Meeting with Eddy Paquetet, sales director of ViaCon

Batinfo: Can you introduce VIACON?

Eddy Paquetet: Since 2020, ViaCon France (formerly Tubosider France) has been part of the Swedish ViaCon group, which has existed since 1986 and is present in 19 countries. With 9 production plants, ViaCon Group is the European leader in underground metal structure solutions (engineering structures, pipes, tanks and reservoirs). The ViaCon Group's turnover is around €180 million.

ViaCon France has been present on the French market since 1987, initially under the name Tubosider France. In 1998, we purchased the Spirel® company to develop solutions for water management. Since then, ViaCon France has been the French leader in Spirel® galvanized steel tanks and reservoirs (helical nozzle with crimped joints) by providing sustainable solutions for water management and storage. All production is carried out in France (French Fab label), in our 21.000 m² factory located in Neuville sur Saône, 20 km north of Lyon.

Batinfo: What are your latest news?

Eddy Paquetet: For 2 years, our factory has been ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 certified. Quality management for customer satisfaction, the safety and health of our employees as well as the preservation of the environment are our priorities.

With evolving French regulations (Climate Law, Reuse of rainwater for buildings and wastewater after treatment, Fire Defense, Containment of polluted water in the event of an accident/fire, Integrated Rainwater Management, etc.), ViaCon provides a comprehensive offering that meets these challenges. We have thus created a range of products that meet applications related to water management in the broad sense: TuboSTORM® to buffer and regulate an intense rainfall episode, TuboSTORE® to store and reuse rainwater, TuboFIRE® to store water in fire defense, Tubo'INFILTRATION® to return rainwater to the ground and replenish water tables and finally TuboPROTECT® to store polluted water in the event of a fire (D9A) for ICPE or phytosanitary effluents (wine growing area).

ViaCon France also wants to strengthen its presence in road infrastructure with latest-generation metal structures with a low carbon footprint. These structures are an alternative to traditional concrete structures: more economical and more ecological, the sizing is carried out for a service life of 100 years.

Batinfo: Can you tell us about your future projects? How do you see the future for VIACON?

Eddy Paquetet: With the construction market in crisis for 2 years with a drop in construction starts for new housing, ViaCon France has adapted to offer products that meet standards for ICPE or External Fire Defense. We must also be able to raise the quality of our products by offering solutions for difficult contexts, particularly in the presence of a water table or in soils with aggressive chemical properties. This is why ViaCon is the first manufacturer to offer junction systems between these pipes using large diameter flanges (up to Ø1). This recent innovation makes it possible to make the waterproofing of structures installed in the presence of a water table or that must be completely waterproof (storage of polluted water, fire protection, etc.) more reliable. This offer is more economical and ecological than twinning tanks because it consumes less raw material and accessories. With its double-sided TrenchCoat® coating applied to the galvanized steel coil, ViaCon can also offer more durable works (3000 years) and in extreme conditions (aggressive effluents and soils, saline water tables, etc.). A complementary offer to the galvanized steel range alone.

Finally, customer satisfaction is at the heart of our priorities. With an overall score of 4,74/5 awarded in 2024 (customer satisfaction questionnaire after delivery), ViaCon is giving itself the means to maintain this very high level. Our organization with 2 pipe manufacturing lines and the equipment of our welding stations allows us to manufacture and deliver orders within short deadlines and adapted to construction sites. We know how to make quick decisions for more flexibility according to the activity of the order book (adjustment of staff and working hours). Manufacturing quickly is good, but it must be done with impeccable quality. This is why we have invested in an internal airtightness testing unit to control the conformity of our production and provide a quality commitment to our customers.

We approach the future with confidence and serenity because our products meet a major need. Our experience as a leader in water management allows us to position ourselves on new markets and those of tomorrow. We will continue to be close to our customers on the ground with our account managers spread throughout the territory: building sustainable and conscious connections.