When the textile industry is threading the right path

Interview with Eugène Delplanque, CEO of Dickson-Constant

Founded in Dunkirk in 1836, Dickson is France’s oldest textile company. Founded in the Hauts-de-France region, the company quickly became the benchmark for awning fabrics, before conquering new markets in sun protection, outdoor and indoor furnishings, boating and floor coverings. A world leader in technical textiles, the company is part of the North Carolina-based Glen Raven group. The Group employs 3,500 people worldwide and has made innovation a key focus of its international development.

Our factories are highly automated. This is the first competitive factor without which it would be difficult, if not impossible, to produce in Europe. Our production costs are comparable to those of our American factories, but obviously much higher than in China. Moreover, we are highly flexible, which is an advantage when it comes to responding quickly to our customers’ needs.

We’ve enjoyed significant growth over the past two decades, which has accelerated during the last five years. Our Wasquehal site had reached a saturation point, both in terms of production capacity and flexibility. The need to build a new factory had become a necessity. With the help of various companies, we explored a number of options throughout Europe, before finally opting for the municipality of Hordain, located between Valenciennes and Cambrai. This proximity enables us to have a single management team for our two production sites, which are 44 miles (70 km) apart, or around 50 minutes by car on the A2 highway. In fact, this area along the Belgian border and close to the highway was our first choice.

NFI was able to find the land and surface area we needed. As the icing on the cake, a building on the site turned out to be very useful, even though it didn’t initially correspond to our needs. But by refurbishing it and adapting it to our expectations, we gained twelve months in the operational management of our project. This year has been particularly profitable, since with Covid we’ve been able to take full advantage of the home improvement craze. Our production has already increased by 60%, with an overall target of 80%. But as I’ve already said, we also need to be highly flexible, so we can respond quickly to demands and deliver to our European customers from the Hauts-de-France region within 24 or 48 hours.

We’re northerners and we love our region. People often talk about recruitment difficulties in France. We have 600 employees at our two sites, and I can tell you that we have no trouble finding people who want to work for us. Our employees are our company’s most important and best asset. I insist on this point because our human resources are what enable us to make a difference.

The North and the Hauts-de-France region are a land of entrepreneurs whose great successes are no accident. This culture of hard work and a job well done should confirm their decision to locate here. After that, I would advise them to rely on the right people and the right partners to support their decision. There are many in the region. I would also like to point out – and this is important – that the service provided by Nord France Invest, which supported us, is free and confidential. When it comes to business and commercial relations, trust is of the utmost importance and is a major value for Northerners, for sure!