Wedoany.com Report on Mar 9th, The SolidSail Mast Factory (SMAF) was recently inaugurated in Lanester, near Lorient, France, with government representatives and industry figures attending the ceremony. The factory, established through a collaboration of several companies, specializes in the production of large composite structures. Construction began in January 2024 with an investment exceeding 18 million euros, partially funded by French and EU support programs.
Located within a 4000-square-meter single building, the factory has been producing SolidSail carbon fiber masts since summer 2025. These masts are core components of sail propulsion systems, used for vessels like the Neoliner cargo sailing ship and the Orient Express cruise ship. The SolidSail can have a sail area of up to 1500 square meters, helping to reduce vessel fuel consumption and emissions.
As part of the regional industrial strategy, the project is expected to create over 35 jobs by the end of 2026. The factory is currently operated by about 30 employees, mainly from the composite materials industry. Nicolas Abiven, Operations Director of SMAF, stated: "We primarily recruit operators based on their composite skills and their ability to collaborate with human-machine interfaces."
The factory is organized around four areas: robotic laying, assembly, machining, and painting, and is equipped with three overhead cranes with a lifting capacity of 15 tons each. Automation is key to production. Nicolas Abiven explained: "Initially, 95% of the laying was done manually. Today, 90% is robotized." The laying robot was developed in partnership with Fives, the machining cell was designed with Creno, and the curing oven is from Denios – all technical partners are French companies.
The production process begins with the robotic laying of the mast half-shells using pre-impregnated carbon fiber fabric. After baking, they are scanned to create a digital twin and then bonded. Nicolas Abiven added: "Nearly 600 holes need to be drilled on a single mast." Robotic machining is performed on long tracks to ensure precision and efficiency.
The SolidSail Mast Factory aims to produce one composite mast, weighing approximately 20 tons, per month, with a maximum annual capacity of 15 masts, marking a shift towards mass production of large composite structures. Nicolas Abiven emphasized: "Our goal is to retain jobs in France, and to do that we need mechanization and automation." The factory also plans to open its facilities to other industries such as aerospace and energy.
