Today in the very closed circle of the ten most important French players in glass transformation, the Lyon company is setting out to tackle all challenges.
Created 35 years ago by Philippe Melon, Diffuver has specialized for fifteen years in technical insulating glazing dedicated to the facade taking market share as and when it becomes leader in its region. Rhône-Alpes. With two sites, in Marclopt (42), Lyon (69) and two subsidiaries in Ardèche and Drôme, Diffuver appears as a heavyweight of the facade at the same time as the dimensions of the glass stretch to the extreme. .. and the emblematic references of its know-how. With professionals - architects, project managers, general construction companies, aluminum producers, metalworkers, etc. - the entrepreneur pursues his objective on a daily basis: to invest in the service of his specialization and performance. Around a "simple" axis: "knowing how to build and deliver accordingly", summarizes Philippe Melon, president of Diffuver.
For the transformer, which has distinguished itself with impressive buildings, with no less than a kilometer of curtain walls for Framatome Lyon or more than 7 m² of glazing for the Steel site, Active Shopping Resort in Saint-Etienne among the most recent in 000, “the construction forecasts for this year invite optimism. 2020 m² of our insulating glazing will notably be installed on the facades of the largest shopping center in continental Europe for which our Vaulx-en-Velin workshop will have glued hundreds of patterns in as many squares standing out on the glasses! ".
An astonishing achievement to be discovered before the summer of 2021, which joins the unique architectural signatures with which Diffuver has built a solid reputation; like the 2.000 m² of insulating glass manufactured on its site in Loire for Le Cube Vert, Euronews headquarters in Lyon, designed by architects Jakob + MacFarlane, followers of turbulent geometries and works against the tide.
Glass know-how
With around 100.000 employees on all of its sites and an annual production of 3 m² of double glazing, Diffuver is constantly transforming its tool to improve productivity, service and quality… its trademark. Proof by example, for three years, under the impetus of Rémi Maximin, new partner and also president of Glassalia and vice-president of CEKAL, the company began an investment program of XNUMX M € to satisfy the market. in strong development of large-dimension glasses.
In its factory in Marclopt, Diffuver has thus pushed back the walls of an additional 600 m² to accommodate a cutting table for laminated glass with a 6 m bridge, two machining centers and a line of latest-generation Jumbo insulating glazing, from the Austrian manufacturer. Lisec.
"This 56 m monster concentrates a technology which required 1 month of assembly and deployment in our workshop", informs Rémi Maximin, also director of the site. Operational since the end of February 2021, this line, unique in France, includes a fault detection scanner, a turner, a tandem press and a latest generation coating robot. It is capable of supporting up to 2 tonnes of glass and 350 kg per linear meter and insulating glass of 6000 x 3210 mm.
"This high-performance installation, unrivaled in France, will enable us to meet the most demanding demands in terms of XXL insulating glazing and to enter the top 5 manufacturers capable of industrializing this type of glazing", rejoices Philippe Melon. . "We have also invested in two straight trucks with trailer and 42 tonne crane to best support our customers in delivering these glasses".
The VEC, from the top of the facades
Diffuver's high technicality also distinguishes its gluing workshop dedicated to all VEC (Glued Exterior Glazing) projects. Expertise "more and more sought after by our colleagues and leads for the future", points out the manager; “The VEC facade, which uses glazing glued to opening or fixed aluminum frames, can integrate many glazing, such as laminated safety glass or tempered glass, mounted on double or triple insulating glazing. In addition to its refined and homogeneous aestheticism particularly appreciated by architects and specifiers, the VEC curtain wall, by its fixing, simultaneously absorbs vibrations and external constraints (snow, wind, high temperature, seismic movements, etc.).
The interest of these facades, the type of assembly of which is highly technical, perfectly matches the challenges of energy transition and sustainable buildings (HQE, BBC, etc.). Proactive determined to develop the manufacture of glazing and its applications, the transformer is pleased with its geographical location, in the center of France, dealing with proximity and local calls for tenders to the Swiss foothills and the Island -de-France, winning more and more Parisian markets, while protecting the impact of transport on the environment.
"We are thus participating in the development of the current economic model, which is more virtuous and concerned about our ecological repercussions, as an industrial company and a moral entity".