As an exceptional French company created in 1848 and located in La Chartre-sur-le-Loir, in the Sarthe region, B.B.A. specialises in the combining and processing of textile or metal yarns (gold yarns, silver yarns, etc.). In weaving, braiding and embroidering, it designs and manufactures civil, administrative and military trimmings. “Our highly diversified activity and our excellent know-how allows us to deliver a response fully in line with the requirements of our prestigious customers, the military Grandes Ecoles prestigious graduate schools (Polytechnique, Saint-Cyr) and the Garde Républicaine, as well as the luxury sector, such as the Paris Opera and several haute-couture houses”, stresses Éric Scipion, Production Manager.
Among the 30 employees present on the site (half in production, the other half in administration), Véronique Vaidie is an emblematic personality. She has been working in B.B.A.’s workshops for 30 years. As a weaving instructor, Véronique has just obtained the status of Supervisor. “I supervise four people on a daily basis”, she explained. “When I arrived in these workshops in the late 1980s, my mother was already working there and she passed on her expertise to me. It is now my turn to pass on this know-how to motivated and attentive young women. What I see is that they care deeply about this profession that they are learning a bit more about each day. “
This transmission of expertise of excellence from generation to generation is the secret of the success of B.B.A.’s workshops and the guarantee of sustainability when faced with growing competition and increasingly advanced technology. This outstanding know-how, combined with a diversified and renewed fleet of machines, enabled the company, in 2014, to be accredited as a Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Company), a mark of recognition from the State that aims to identify French companies with exceptional expertise.
“We are very proud to be an integral part of France’s heritage and history”, said Véronique Vaidie. “In the same way, when we see our achievements during the 14th July parade, it is very rewarding for our workshops and all the teams as it is our know-how that is on display. »