Digital, a growth lever for Velux France

Arrested sites, closed production sites ... The health crisis will not have spared the building sector.But if confinement has been synonymous with losses, activity seems to start up for all branches in the sector.Restarting is even particularly fast for a number of companies like Velux France.

At the national level, the group first saw its activity drop by 50% compared to last year, to situate itself to - 20% or even - 30% at the time of deconia."We had planned to return to the stability of the volumes after the deconfination.But we completed summer at + 15 / + 20% compared to last year.The month of July was, against all odds, the second largest month in the history of Velux France.Our landing should be between last year and our objective, "reveals André Dot, its president.

How to explain this reversal of the situation?First explanation, "the postponement of sites.There was a business which left much faster and much stronger ”.Another reason, "this is probably a deeper effect".André Dot evokes the fact that the French spent more time with them and bought more household appliances;households that have also launched into the installation of a roof window, a blind or shutter."All this is encouraging".

A strategy turned to digital and customer experience

During the crisis, Velux France continued to communicate but more targeted ways."We bet a lot on digital, on the ability we have to capture the consumer early enough, to help him throughout his career, and to redirect him on the professional sector when his reflection is sufficiently ripe"."The offers we make are not necessarily financial or pecuniary offers.These are qualitative offers that will allow the entire sector to be drawn upwards.This is what we are going to strengthen and on which we will insist in the coming years ".

Digital, "It's fundamental for us", insists André Dot.A turn undertaken for more than two years under the leadership of the group's CEO, David Briggs."The idea is to strengthen proximity to the consumer, but it will only work with a strong network of partner installers".In the Paris region, a tool is under experimentation, namely Velux pro.It will allow installers to be put in connection with individuals wishing to carry out work.Consumer leads are sent to three professionals who will be able to contact the customer, move to his home, and carry out the "most suitable" quote to his expectations.Through this tool, ideas and visuals can be transmitted to help the craftsman to convince the consumer.

Digitalization also concerns training, explains André Dot to us."We have done recently, and it's extremely promising.It will not exclude physical training but some regular refreshments can make sense ".

Actions for a more sustainable world

The Velux group will also continue its actions in favor of a healthy and sustainable habitat.On this subject, André Dot refers to the Renovactif project launched in the suburbs of Brussels, but it is not the only one.The company has participated in numerous demonstrating projects and undertakes studies with scientific organizations such as the healthy housing barometer since 2015."We are working to enrich collective knowledge.It is also a way of highlighting the issues and alerting institutional and economic actors to take into account the criteria of comfort and health, such as light, air quality, acousticsin renovation and construction projects ”.

Regarding the recovery plan, and in particular the "renovation" component, André Dot believes that he is going "in the right direction".He simply regrets, while the roof windows are perfectly eligible in terms of energy performance, the limitation of assistance to the only replacement of windows equipped with simple glazing as this does not correspond to the reality of the park installed.

Reach carbon neutrality

In terms of reducing CO2 emissions, the Velux group recently signed an agreement with the NGO WWF International.The objective, compensate for the 5.6 million tonnes of CO2 issued since its creation in 1941, and reach carbon neutrality "for life" by 2041.

What is the genesis of this partnership?André Dot explains that the project was imagined by the Velux teams under the impetus, this time again, of David Briggs.The group's CEO understood that it became urgent to act for the planet."We no longer have time".And it is also in the nature of Velux to be engaged."The Velux group belongs to foundations and 90% of our profits are returned to the Company in order to serve projects of public interest," said the president of Velux France.He also believes that the company "has no choice"."When we are a company like Velux, our consumers are waiting for today and will wait tomorrow that we are on all these subjects".

Protect biodiversity

"The choice of projects we have with WWF, Uganda, Burma ... also responds to biodiversity objectives.We have chosen forests in tropical areas, first because they were the best possible carbon sensors, and then because there are specific biodiversity issues in these regions that we also want to send, "says AndréDowry.He specifies that in 2019, 99.6% of the woods used for the manufacture of velux products were certified (FSC, PEFC)."We find this idea of sustainable forest" where wood is taken "in a responsible manner to preserve biodiversity".

The agreement with WWF is a bit of a showcase of the actions taken by the Velux group in favor of carbon neutrality."What we built between 2007 and 2020 was to reduce our categories 1 and 2 emissions by 50%, that is to say all the categories of emissions that we master directly".In 2019, we reduced our 47 % emissions."We will probably be the goal by the end of the year, but that is not enough".To go further, the company is committed to reducing its categories 1, 2 and 3 in 10 years."In category 3, we will find CO2 emissions from our glass, aluminum suppliers, of all the partners with whom we work and who allow us to manufacture our products".The Velux group will thus review the design of its products, the way in which it selects its suppliers."There will be the usual criteria of quality of service, cost, reliability, but there will also be" sustainability "criteria" ".

Contribute to circular economy objectives

Another subject and not least, the circular economy."We need to work in a more global way on the building recycling sector.Velux France has had a pioneering approach to assess as closely as possible the environmental impact of velux products: since 2014, creation of FDES sheets (environmental and health declaration sheets) in our own name ".The company also launched tests with distributors to separately recycle the pallets, windows and other parts.Recycling and the ability to recover products are also part of the CO2 emissions reduction objectives in category 3.But to achieve this, "we will have to find much more effective recycling solutions and this will go through a transversal solution," said André Dot.

Velux France has already engaged in a recycling sector that works "extremely well", namely Ecosystem."We pour a copardipation so that our electric motors are recycled.We have to have such an effective sector on all building products, because we have noble, fully rewardable products ".Recycling is thus one of the group's sites for 2021.

André Dot finally returns to the concept of digital, a word that must be "demystif".It considers essential to juxtapose sustainable and digital development to be as close as possible to customer needs."And this will only work with a strong network, partners established in distribution and with building companies.", He concludes.