The Île-de-France-based SME has seen its workforce
grow from 47 employees in 2017 to 140 in 2020.
“The idea is to integrate social distancing and new health
protection guidelines into all workstations, to make
them the norm, so that everyone can do their work at
the same pace as before,” explains Asmaa Senhadji,
director at Capocci, whom we met in August.
“We had a full production shutdown from mid-March
to mid-May,” says Alcides Ferreira. His Seine-et-
Marne-based company, ACM Équipements,
specialises in concrete distribution.
Fifteen of his 45 employees are involved in the work
on the Grand Paris Express. He takes stock: “There is
first version. On 20 April, work resumed on one part
of Line 15 South. Very gradually, other worksites
started back up. It was not until early June that all
120 worksites had started up again. This was a relief
for all suppliers and subcontractors who, in one way
or another, are playing their part in the Grand Paris
Express adventure. This was especially true for small
and mid-sized companies, which were experiencing
a variety of challenges.
SMEs on the front line
Some SMEs are already thinking about the
“post-Covid world” and can see new markets opening
up. Based in Hallennes-lez-Haubourdin in northern
France, the start-up Neo-Eco is working on spoil
recycling solutions. “The current crisis has been a shot
in the arm,” says its founder, Christophe Deboffe.
“We have realised that the post-Covid world will have
to be more local, more circular.” Since the summer,
the company has recorded strong growth and hopes
to expand internationally.
Other SMEs have adapted and are working hard,
hoping to bounce back. Founded in 1956, Capocci,
a family-owed business, is involved in earthworks
on several Grand Paris Express worksites.
a two-month delay at the sites where work was already
under way, but those that were due to start are ahead
of schedule because the studies were able to continue
even during lockdown.” His order book is full until
March 2021. “In the coming months, we will be
working flat out.” Société du Grand Paris requires
its contractors to have at least 20% of the work
carried out by SMEs, either as joint contractors or
subcontractors. And every year, €3 to €4 billion are
paid to contractors to build the Grand Paris Express.
The new metro is single-handedly contributing 0.2%
to France’s GDP growth rate. It is a real engine of
economic activity for the country.
How are Grand Paris Express contractors coping with the crisis? 14 interviews with SME owners on our website:
www.societedugrandparis.fr (under “Testimonials”)
CSR APPROACH
RISKS AND CHALLENGES
IDENTITY
2020 ACTIVITY
Activity report
