March 2016 BARDOT and CM-CIC Investissement A partnership that runs deep
Bardot Group is a global specialist in using polymers in subsea environments. For over 10 years, it has been a leading partner to the offshore oil services industry. Its founder and CEO Guy Bardot spoke to us about his business model which, like his products, is based on flexibility. Guy Bardot
BARDOT GROUP and CM-CIC Investissement: total immersion. What does Bardot Group do? Guy Bardot: We are one of very few global companies specialising in using polymers in subsea environments.our expertise quickly proved popular among oil companies in the SURF (subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines) segment of offshore oil production. Polymer equipment is often more resilient than traditional products, as well as being much easier and quicker to install. That translates into big savings on expensive items such as chartering ships, which can cost a million dollars per day. With the recent fall in oil prices, our customers are particularly keen to make savings. Why did you choose a «fabless» business model from the outset? G.B.: Our customers operate all over the world. By outsourcing manufacturing to local suppliers, we can be much more responsive in terms of lead times, and we can focus our investments on research. Today, 70% of our staff are engineers, and our 1,200m 2 polymer testing laboratory is a benchmark in the sector. Who are your competitors? G.B.: Until recently, we competed head-on with pure players specialising in polymer-based moulded accessories. In the last two years, however, our flexible organisation has allowed us to develop a more comprehensive product range. We now offer all accessories required in the SURF segment, in the full range of materials. So we have moved up the value chain, going from a tier- 2 supplier to a tier-1 partner for oil companies. That development has increased our number of potential competitors, but opened up a much larger market and given us much greater growth potential. What are your main areas of development? G.B.: The oil services sector is our main market and will remain so for many years, especially since all indicators are pointing towards investment in the sector resuming by 2017. However, we can also apply our expertise in using polymers in subsea environments to other sectors such as wave power, telecom cables and military applications. We think that 10-20% of our revenue will come from outside the oil industry by 2020. Why did you link up with CM-CIC Investissement? G.B.: The oil services sector doesn t really like small companies, and so
we need critical mass. That meant that we were looking for an investor capable of supporting our ambition of rapid, sustainable growth. CM- CIC Investissement s philosophy of combining equity financing with a long-term approach was just what we needed. The quality of the people we met sealed the deal. 16,4 million of revenue in 2015 96% exports 50% average annual growth in the last 5 years. 70 employees
BARDOT as seen by Laurent Vasselin, CM-CIC Investissement. Since 2013, CM-CIC Investissement has been helping Bardot Group implement its ambitious development plan. By offering innovative and economical solutions, the group is responding to market developments. Laurent Vasselin It is based in La Ciotat and has 70 employees, 70% of whom are engineers. It has an excellent track record, with over 300 pieces of equipment delivered since 2004 for around 250 projects all over the world, including in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, Africa, Asia, the North Sea and the Persian Gulf. Its revenue has risen by a factor of five in the last five years. We were attracted by Bardot s status as a pure player in offshore equipment, its strong innovation capability in polymers and the flexibility of its fabless business model, which means that it does not have its own production facilities, enabling it to produce close to its customers. In the last two years, Guy Bardot has shifted the business model towards turnkey solutions, opening up new prospects in the group s traditional market but also in activities related to marine renewable energy and power and telecom cables. With its dynamic, high-quality management, which is accustomed to working in a complex environment posing numerous technological and commercial challenges, Bardot Group s outlook is bright. CM-CIC Investissement s equity investment has enabled Bardot Group to continue its global expansion.
CROIRE EN VOUS, C EST CAPITAL. Exploring new territories, aiming higher, going farther... At CM-CIC Investissement, we believe in business leaders who are entrepreneurs. We provide long-term support and equity financing to facilitate the projects of over 445 companies with a range of development objectives, as part of genuine partnerships based on mutual trust. TheLINKS.fr - RCS Nantes B 328 330 717-150840 - Mars 2016 - Crédits photos : Getty Images - Le Groupe Bardot. CM-CIC Investissement - Lyon Espace Cordeliers - 2, rue Président Carnot 69002 Lyon Tél 04 72 56 91 09 www.cmcic-investissement.com Paris - Lyon - Nantes - Lille - Strasbourg - Bordeaux - Montréal Head office 28 avenue de l Opéra 75002 PARIS