Hermès opens a new leather goods factory in Riom, Auvergne

While the luxury sector seems to be in decline, Hermès stands out with the opening of its 23rd leather workshop in France. The luxurious Maison has recently completely renovated a former 7000m2 tobacco factory, an industrial site listed as a historic monument, located in the city center of Puy-de-Dôme. This opening is part of the leatherworker's eco-responsible approach, aiming to select local partner companies and to source and use sustainable materials for the renovation. In its statement, Hermès explained that it entrusted the Tracks-Architects firm with the renovation of these buildings, giving them the mission to reconcile the group's real estate strategy's CSR ambitions with the spirit of the Maison, which is to "create beauty within beauty".

The workshop employs 250 artisans who have been internally trained over the past few months in the unique skills of the independent luxury Maison. The group relied on the expertise of teams from its other leather workshop in Auvergne, located about twelve kilometers away and opened 20 years ago. By passing on these gestures and skills, Hermès aims to preserve its artisanal excellence, a key element for the French Maison. This is one reason why, in 2021, it opened the École Hermès des Savoir-Faire, an apprentice training center accredited by the Ministry of National Education, authorized to issue the Leatherworking Professional Aptitude Certificate and the Cutting Professional Qualification Certificate.

The core business of the luxury group, leather goods and saddlery, recorded a 15.7% increase in sales in the first half, reaching more than 3.2 billion euros. Over the same period, the group's overall revenue grew by 12%, amounting to 7.5 billion euros. To meet this growing demand, Hermès is increasing its production capacity, opening on average one new leather workshop per year for the past ten years. Three other factory projects are underway, in L'Isle-d'Espagnac (Charente), Loupes (Gironde), and Charleville-Mézières (Ardennes), where recruitment and training are ongoing.