VST inaugurates its new headquarters and provides an update on its development projects

VST, 1st purchasing cooperative in France

VST (formerly VENDEE SANI THERM) was created 45 years ago in La Ferrière. Born from Joseph Landreau's desire to develop distribution for the benefit of artisans, it is the pioneering cooperative of artisans in France. This innovative model, which encountered a great deal of resistance at the time from traditional distributors and also from manufacturers reluctant to upset their distribution plans, is a success and continues to develop.
Since its inception, VST has experienced uninterrupted growth. In 6 years, its turnover has increased by 94% to reach 226 million euros in 2022. This strong growth is the result of several factors:

• The increase in the number of members of the cooperative despite a tense employment context
• Accelerated growth since COVID in all sectors and trades
• The merger in 2017 with the COSESAC cooperative, present in the departments of Deux-Sèvres and Vienne with a turnover in these 2 departments which increased from 10 to 46 million euros
• The strong increase in the number of tile setters who now number 150

The cooperative which shines on the departments of Vendée, Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne allows its 800 members (500 in 2016) to strengthen their economic performance. More than 400 employees spread over 6 sites work every day to offer the best service (in 5 years, 150 jobs have been created). Today, VST is the leading craftsmen's cooperative in France in terms of size and loyalty rate (1%).

Powerful and effective means to support members

« Support member development This is the leitmotif of VST, which provides its members – plumbers, heating engineers, electricians, tilers, roofers – with shared resources facilitating purchasing, logistics, technical, sales, communication and management functions:

• A single price with a high-performance economic offer
• Respect for the professional circuit: 20.000 project leaders come each year to survey the 5000 m² of the 4 exhibition halls in La Ferrière (85), Vertou (44), La Séguinière (49) and Echiré (79) allowing the craftsman to free themselves from the commercial function, with a realization rate of 95%
• Substantial stocks of up to 35 million euros spread over 50.000 m² of storage
• A fleet of 67 trucks ensuring quality delivery
• A place of information and training, essential to break the isolation of the entrepreneur

Since 2020, VST has been accelerating its development

In a favorable economic context, VST embarked on a major development program approved by its Board of Directors five years ago in order to continue to improve service to members and the well-being of employees at work:

• In 2020, expansion of the Essarts logistics platform in Vendée with 17.000m² of covered area for an investment of 8 million euros. The strategic location of this site makes it possible to serve Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire and to be closer to the sectors of the Deux-Sèvres and Vienne departments which represent the future of VST in terms of development.
• VST is developing in the Vienne department. With the aim of creating an agency in Poitiers, 15.500 m² of land is purchased in 2020 and the 2.000 m² depot inaugurated in 2022. The 900 m² showroom will be operational in the summer of 2023. The ACEM cooperative , on the same site will have its exhibition hall of 900m². The two showrooms will form the most important exhibition site in Vienna. The total investment amounts to 6.5 million euros.
• In order to meet the expectations of Loire-Atlantique members, the Vertou branch is undergoing renovation for a total investment of 2 million euros with the total overhaul of the showroom. The latter will be the subject of an architectural modification in line with the Poitiers showroom to offer end customers a quality welcome. Delivery is scheduled for spring 2024.
• Started in 2021, the expansion and renovation of the head office in La Ferrière has just been completed. The new social premises will be inaugurated on April 6. "We are concerned about the well-being of our employees at work and we have "pushed the walls" in order to offer them better working conditions" declares Thierry Orieux, Managing Director of VST. For this new infrastructure with gym, activity room and rest room, 7 million euros have been invested, 3000m² of building created, 1800m² completely renovated.

Large-scale projects by 2025

A collaborative work was carried out for 3 years. It enabled around a hundred members and employees to work on the future of VST and describe its singularities. The need to make the VST entity better known to the general public is the great lesson of this work. A new visual identity has been deployed on all of the cooperative's media. In the months to come, this deployment will accelerate among the members of the cooperative. This desire should make it possible to highlight the VST employer brand and continue to promote the virtues of the cooperative system.

Given the strong growth, the Essarts site is already saturated. VST will therefore build an 2025m² platform in Chavagnes-en-Paillers by 18.000, at the heart of its scope of action.

This new site will host, among other things, the tiling activity and the 12.000 plumbing and electrical references that today require a lot of handling. To optimize these 2 activities and improve working conditions, 2 automation systems will be put in place. 50 people will be assigned to this new site.

VST in a few figures:

• 800 members in Vendée, Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Deux Sèvres and Vienne
• 150 companies in the tiling sector
• 415 employees
• €226 million turnover (2022)
• 30.000 references stored in 47 m² of covered storage, 000 m² of outdoor storage

VST is a member of the ORCAB group.

6 locations:

La Ferrière (85) – head office: 29.000 m² warehouse – Artisans Artipôle showroom of 1600m²
• Les Essarts (85) – logistics platform: 17.500 m² of warehouse
• Vertou (44): 2000m² warehouse – Artisans Artipôle showroom of 1200m²
• La Séguinière (49): 2000m² warehouse – Artisans Artipôle showroom of 1200m²
• Echiré (79): 2300m² warehouse – Artisans Artipôle showroom of 900 m²
• Poitiers (86): 2000m² of deposit – In 2023 => Artisans Artipôle Vst and Acem showroom of 1800m²