Jul 15




Today, Genevieve Lethu almost a pioneer. It's been almost ten years since the specialist tableware decided to repatriate most of its production in France. The group did not wait for the rising costs of transportation and wage inflation that affects a part of Asia to relocate its production in France and Europe. While 40% are still manufactured in Southeast Asia in 2002, this proportion has now dropped to 9%. Aim of the operation to improve the quality of its products.

According to Edmond Kassapian CEO Genevieve Lethu and origin of this strategy, the manufacturing conditions in emerging markets were no longer satisfactory. "We see a lot of flaws too: for example, the colors were sometimes not good.Moreover, China does not always meet the hygiene standards required by the manufacture of kitchen utensils, "said he. Three or four people were paid full-time, just for the after sales service. Manufacturing defects that the company, positioned on a medium-high-end, could not pass up. With a significant portion of its customers for export, being a French brand was not selling enough. "Our customers are demanding products made in France, not South-East Asia," said Edmond Kassapian.

Especially these failures were added to other problems. "Our own suppliers copied our collections to sell at lower prices," recalls the CEO. Occur in Asia also means longer production lead times, which complicate inventory management.In addition to transport by ship, which takes about two months, the status of "world factory" in China in some areas it is a work organization to lean. In this context, start or restart a production cycle requires a waiting period of up to six to eight months.

Model difficult to transpose

By bringing back most of its production in France, Geveniève Lethu won as responsiveness and quality. But this shedding was not built without problems. "Finding plants in France and Europe that can ensure our production has not been an easy task. Invest in tools, machinery was necessary. The repatriation was ultimately effective only from 2004-2005, "said Edmond Kassapian.Despite the cost of transportation and the "huge mess" deplored by the specialist tableware of its products made in China, produced in France is generally two to three times more expensive.

Why the model Genevieve Lethu is not easily transferable. "Some activities simply can not be relocated. Products requiring significant labor to manufacture or those who stand out from the competition will cost products in Asian countries. Our relocation was only possible because we are positioning ourselves in the middle and high end because the argument made in France for us was a selling point, "Edmond analysis Kassapian.

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Jul 9




This time, the Fininvest will have to pay. The court sentenced him on Saturday appealed the group owned by Silvio Berlusconi to pay 560 million euros in the CIR group, owned by Carlo de Benedetti. The judges of the Court of Appeal of Milan have found that control of the publisher Mondadori, obtained in 1991 by Fininvest, to the detriment of the EIF through a favorable court decision, was made possible by the corruption of judge and lawyers involved. In 2007, the Criminal Justice had issued a similar notice, including the judge sentenced Vottorio Metta was stationed in nearly three years in prison.

On appeal, the Milan judges, however, reduced the magnitude of the financial penalty, determined in the first instance to 750 million euros.Unlike 2007, the decision will also be immediately enforceable: Fininvest will address 560 million euros in damages without waiting for the trial to the Supreme Court that the group should seek. "Our lawyers are already beginning to study the complaint," has indeed responded Marina Berlusconi, the eldest daughter of the Head of Government and president of Fininvest. This assesses the amount of the penalty "to double the participation of Fininvest in Mondadori."

Electoral setback and legal troubles

The Cavaliere had nevertheless worked hard to save the payment of such penalty to the group. Approaching the verdict, he did not hesitate to try to vote by Parliament an amendment to the Civil Code suspending sanctions in excess of 20 million euros on appeal, until the final decision of the court of Cassation.A measure to be adopted in the Bill ratifying the austerity plan. Faced with the outcry in the opinion of this measure, the Cavaliere has this week backed down.

This decision is more bad news for the chairman, who combines political defeats in recent months and legal troubles. Also implicated in the "Rubygate" Silvio Berlusconi suffered a severe mid-June electoral setback. The Italians have indeed overwhelmingly (over 94%) rejected four bills proposed by his government and put to a referendum: one devoted to the construction of new nuclear power stations, one on the privatization of water management by municipalities, and two providing legal immunity of ministers and the chairman of the board. Silvio Berlusconi, who announced Friday he would not stand in 2013, probably did not finish with the law.

Jun 29




After the accident nucléraire Japan March 11 Fukushima, who questioned the safety of nuclear power in the world, Areva intends to secure its investments by standing as a major player in offshore wind Thus, the group NUCLEAR he announced Wednesday morning that it has signed a strategic partnership with Iberdrola Renewables, a subsidiary of Spanish giant Iberdrola and world leader in offshore wind to meet the tender just launched by the French government. The project, detailed by Nicolas Sarkozy last January after being repeatedly postponed, for the first phase is to establish 600 wind turbines with an installed capacity of 3,000 megawatts (MW) in France. In 2020, Nicolas Sarkozy has described the goal of 6000 MW of offshore wind, or 1200 units to be built.The specifications of the tender will be published in July, two months behind schedule.

"Areva and Iberdrola are two major areas of the five selected for the first phase of the tender," said the French group said in a statement, without giving further details. The five development zones are located on the Atlantic coast and the Channel, between Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique) and Tréport (Seine-Maritime) easy pay day loans. According to the newspaper Les Echos, the areas of Saint-Brieuc and Saint-Nazaire are cited, and the two companies together produce between 500 and 750 MW of capacity. In addition, a construction group should join them "very soon".If the alliance was successful, Iberdrola Renewables will develop the project as it does in Germany or the United Kingdom while Areva exclusively manufacture and supply of wind turbines of 5 MW.

Recently, GDF-Suez and Vinci jointly responded to the tender which is a whole of 10 billion euros for zones of Dieppe-Tréport, Fecamp (both in Seine-Maritime) and Courseulles -sur-Mer (Calvados). While at the beginning of the year, Alstom and EDF Energies Nouvelles announced together to meet all of the tender.

This announcement could be the last made under the direction of Anne Lauvergeon whose term expires June 30 Luc Oursel then take the head of the Executive tomorrow, Thursday.

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Jun 26




A race against time. On Monday, the French stage will present at the National Rugby Marcoussis, before the DNACG (National Directorate of assistance and management control) financial guarantees as to the survival of the Parisian club, after the fraud case linked Facem the Canadian Foundation (Foundation for the Improvement of children in the world).

Still two million find

The figure is known, the French stage has a deficit of 6 million euros to be filled Monday. Bernard Laporte would have found new investors. But after the spectacular failure of Facem, the pool of investors formed by the Englishman Richard Pool-Jones, former player for the club, has also been reactivated, with the help of Serge Kampf, CEO of Capgemini and a great patron of rugby French, and former international Jean-Pierre Rives.The DNACG, before which the Parisian club had already presented in May, is now more demanding, it expects 12.6 million euros in guarantees, in the amount that would normally Facem injected. The round of Pool-Jones would have raised 8 million – the amount initially met – and another 2 million could be saved by reviewing the operating mode of the Parisian club. Remains yet to find 2 million euros to avoid the gauntlet of the "financial policeman" of French rugby. The question is which of the two solutions will be chosen.

A bloated workforce that will have to degrease

Ironically, the missing 2 million in the plane of Pool-Jones correspond to expenses incurred in recruiting high-end by the French stage version which had Laporte on 20 million euros pledged by the Facem but are never arrived.

A total of 19 players have committed to the Paris Club, including the Argentine Felipe Contepomi, New Zealand's Byron Kelleher and Paul Sackey English no fax cash loans. The wage bill had increased to 8 million euros. Another nod, the signature of South Africans Mostert and Van Zyl was announced just minutes before the revelation of the scam. Tuesday afternoon, already aware of the shock, the agents were in turmoil, many trying to resettle their foals outside the capital. Obvious: we'll have to degrease the mammoth. Pascal Pape and David Attoub could rebound in Lyon, recently promoted to Top 14. Bastareaud, who wishes to engage with Toulon but is retained by Bernard Laporte, will get the proper output in the coming days. Mourad Boudjellal, the president of RCT, intention, however, take advantage of the situation. "The first thing that the French stage recovers.I prefer to renegotiate with Max Guazzini and Bernard Laporte in top form in this situation. I really do not want to take advantage, "he said Friday in Var Matin.

Laporte, a return that is like a slap in the face

It would revive the French stage, it could remain who precipitated his fall. Without money from the Facem (three related to this foundation have since been placed in custody), there is nothing. Former Secretary of State for Sport has played with fire. He has left € 170,000 under the guarantees. Salagoïty Francis, former president of the Bayonne where "Bernie" was a brief passage, drives the point home in South West: "Everyone will understand that my apprehensions were based on Bernard Laporte." The only way to bounce back is that the new rescue plan is adopted.In either case, it is rumored that Serge Kampf would not want to hear about it …

Jun 21




They lied. This is a strange admission by Clement and Alec, the founders of La Chanson du Dimanche, the duo since 2007 Sunday night awakens the evil of Internet users in social and crazy song. Yes, they lied to their customers is a confession in the form of heartfelt cry that emerges from this interview.

Consultant bombed out of school, both graduates of the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Telecom are two mathematicians lost time in the land of recce missions and project management. It's hard to imagine a mission, wearing, clean-shaven, explaining to a client redesign of a master plan or the establishment of a new information system … Yet they did.

They retain a bittersweet feeling, a form of disenfranchisement that tells and sings with humor generation in their thirties they belong.On the one hand a job the temptation of food and the gentrification of bohemian and the other the desire to achieve otherwise. From this point of view, Alec and his anxiety to quit pretty much sums up the feeling of all those who want to move on but do not have the courage or the opportunity to go through. Clement has not experienced these feelings. It is the most relaxed of the two and gives math class today until the next season of the Song of Sunday.

Jun 17




– Manage the post-Fukushima

The renaissance that nuclear power seemed to promise, in the world, there are a few more months, will she be? Areva had put in a position to be a key player in the expansion of civil atom, only controlled and profitable alternative to fossil fuels and "clean" in CO2 emissions which is more. The French group and hired some 12,000 people each year to keep pace expected of its business.

Since 11 March, the situation has changed dramatically: Germany, Switzerland and now Italy, have decided to end their civil nuclear program. India, with firm orders for new reactors was expected before the summer, will surely prolong his reflection. Anne Lauvergeon refused to believe in a "nuclear winter".For her as for other supporters of the atom, the policy decisions taken today as the heat of the moment can be questioned tomorrow.

For now, the international development of Areva is at stake in the coming months, all the nuclear installations in Europe will be reviewed. Although the terms of these "stress tests" are still being defined, Areva will necessarily be at the forefront. Like Anne Lauvergeon, his successor will have to become a diplomat of nuclear power, both to reassure his interlocutors on the safety of this activity and convince them to pursue an effective dialogue with the French group.

– Restore the finances of the company

For a long time, critics of Anne Lauvergeon stigmatize poor operational management of the company and its finances in jeopardy.In 2010, the company has also accused an operating loss of 423 million euros and the rating agency has become mediocre. The group also suffers from having camped on his credo of "vertical integration", to the point of purchase, too expensive, its own uranium mines, which now require large investments. Finally, the action Areva is listed in this form since May 30, has lost nearly 15%.

– Pacifier relationship with EDF

Relations have never been easy between the two companies, they have become abominable between Anne and Henri Proglio Lauvergeon, CEO of the utility since the fall of 2009. Regularly called to order by the state, their shareholders to both, the two companies to work together STRIPS sentenced last fall to formalize a strategic partnership.

All aspects of collaboration are concerned, the supply of uranium to the reprocessing of spent fuel, to building new reactors. But the various working groups have not yet yielded any conclusions. Again, the management of Areva will be watched around the corner. Luc Oursel will be on a narrow track of restoring harmonious relations with EDF, without appearing the vassal.

Seen from the Elysee, the issue is crucial because it is to harmonize relationships within the French nuclear industry to win export contracts. Without compromising the ability of Areva to sell only his skills to other electricians global EDF's competitors.

– To service the Finnish EPR

It's really cursed the site for Areva. The new generation of reactor Olkiluoto 3 should have been operational in 2009. It will not be before 2012.His bill, expected around 3.5 billion euros, has appreciated by 3 billion euros, lead accounts Areva. The company – which has staked his credibility by taking on the project management of this project – no longer has the right to make mistakes. The EPR is the cornerstone of its international development. And it is that Luc Oursel return the task to make a successful export, arguing its assets in terms of safety.

At the same time, the new leader of the nuclear group will tackle the launch of the TDD, a new medium-power reactor that. Through this case is the ability of the company to expand its portfolio of facilities that will be tested.

Jun 14




Background music, soft lighting, warm colors (brown and fuchsia), wooden floor and comfortable temperature: it is almost like a trendy bar. Yet although a supermarket of 550 square meters, opened two weeks ago in the heart of Marseille and named a new sign, "Unlike our competitors, with their sizes or City Express, we want to customers to spend time in store, "says Jean-Pierre Lanzetti, CEO Casino Near (Petit Casino, Vival Spar, Via Italia).

Casino Shopping and smaller version, Casino Shop (for stores with less than 350 square meters), may well flourish everywhere, if the group is satisfied with its test stores. After Marseille, a second will open in early July in Saint-Etienne, home of Casino, and eight small casino (in Lyon and Toulouse in particular) will be processed before the end of the year.The identity of the 1,800 stores, including "the grocer is a great guy" is fourteen years old and needed to be brought up to date.

Casino would react. Most of his competitors in fact lead the last two years an unprecedented drive to win in the city center, where the band Saint Etienne, which also owns Franprix and Monoprix, is in a strong position. Carrefour (City Express), Auchan (City and A 2 Step), Intermarché (Express) and Système U (Express) are all involved in a renovation or repositioning their format.

Deployment in 2012

"We take the time needed, the possible deployment of Shopping Shop and intervene only next year, wants to warn Jean-Pierre Lanzetti free business cards. The company decided to change many parameters at once.Employees are identified by their first names, the furniture is curved, the loyalty card enters and fresh produce, other than fruit and vegetables, are behind the doors are transparent, allowing the passage to reduce the energy bill of a quarter.

"We mainly worked on the set," says Jean-Pierre Lanzetti. Ranges and frozen drinks have been reduced in favor of fruits and vegetables and a large beauty department, which was missing in the Casino supermarkets. Creams, mascara and brushes already represent 15% of revenues Shopping Marseille. Of the 9000 references proposed products snacking Chez Jean (another sign of the group being tested since early 2009), and decorative packaging items from many parts of France. One can even order his coffee machine via a touch screen.Ultimately, this approach to extend the offer could affect other products.

To combat the image of dearth of supermarkets in the city center, prices have been reduced "from 15% to 18% compared to an equivalent Petit Casino," says the general manager of the branch nearby, betting on higher volumes .

The company has another trick: it forms partnerships with its suppliers to its customers enjoy benefits fidelity on Kronenbourg beer or cookies BN: "We have 100 partners to date that offer our clients 10 to 25 % discount, by September we will have 400, "says Jean-Pierre Lanzetti.

Jun 10




Measures deemed insufficient. Farmers are almost unanimous in the result of measures announced by the Head of State yesterday in the Charente, including the provision of advances on compensation, exemptions from social contributions and deferred debt.

The President of the Republic "leaves farmers in their thirst," said a statement from Rural Coordination. "The agonizing question of farmers, as how to buy the additional food needed to feed a proper straw-based (for livestock), does not seem to touch the mind of Nicolas Sarkozy," regrets the union. Rural Coordination also reiterated his request for "make available the farmers two million tonnes of cereals in 2011 is intended to produce biofuel."

Another minority union, the Confederation Paysanne, made the same request, and indicates in its brief statement that the announcements made by the president are "insufficient". The union is also seeking the postponement of one year of all maturities of borrowings (2011 paid in 2012 and 2012 paid in 2013) and "zero-interest loans offered by all banks to farmers to aid payments Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) October 15, 2011.

FNSEA satisfied, but relativized

FNSEA, the main farmers' union, is the only one to be satisfied with the measures announced by Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday, saying that the Head of State "became aware of the situation" of farmers and its urgency. Its president, Xavier Beulin, welcomed the "emergency response" proposed.He also welcomed the establishment of a five-year plan to create water reservoirs and reduced volumes of water used by agriculture.

However, the president of the FNSEA expects the figures for the consequences of drought, which should be known in early September. He estimates it will then probably look at more structural measures, and direct payments to certain farms.

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Jun 7




Most renewed the attack on the RSA. On the eve of the opening of the convention on the theme of social justice organized by the presidential party tomorrow, Wednesday, June 8, Jean-Francois Cope, secretary general of the UMP, exhibited in an interview with the daily La Voix du North's proposals for certain recipients of income solidarité active (RSA) work "between five and ten hours per week serving the community of residence." In Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France, his deputy, Marc-Philippe Daubresse, which promotes these same proposals.

"About a third of the 1.15 million households that receive the old RMI are not able to work without heavy social support. But for the others we'll be offered a social utility paid five to ten hours per week, in communities or integration structures, "he says.In case of refusal, "the RSA may be reduced on a declining basis," said deputy general secretary.

Keeping the philosophy of law Hirsch

"Laurent Wauquiez has asked good questions," says he with reference to the controversy raised in mid-May by the Minister of European Affairs on the "excesses of the assistantship. Marc-Philippe Daubresse former Minister of Solidarity nevertheless believes that active-Laurent Wauquiez who wanted to impose hours of social service, did not provide "necessarily the right answers for those who know the complex workings of the RSA low interest personal loan.

He said the crisis has eased the innovative principle of active solidarity revenue, created to allow anyone who works to earn more than doing nothing, and he wants to add a second component.This new proposal he said the answers "to questions by Laurent Wauquiez, while keeping the philosophy of law Hirsch.

Create one-stop shops

Marc-Philippe Daubresse also wants to create one-stop and check that one department to another, that households whose situation is similar enjoy the same rights. The monthly business-RSA today paid quarterly, is also considered.In order to track social security fraud, the UMP also wants to implement a automatic reporting of income by Urssaf the family allowance funds.

These proposals were laborées at the request of President Chirac who, while saying that RSA is "a major social advance of this five-year", said it was perfect.

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Jun 1




The dominant expectations Wall Street on Wednesday. The Dow Jones lost 0.35% to 12,525.82 points, the Nasdaq yield 0.20% to 2829.60 points and the S & P 500 was down 0.29% to 1341.32 points.

Tuesday, as all global markets, the U.S. stock market had closed on a sharp rise, the Dow Jones climbed 1.03% and the Nasdaq by 1.37%. Investors, who were returning from a long weekend, had welcomed with relief the press releases stating that Germany would give up a debt restructuring of Greece.

On Wednesday, the new no longer effect. As in Europe and Asia, caution is back on the market, supported by a series of disappointing indicators from China and the euro area. China's PMI purchasing managers of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) fell to 52 last month, against 52.9 in April.In the euro area, this indicator stood at 54.6 in May, after a flash estimate of 54.8, against 58 in April. Is the lowest since October.

United States, the employment figures in the private sector show an increase of only 38,000 in May, according to the firm ADP, while analysts were betting on 170,000 net hires.

Investors across the Atlantic will also learn construction costs.

Side currency, the euro rose slightly against the U.S. dollar at 1.4421 dollars (+0.18%) in the early afternoon in Paris.For its part, oil recedes, a barrel of light sweet crude for July delivery yielding 0.53% to 102.16 dollars short term personal loans.

Yahoo!: -1.39% to 16.32 dollars

Yahoo has resolved its dispute with Alibaba Group in connection with the transfer by the Chinese company's online payment system, Alipay, its chief executive Jack Ma said on source familiar with the matter. The two companies reached an agreement before the meeting with analysts from Yahoo last Wednesday. But the agreement requires the green light from the founder of Softbank, Masayoshi Son, who sits on the board of directors of Alibaba. He was quite reluctant, says one. Japanese Softbank is a shareholder of Alibaba and Yahoo Japan.

Google: 0.46% to 531.44 dollars

Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman and former CEO of Google, said Tuesday night had "planted" on social networks four years ago.He takes the responsibility for the error that allowed Facebook to be the undisputed leader in the category.

Phillips-Van Heusen: 1.39% to 66.89 dollars

Phillips-Van Heusen for its part, announced a net profit of $ 58 million (79 cents per share) in the first quarter of fiscal 2012, against $ 28 million loss (53 cents per share) a year before. The turnover was doubled to 1.37 billion against $ 619 million a year earlier. The group is therefore the goal of annual earnings per share to range between 4.80 and $ 5 per title.

Dollar General: -8.58% to 32.06 dollars

Still on publications, Dollar General will issue its first quarter revenues.

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