EMAVER celebrates its 70th anniversary and invests in its production facilities
The Var company EMAVER celebrated its 70th anniversary by inaugurating a new production line at its La Garde site.
The company EMAVER Miroiterie Martin, a leading player in glass processing for professionals in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Corsica, celebrated its 70th anniversary on September 17.
The event, held at its industrial site in La Garde, brought together customers, partners, and institutional representatives for an open house day marking both a heritage and an ambition, embodied by the inauguration of a latest-generation automatic cutting line.
A history of transmission
Founded in 1956, Miroiterie Martin has adapted through decades of market developments. After a period within the Saint-Gobain group, the site was taken over in 1987 by Joël Potier, who saved the business and jobs by relying on strong local roots.
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His daughter, Émilie Potier, succeeded him in 2012 and pursued the modernization of production facilities, guiding the company through growth phases and the health crisis.
A new chapter opened in July 2024 with the handover of the company to Pierre Flotard. Building on his experience in developing the Alliance Marine group, he took over an independent industrial SME recognized for its expertise. This takeover ensures continuity, with the ambition of preserving the family and entrepreneurial identity that makes EMAVER strong, while launching a new development phase.
A strategic investment
The highlight of the day was the presentation of the combined cutting line. This equipment allows float (monolithic) glass and laminated glass to be processed on the same unit, addressing a triple challenge: improving cutting quality and precision, increasing responsiveness to orders, and boosting production reliability.
This investment complements an already highly versatile industrial platform capable of managing all processing stages in-house: cutting, shaping, thermal tempering, laminating, and insulating glass assembly. For EMAVER, which employs 40 people, this strategy aims to strengthen its autonomy, better control quality, and guarantee more reliable lead times, thereby reducing its dependence on subcontracting.
The day highlighted the technical role of glass in building performance, in close partnership with Saint-Gobain Vitrages. Modern glass solutions combine several essential functions. Coated glass allows natural light to enter, retains heat in winter thanks to high-performance thermal insulation, and protects against overheating in summer through solar control.
This last aspect is particularly crucial in the Mediterranean climate, where summer comfort becomes a major priority to limit air conditioning use. Infinitely recyclable, glass is also part of a circular economy approach, provided that collection and sorting channels on construction sites are effectively organized.
By processing glass mostly manufactured in France, EMAVER contributes to a short supply chain supporting national industrial skills and employment.
An entrepreneurial project
Pierre Flotard's project relies on the conviction that sustainable growth is built with teams. Continuous training, skills transfer, and employee empowerment are at the heart of this strategy.
The company positions itself exclusively as an industrial partner for professionals (glaziers, carpenters, fitters), without ever competing with them on installation. This clarification of its role, combined with digital tools such as an online ordering portal, aims to streamline commercial relationships to focus on high-value-added technical advice.
Photos Philippe OLIVIER.