Newrest opens a production line with cobots in London

During a public interview organized by La Tribune Toulouse, the co-president of Newrest announced the opening in London of a production line with collaborative robots (cobots).

Self-taught and entrepreneur from Toulouse, Olivier Sadran co-chairs Newrest. A company he has founded, which became one of the world leaders in multi-sector catering. It employs over 28,000 people in 48 countries and produces one million meals a day. Inflight catering, catering, catering, retail concessions, buy-on-board and duty-free services, remote sites and support services … Newrest is the only caterer to intervene in all segments of the catering and related services. Invited by La Tribune Toulouse for a public interview on Tuesday, Septembre 26th at the Meeting Lab in the “Ville rose”, Olivier Sadran spoke about the orientations he envisages for the company. Starting with the automation of the production chain, notably via cobotic (or collaborative robotics):

“Today we are focused on this technological evolution,” he explains. “Cobots are robots that work at a lower speed and thus allow the human being to be in the same environment without protection”, details the Toulousain.

Cobotics can automate some of the tasks, at the crossroads between biomechanics, robotics and human factors. “We are on tests that are rather positive on the trays design, especially for some American airlines,” says the guest of “La Matinale de La Tribune Toulouse”. A production line with cobots will be launched from October 1st on the London-Heathrow airport base, announces the boss of Newrest. “We are going to see what this means for automation and modernization,” he said.

A growth of more than 13%

Olivier Sadran also commented on the sales growth of Newrest, a group “which has been built instinctively”, which is expected to reach 1.3 billion euros, and “1.8 billion euros by adding the shares we manage in the world but in which we are a minority,” spells the company manager. The organic growth of its company “over the past ten years has been above 13%”, he said.

This is the real driving force behind the company, even though external growth is still “very moderately practiced” by Newrest, according to its co-chairman. “More than 90% of our capital is held by management and our employees, it is a means of rewarding loyalty and commitment, it is also a key to the success of the company,” specified boss.

Among the new jobs of his company: catering. “For a long time we did not want to do it in France, but only fools do not change their minds,” smiled Olivier Sadran. A few months after launching in this market, Newrest realized nearly 100 million euros of turnover. “This sector was asking for an alternative offer,” concludes the Toulousain, who does not lower the guard: “Success is always relative, it judges. When we consider it is reached we are close to the end”.

La Tribune Toulouse, by Jean-Christophe Magnenet, on 2017/27/09