to refurbish its factory and order five production lines for masks . Production planned between August and December 2020 will be around 130 million units, according to the group.
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If the group advances confident, he warns however that a subject worries him: "access to the raw material, essential for the manufacture of masks" could quickly be limited as global demand is high. Intermarché specifies "to work with the State services to finalize this partnership".
The Les Mousquetaires group has 62 production sites in France which supply nearly 4,000 points of sale in Europe. In 2019, the behemoth of mass distribution achieved a turnover of 45.33 billion euros, making it the fourth player in the sector in France.
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