VOLTAIRE DESIGN GROUP :
the business with living heritage
Voltaire Design group
The Voltaire Design Group has been supported by Invest French Basque Country since 2011. Geraldine Gilmas, PR & Development Manager for this young group explains.
What is your business? Why did you choose the Basque Country ?
We manufacture bespoke riding saddles and 80% of our sales are in the USA. Voltaire Design Group’s founder, Brice Goguet, was originally from the Basque Country and our workshop manager has been there for several years: choosing the Basque Country was therefore an emotional decision. The group’s head office and saddle-making workshop are today in Bassussarry, in premises which we found through Invest French Basque Country, but we also have a subsidiary at Tampa in Florida where our directeur leads a team of 8 sales reps. 3 reps are also in charge of our development in Northern Europe.
How did Invest French Basque Country help you ?
Lots of advice and, above all, the right contacts at the right time. We asked Invest French Basque Country for help recruiting staff and apprentices. They put us in touch with other companies to exchange experiences and they also advised us when we were looking for a new accountancy firm.
What is your outlook for development ?
We are currently preparing to extend our premises and purchasing a production tool. We are also working with Invest French Basque Country on funding. In terms of jobs, in 2010 there were 3 members of staff. Today there are 10 employees in the Basque Country, including 2 apprentices.
