Wedoany.com Report on Feb 24th, At the Sotubema site in Saint-Astier, Dordogne, France, the CARCHE Group has officially launched its new low-carbon concrete batching plant. This facility, a next-generation industrial project, aims to support the sustainable transformation of the construction industry and address key challenges in France's electrification process. This initiative marks a crucial step for the CARCHE Group in advancing low-carbon concrete production.
This new concrete batching plant embodies the CARCHE Group's principles for transforming the construction industry through eco-design, resource conservation, and responsible innovation. It integrates advanced recycling and water recovery technologies, significantly reducing water and raw material consumption while optimizing industrial process efficiency. The project received financial support from the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) under the Green Fund framework, validating its value at both environmental and regional development levels. Through this facility, the CARCHE Group demonstrates its commitment to aligning industrial development with a low-carbon trajectory.
Since 2024, the Saint-Astier site has undergone significant changes. After winning a tender for manufacturing electrical substations in the spring of 2024, the site was equipped with an integrated production line supported by the new low-carbon concrete batching plant. The workforce increased from 7 to 20 employees in less than a year, and the site now produces two electrical substations daily. These customized units play a vital role in modernizing and securing the power grid, which is crucial for the energy transition, renewable energy development, and sustainable regional planning. To advance the project, Sotubema partnered with the energy company Grollo, showcasing the CARCHE Group's ability to integrate expertise and serve the critical infrastructure needs of France's electrification.
The inauguration ceremony also provided an opportunity for the CARCHE Group to unveil its new brand identity and values, reflecting the transformation and shared vision of its three entities: Chapeau Soleil, Sotubema, and CARCHE 3D. For many years, Chapeau Soleil and Sotubema, operated by the Carmichaël and Seydoux families, developed based on a shared belief: concrete should be a useful, sustainable, and responsible solution. In 2022, they merged to form the CARCHE Group, combining historical expertise with industrial innovation, which was further strengthened in 2023 with the creation of CARCHE 3D, a pioneer in concrete 3D printing.
