Name : Thierry Falque-Pierrotin
Brand : Redcats Group
Note from the sponsor :
Olivier has the boldness, perseverance and enthusiasm of entrepreneurs: qualities that are inherent to Redcats Group and PPR. We are particularly pleased to support him, not just as a neighbour entrepreneur in Northern France where we are deeply and historically anchored, but also because of the social and environmental dimensions of his enterprise that are close to our own heart.
| Field | Professional integration |
| Country | France |
| City | Lille and surrounds, franchises |
| Beneficiaries | Long-term unemployed personns |
| Number of beneficiaries | Between 50 and 200 |
Of course nobody wants to wash cars all their life! But it can an opportunity to get back to work, think about professional plans and even find a new place to move out of the street…
Sineo, created by Olivier Desurmont in 2004, is a work-based integration enterprise offering waterless car cleaning services using fully biodegradable detergents and reusable microfiber towelettes. The idea began to sprout in the mind of the young executive from Northern France until he decided overnight to resign from his job and create his own business.
Social commitment is one of the founding values of our corporate culture, so he thought “if I'm going to create a business, then I might as well be proud of it!” Today, Sineo employs 120 persons, including 80% under an “integration employment contract”. All Sineo franchisees comply with these social values and cooperate with a number of welfare partners like the PLIE (Plan Local pour l’Insertion et l’Emploi) or the ANPE national employment agency.
The concept is based on re-integrating socially-excluded persons into the labour market via a "springboard" job to help them step back into the working world and start thinking about a relevant professional plan. Most employees leave Sineo after 18 months to join another job, while others end up stepping up the ladder within the enterprise. The goal of Sineo is to help 100% of its employees who stay until the end of their employment contract, get back into the labour market.
As for customers, Sineo has attracted the big names of the automobile industry: Peugeot, Renault, Citroën, Ferrari, Porsche, etc. The company provides services in all types of sites, whether enclosed or open. Sineo car washers need no water intake, no power supply or wastewater drains: they are fully autonomous and travel on site as needed. The entire car cleaning process uses only 1 to 5 litres of water, against an average of 150 litres for a conventional car wash.
Sineo's motto is a “clean, socially responsible, innovative and dynamic enterprise”.
With an expected revenue of 4 to 5 million euros in 2008 (versus €1 million in 2007), Sineo has been steadily growing. Olivier Desurmont wants to expand along several growth avenues:
- extend the franchisee network,
- set up regional branches,
- expand abroad,
- market his eco-labelled products.
