“In the beginning, it was the cotton that burned. The price of raw material has tripled in two years. Dyed yarn has grown by 50% in one year. Then polyamide, then elastane, then pigments for dyeing socks, which increased by almost 50% in March alone, because they come from Eastern Europe. All with an explosion of transport costs. Bringing a container of cotton from India costs us seven times more [qu’en 2021] ! » At the head of Maison Broussaud, a family SME which has been manufacturing socks for several brands in Limousin since 1938, Alexandra Broussaud now spends a large part of her time calculating and recalculating her production costs.
She tries to loosen the vice in which she is caught, between greedy suppliers and dissatisfied customers. “The first few months, we tried not to pass on this increase, by eating on our margins. But it is untenable. The sustainability of the company is at stake. My customers tell me that they can no longer accept price increases. They can’t sell a pair of socks for more than 14 or 15 euros. It doesn’t happen anymore. »
In a completely different sector of activity, Aurore Lebon must grapple with the same difficulties. “ All materials are concerned: brass, which is spun only in two European countries, Italy and Germany, has risen by around 20% since September [2021]. Just like paintings. We lack metals, electronic components to manufacture the motors of our blinds », explains the president of Gauthier & Cie, a craft company based near Chartres, which manufactures high-end rods and blinds.
Inflation not only erodes the purchasing power of households, it also puts thousands of VSEs and SMEs in a delicate situation. No need to import raw materials, use sophisticated machine tools or rare metals to be touched. The energy surge is affecting all businesses, even in the field of personal services.
“Sometimes very tough negotiations”
In Creutzwald, in Moselle, Ludovic Faroult operates a small gym in the city center. “The electricity bill to heat and light the room, which is open seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., has increased by 30% since the end of 2021. It is impossible to play on the price of our subscriptions, while we are already in a very delicate financial situation, with three competitors in the municipality. And we just learned that a new room will open! »
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