After its acquisition by Spurgin, Activ'Home scaled up its production to an industrial level

This investment will also result in the creation of around fifteen direct jobs in the long term. The Activ'Home unit in Reugny (03) is now capable of industrially producing 120.000 m2 ^per year (2 teams of 8 hours for 2 x 60.000 m2 ⁾ , of construction solutions (wooden walls and facades insulated with straw) intended for both the new construction market and the renovation of all types of buildings ranging from individual houses to collective housing, industrial and even tertiary buildings.

Activ'Home History

Founded in 2011 by Erick Rigaudie (pictured right), Activ'Home is now recognized as a leading player in the manufacture of timber-straw frame walls and facades using the Ecostrauv® process. Deeply committed to the potential of bio-based materials, this mechanical engineer by training founded Activ'Home "to give straw, recognized as very abundant, very inexpensive and extremely efficient, a chance to scale up its use in significant projects."

While the initial model was based on a nationwide network of franchised partners operating the patented industrial process, Erick Rigaudie quickly realized the need to shift towards exclusive marketing to construction professionals. Thus, since 2017, Activ'Home has developed a patent to guarantee this scaling up. This patent concerns the volumetric straw infill of timber frames, with homogeneous filling management and, above all, a high density that ensures maximum straw compression, while eliminating physical strain and increasing productivity. After a few years of this new strategic direction, the momentum has fully vindicated it. It's worth noting that Activ'Home was indeed the winner of the 2020 National Innovation Competition of the Grand Investment Plan and also received the Jury's Choice Award at Energy Sprong 2021.

The meeting, on shared construction sites, with the industrial company Spurgin, whose motto is "the right wall in the right place," was an immediate success. Founder Erick Rigaudie stated: "We share a common strategy and values. The collaboration and the desire to work together became obvious."

According to Pierre Bollard, CEO of Spurgin: Spurgin has joined forces with Activ'Home to complement its existing offering of low-carbon and bio-based solutions. With its low-carbon precast wall panels, CS2 wood-concrete walls, FP2 and FP3 panels, wood-concrete slabs, and bio-based Isopré insulation, Spurgin covers a wide range of building envelope needs. Activ'Home's timber-frame and straw-based precast concrete structures further enhance this portfolio, suitable for both new construction and renovation projects. The rationale is simple: to offer the right product in the right place, tailored to the project's structural, thermal, carbon, fire, acoustic, and regulatory constraints. This complementary approach reflects a strong environmental commitment: developing high-performance, industrialized, measurable construction solutions that comply with the RE2020 regulations. Finally, Spurgin brings its industrial expertise to Activ'Home: methodology, capacity, quality, logistics, and on-site delivery. Wood-straw solutions are thus evolving from a logic of one-off, bespoke projects to an industrial offering capable of responding quickly, in volume, and to projects of all sizes.

In 2024, Activ'Home joined the Spurgin Group, which invested €4 million in the creation of a new production unit in Reugny (03). This also created around fifteen jobs, including the new director, Karim Chettouh (pictured left). Having joined the Spurgin Group in September 2025, he boasts some thirty years of experience in managing and developing small-to-medium-sized industrial companies in various sectors (machining plastic parts, bottling, thermoforming, and insulation manufacturing). Committed to innovation and sustainable development, he has notably contributed to the launch of eco-friendly solutions such as thermo-reflective and bio-based insulation.

From the workshop to industrial production

Before its acquisition, Activ'Home operated a 1.300 m² facility ^capable of producing approximately 10.000 m² of wood/straw walls and facades annually with a team of 12 employees ^. Thanks to Spurgin's financial backing, the new factory now covers an area of ​​2.500 m² ^. Activ'Home's production team already numbers 15 people (average age 38), with plans to eventually reach a capacity of 120.000 m² (60.000 m² produced ^by two ⁸ -hour shifts) with 25 employees. Manufacturing lead times have also been significantly reduced, with "only three weeks from receipt of the approved construction model to deliver our products to the construction site," says Erick Rigaudie.

The new building was constructed with a metal frame and cladding, notably to support three lifting bridges, one with a capacity of 6,3 tonnes and the other two with capacities of 4 tonnes. The specific investment in the production area amounts to nearly €2,5 million. It should be noted that the new 82-meter-long production line was designed to allow for in-line work, resulting in increased productivity and optimal production quality, thanks in particular to the installation of numerous machine tools across seven modular workstations. The production flow is fully adaptable to the type of wall and its finish. This industrial design also translates, for employees, into greater working comfort (an ultra-bright factory with abundant natural light) and the elimination of any strenuous tasks.

Furthermore, Activ'Home now benefits from a strong design office with 5 employees (2 on-site, 2 remote, and 1 on a work-study program). Its range of services covers both industrial engineering with a collaborative approach encompassing model/execution/construction, and complementary expertise in thermal performance, air permeability, and more.

This makes Activ'Home solutions a must-have for all projects. Indeed, this new industrial dimension allows Activ'Home to serve not only the construction of individual homes but also major corporations managing larger-scale projects (industrial and commercial buildings). These major corporations expect an efficient partner capable of providing construction solutions that combine performance, environmental responsibility, and exceptionally short and reliable manufacturing/delivery times – the core principle of the Spurgin Group.

A comprehensive environmental approach

The building is also equipped with a rooftop photovoltaic system comprising 400 panels, generating 210 MWh annually for self-consumption. Furthermore, Activ'Home will consume 3.600 tons of straw per year (the equivalent of two truckloads per working day). This straw comes in small bales measuring 36 x 47 x 90 cm and is sourced locally, originating from the Limagne plain as well as the Allier and Cher departments. The wood follows the same local sourcing approach and carries the "Bois de France" and "Bois des territoires du Massif Central" certifications.

Finally, Activ'Home has expanded the use of specialized racks, ensuring autonomous, fast, and safe loading and unloading logistics. Similarly, the company has selected service providers capable of delivering low-carbon logistics, notably through the use of fleets of electric, LNG, and bioethanol trucks.

The advantages of Activ'Home wood/straw construction:

• Custom-made, all-in-one product (structure and insulation) with verified FDES;
• Exceptional thermal phase shift of up to 17 hours, with the elimination of thermal bridges, guarantees year-round comfort, summer and winter (R-value ranging from 3 to 8,5 K.m²/W). In renovation projects, it will be the ideal product for combating heatwaves. A perfect solution that aligns with the government's plan to audit French schools for thermal renovation.
• Carbon performance (-17,6 kg CO eq.₂/m²) exemplary, thanks to the wood and straw, the Activ'Home walls store bio-sourced material (up to 68 kg/m²)²) and in fact a significant amount of biogenic carbon (more than 14 kg/m³²). They are essential in direct response to the current and future requirements of RE2020 and even passive buildings;
• Adaptable for both new construction and renovation: in new builds, up to two stories, Activ'Home wood/straw walls allow for exemplary performance. In renovations, they provide an immediate solution for existing buildings whose envelope is not, or has never been, efficient;
• In terms of fire safety, they prove to be fire-resistant for 2 hours;
• Construction possible in seismic zones;
• Economical construction thanks to the low cost of compressed straw and simplified implementation requiring fewer steps and less labor.