MACOSA: Half a century of corsetry innovation and savoir-faire

Founded in 1973 by the father of Philippe Hache, who ran the company until last autumn, MACOSA's first activity was the manufacture of mid-range lingerie-corsetry, taking advantage of the boom in the women's lingerie market in the 70s. In the 90s, it employed up to 250 people, even producing its own brand of lingerie which enjoyed significant public success.

Diversification and versatility

@Guillaume Héraud Photographe">

Faced with the market fluctuations of the 2000s, MACOSA was able to resist and protect its employees from the repercussions of politico-economic decisions. In fact, it successfully set out to conquer new markets in the high-end, luxury segment and diversified its manufacturing into swimwear, nightwear, dancewear (for the Paris Opera), marinières, polo shirts and sweatshirts. It has extended its expertise in both warp and weft garment making and cut and sew knit. In response to changing demand, the highly qualified staff moved away from very large batches to medium and small batches, particularly for numerous foreign customers. "At the time, Philippe Hache's objective was to have lower volumes but greater profitability thanks to the luxury sector, and above all to acquire an international reputation" André Gagnon explains to us.

In its imposingly large workshop, comprising over 400 machines, MACOSA today has 85 employees and aspires to increase its workforce to 120. A goal that requires training to guarantee the quality of its production. With this in mind, the company took a pioneering step several years ago by creating the "MACOSA Academy", its in-house training school. Qualiopi-certified for the past two years, this academy offers training sessions welcoming between 8 and 13 learners with diverse profiles, ranging from young graduates to retrained professionals, as well as foreign apprentices seeking employment.

A DNA of continuous improvement

For the past three months, MACOSA has been under the direction of André Gagnon, former continuous improvement manager at Ateliers Grandis' SOCACO and Rousseau Couture sites. An appointment that is truly in keeping with the DNA of the company, which has always followed a trajectory of perpetual renewal, evolving over the decades through the diversification of its production, the promotion of versatility on the production line (such as island working), autonomy and the acquisition of new skills for its employees and today, through its integration within the Les Ateliers Grandis group.

Note that operational performance issues are a priority for the company, as evidenced by the fact that MACOSA was one of the pilot companies for the Innofabmod project on Lean Management. As is well-being at work, a policy championed by Les Ateliers Grandis: "investment in our employees is the key to our prosperous future. We are committed to recognizing the talent and skills of our teams", stresses the new director. Quality talent and recognized savoir-faire, as André Gagnon confirms with the EPV label: "customers come to look for genuine Made in France savoir-faire for lingerie and corsetry in our workshop".

The new site manager assures that it is moreover vital to "continue initiatives in terms of CSR". As a reminder, MACOSA is already GOTS and Les Ateliers Engagés du G.F.F. (Groupement de la Fabrication Française) certified. Monthly meetings and activities have also been introduced, creating a dynamic environment that "nurtures a sense of belonging and pride in working for MACOSA", emphasizes André Gagnon. CSR has materialized through committed initiatives: "clothing and book collections, distribution of leftover materials to local associations, waste collections, (...) we act a lot with and for the Commune".

One of the real challenges today, according to André Gagnon, is to manage "organizational issues, to enable people, who have the profile, to make the best use of management tools. The second priority is to integrate new products and diversify to strengthen our position in the luxury segment. The result of these two axes is to bring growth and sustainability", thanks to the support of the Les Ateliers Grandis group, which is deeply committed to promoting the excellence of the sector's savoir-faire and technical professions.

For more information: https://www.macosa-lingerie.com/ and https://lesateliersgrandis.fr/