Sarens in France: From Current Projects to Future Opportunities
Dirk Verwimp discusses Sarens projects and possibilities in France
22
January 2018

Sarens recently completed a project on behalf of IMSAT (a subsidiary of SNEF) in Port-La-Nouvelle, France. The project was connected to the construction of a new unit at the Lafarge cement plant and involved the lifting of, among other things, a 28-tonne silo. 

As always, Sarens brought together exceptional people and world-class equipment to execute the operation successfully. The Sarens team deployed nine different cranes and a rotary carriage, which were transported over 270km from the Fos-sur-Mer depot to the work site. The equipment included: 

  • 2 x 35t cranes
  • 1 x 70t crane
  • 2 x 100t cranes
  • 1 x 400t crane
  • 1 x 21m rotary carriage
  • 2 x 16m cranes
  • 1 x 20m crane 

With the project successfully completed, the client commended Sarens operators for a job well done: "I can thank you for your cooperation and I hope we can work together for another project," said Gabriel Radoi of IMSAT. "I want to mention something else: the professionalism of your crane operators! It was a great pleasure working with Mohammed, Stefan, Pascal, and Cedric. Exceptional!" 

Sarens in France employs approximately 200 people and boasts a fleet of approximately 100 cranes. They offer rental and project services to the French market, and are looking forward to future project work at the quai de Flandre Dunkerque, renewable energy initiatives in the Northwest, and main work on the Grand Paris rapid transit project in Ille de France. 

Dirk Verwimp, Sales and Marketing Manager, Sarens Projects, shares his insights on what's next for Sarens in France. 

Tell us about the state of the rental business in France. What is the future outlook for Sarens in France, and what are the main drivers of growth? 

The rental business has slowed down a little at the year's end, but the Ille de France remains with strong demand thanks to major projects like Grand Paris. Over the next five years, we plan to increase the local SFR fleet by 20% and concentrate on services in Ille de France. 

Growth drivers include civil works activities around Ille de France, mainly the Grand Paris project, as well as the launch of different civil work projects (canals, bridges, etc.) and the upcoming 2024 Olympics. 

How are you positioning yourself as a project partner for potential clients? 

In 2017 KAMs were trained intensively to also promote sales of all technical solution projects, in addition to their day-to-day rental activities. We are the only French company capable of offering, locally, a full range of technical solutions beyond basic rental services. Engineering, project management, creative solutions, and safety set us apart from the other suppliers in our domain. We also have the ability to follow French clients internationally, with international heavy haul and heavy lifting needs. 

What is Sarens' unique selling proposition in this market, and how do you ensure client satisfaction and safety? 

We have global references and experience of all kinds, yards across the country, and the possibility of offering more than just crane rental. We also have a fleet of 40 lattice boom cranes with a capacity of up to 280 tonnes, which makes us the greatest supplier of that range in France. 

We ensure customer satisfaction by listening attentively to their needs and training our personnel to bring them to a higher service quality level. We also ensure safety through internal audits, workplace inspection follow-ups, and investment in SHEQ personnel and behavior training.