POK, France’s leading manufacturer of firefighting equipment at Nogent-sur-Seine in the Aube department

Published the 16/06/23 | Territorial life

POK designs and sells firefighting equipment worldwide.

POK: The Company with 1,000 Projects

The company was founded by Bruno Grandpierre in 1976 in Paris. It moved to Nogent-sur-Seine in 1990 and spans a 13,000 m2 area. It is the leading French manufacturer of firefighting equipment, and the second largest in Europe. Now led by Alexandra Grandpierre, the founder’s daughter, the company has a team of 140 employees and generated a turnover of €17 million in 2022 (team distribution across three structures).

POK exports over 50% of its business internationally with distributors on every continent. The company boasts 4,500 references for a 100% French manufacturing process, serving various sectors such as equipment suppliers, the Navy, and industries.

The company has made investments to enhance its industrial performance with an engraving room, a 3D printing room, a new ERP system, CNC machines, a crimping machine, and a digital bending machine. “Business Sud Champagne supports us in arranging the financing for our investments as part of the Grand Est Competitiveness initiative set up by the Region,” notes Alexandre Grandpierre.

The company has other development projects underway, including the establishment of a testing area for their products, construction of a new boiler-making facility, and the expansion of certain buildings. “We aim to expand and become more independent,” the CEO notes.

A Strong CSR Dimension

POK designs robust, made-in-France products that are sustainable, allowing for a lifetime guarantee on some of their products. For other references, POK ensures the recovery of equipment for recycling and optimal valorisation.

“Our quality expertise is certified by ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards,” details Alexandra Grandpierre. Within the company, employees benefit from numerous advantages such as a contribution to mileage expenses or 100% reimbursement of public transport costs, entitlement to an attendance bonus and a co-optation bonus, 60% coverage of Health Insurance, and the installation of two free charging stations for electric vehicles.

“We have also installed dual-screen workstations for optimal comfort, a ping-pong table for conviviality, and provided tablets for stock management,” explains the CEO. The company has also established an environmental charter followed by all, to work intelligently. On the training front, POK has partnered with the Region to finance apprenticeships through the “Capital Stages” programme.

As part of POK’s growth dynamics, numerous positions are available. “Our employees are autonomous, they manufacture products from start to finish, there is no assembly line work. It’s a matter of pride to design an ethical, high-tech product that saves lives,” concludes Alexandra Grandpierre.