Leading French lace manufacturer Noyon has emerged from administration after eighteen months of restructuring and is to retain its independence following takeover fears. Noyon’s status was finally decided by Boulogne-sur-Mer Court of Commerce on 18 March and the company says it is now back on the market with renewed confidence together with a brand new sales and marketing and manufacturing organisation.

Noyon went into administration in October 2008 following a severe downturn in demand for its products and implemented a restructuring plan in October 2009 following a twelve month observation period by administrators. Now, with a reduced workforce of 215 employees, Noyon says it still has the skills to enable it to monitor the entire lace making process and with the backing of its shareholders can now make a pledge to the French lace making industry and the market.

“Noyon now aims to offer the most comprehensive range of products, for lingerie, couture and ready to wear, whilst balancing an annual budget of Euros 19 million. Over the last 18 months, the company has undergone the necessary adaptations its economic situation required, but has also implemented a complete overhaul of its fundamentals to make an up to date start on renewed basis,” says company Chairman Olivier Noyon.

Improved logistics

Noyon’s says its manufacturing organization and supply-chain have been completely reviewed in favour of a more simple and functional structure and in a world ruled by uncertainty, the company says quick response and efficiency were key words in the creation of the new organization. The two main objectives were to lower inventory and reduce work in progress.

The company, which has always invested in new technology, owns around 50 Karl Mayer Jaquardtronic and Textronic machines as well as a range of new generation machines for knitted lace (Supertronic). However, the company is most famous for its delicate non-knitted high quality Leaver’s lace and owns around 80 Leaver’s lace machines.

 “Both lace making and finishing departments are now located under one roof, improving synergy between the various functions and giving greater flexibility. Giving the right service through a better organization is the ultimate goal of any company and this is what we are striving to do, wherever our customers are based and wherever they make up their garments,” says Olivier Noyon.

High quality exports

Noyon has been a major exporter since 1980, with exports of its laces accounting for more than 70% of the company’s turnover. Even so, with changes to the global economy altering the face of the market over the past decade, the company said it had badly needed to adapt its structure and rationalize its sales network.

Olivier Noyon says that Noyon’s network still remains by far the most international in the lingerie market with subsidiaries or offices in all of the main countries such as, USA, UK, Italy, Spain, Hong Kong, China and Australia. “With production facilities in Europe, Sri Lanka and China, the company’s Calais made designs, are brought to major customers worldwide in a very smooth way, and to the same standard of quality as it has done for almost a century,” Mr Noyon adds.

Noyon creation

“Devising a full range of product, increasingly creative, focused and market segmented: Noyon has set up a whole range of marketing tools to understand and foresee the market, fashion and social trends. Fully equipped with the state of the art techniques, the in house design studio creates hundreds of designs and developments per year. Collections come to life in after a long and thorough concerted R&D process challenging the ultimate machine possibilities,” Olivier Noyon says, adding:

“Leaver’s lace, the backbone of every collection, has known a prevailing role supported by the richness of the archives (Noyon fund is among the largest in the world) and craftsmanship. It remains an unparalleled technique giving birth to the finest laces. Each Leavers lace brings to customer the luxurious and unique touch that makes the difference. On the other hand, knitted lace is developed in Calais with a breath of innovation, more technique and service oriented but taking also into consideration economic factors.”

Calais touch

“Although Noyon is well known as an international company, what customers are looking for when they come to us is this Calais touch they cannot find anywhere else. This unique know how developed by working for the most famous brands since their very beginning. A change was vital but tradition must not be forgotten. The support of our customers, of our suppliers, not to mention the efforts of all the company’s employees made this long and somewhat uneasy process possible. Because behind every great achievement, stands a human story,” Olivier Noyon added.