Sud Ouest Newspaper – Charente: Hydroalcoholic gel on an industrial scale

In Magnac-Lavalette, near Angoulême, Avel has been producing high-end shoe polish for over forty years. At one time, the company had the honor of being named an official supplier to the British Crown! Today, the firm employs around fifty people and generates annual revenue of...

Avel also manufactures household products. They possess the expertise to handle glycerin and hydrogen peroxide - two essential ingredients in hydroalcoholic gel. Consequently, at the very start of the health crisis, Avel spontaneously produced and donated several hectoliters of this precious liquid. The alcohol required for the formulation was provided by the Merlet distillery in Saint-Sauvant (Charente-Maritime) and the Rémy-Cointreau group (owner of Rémy Martin cognac).

"Creating the consortium was a natural step" 

"We had to produce nearly 10,000 liters, which we donated to the municipality of Angoulême", reports Marc Moura. The solution was then distributed to the hospital, healthcare professionals, and local shopkeepers.

Now that lockdown measures are easing, Avel aims to produce and sell the gel on an industrial scale: 10,000 liters per day! To achieve this, the company has partnered with Cognac Embouteillage, a firm in Salles-d’Angles (near Cognac) led by Julien Badr.

"Forming the consortium was a natural step. We are friends, and our areas of expertise complement each other", say the two entrepreneurs from the Charente region.

Loïc Déquier / "Sud Ouest" Julien Badr

In a 5-litre Bag-in-Box

At Salles-d’Angles, equipment, tanks, and a bottling line have been dedicated to the new production run. "This represents an investment of around €150,000. The facility is separate from our food-related operations. I would also like to thank the state authorities and Customs; they provided excellent support, and their teams were very responsive", notes Julien Badr.

A unique feature of the project is that the hydroalcoholic solution will be packaged in 5-liter "Bag-in-Box" containers—the type of wine dispenser commonly known as a BIB. The partners state:

"It’s a very practical container, especially for filling small bottles," the partners say.

The solution will be sold at a recommended price of €8 per liter. "We already have orders from major retailers and a wholesaler. Production will begin on Monday. It will involve around ten employees from Cognac Embouteillage", state Marc Moura and Julien Badr.

Objective: to meet local needs

Loïc Déquier / "Sud Ouest"

The industrial project was unveiled this Thursday at a press conference in Magnac-Lavalette, attended by Sandra Marsaud, the Member of Parliament for Charente.

Antoine Pontaillier, head of Picard Thermoformage in Nersac - a company that recently pivoted to mask production - was also invited. "Charente is taking action. It is manufacturing masks and hand sanitizer. The department is self-sufficient. Production is expected to meet local needs and be distributed further afield," the participants noted.

Link to the article : https://www.sudouest.fr/charente/angouleme/charente-du-gel-hydroalcoolique-a-l-echelle-industrielle-1974711.php