Savonnerie De l'Atlantique

What Savonnerie De l'Atlantique does

Savonnerie De l'Atlantique is a privately-held French soap manufacturer headquartered in Rezé (Loire-Atlantique), founded on February 1, 2006 following the bankruptcy of its predecessor Savonnerie & Parfumerie Bernard. The company produces and sells semi-finished soap bases, finished solid soaps (30g–400g), liquid soaps (100ml–25L), and shaving soaps, serving both B2B contract manufacturing clients and end consumers through its proprietary brands La Cigale, Cigale Bio, and Superclair. It claims to be the only industrial-sized soap factory in France still manufacturing authentic Marseille soap via the traditional full-boiled process producing 'neat soap' crystalline phase, and operates two production sites (Rezé for saponification, Pont Saint-Martin for conditioning and storage).

The company's core technology is in-house saponification across four distinct processes — traditional kettle (15 tonnes/week), continuous Marseille soap (5 tonnes/hour), empattage semi-boiled (12 tonnes/day), and continuous fatty acid neutralization (3 tonnes/hour) — yielding aggregate soap base capacity exceeding 20,000 tonnes/year and finished product conditioning capacity exceeding 15,000 tonnes/year (solids) and 5,000 tonnes/year (liquids). Operations are managed via the SYLOB9 ERP system (operational since 2014) which provides traceability, planning, and quality control across the supply chain. The company holds a comprehensive certification stack including ISO 22716, COSMOS ORGANIC, ECOCERT Natural Detergent, RSPO Supply Chain SG, IFS HPC V2, and Origine France Garantie.

The business model combines (1) B2B contract manufacturing and private-label supply to 4 major French retail chains and large national brands, (2) proprietary brand sales (La Cigale, Cigale Bio, Superclair) to national and international markets, (3) direct-to-consumer e-commerce via laboutiquedusavonnier.com, and (4) custom soap base development services for clients with volumes over 2 tonnes. By 2018 the company employed 47 people in France, traced its heritage to Nantes soap-making traditions dating back to 1774, and was actively recruiting to support continued development.

Name

Savonnerie De l'Atlantique

Legal name

SAVONNERIE DE L'ATLANTIQUE

Website

https://savon-atlantique.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Savonnerie De l'Atlantique is a privately-held French soap manufacturer founded in 2006 that produces semi-finished soap bases and finished solid, liquid, and shaving soaps for B2B retail and national brand clients, while also selling proprietary La Cigale, Cigale Bio, and Superclair brands to consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Soap Manufacturing

NAICS

Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing (325611), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)

akta.pro primary industry

Dishwashing Bars & Solid Dish Soaps (CRAJABAD)

Keywords

• Industrial soap manufacturing
• Marseille soap production
• Private label cosmetics
• Organic certified soaps
• Household cleaning products

Headquarters

HQ city

Rezé

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. B2B Manufacturing & Private Label: SAVONNERIE DE L'ATLANTIQUE operates primarily as a contract manufacturer (OEM/white-label) producing soaps for major French retail chains and national brands. The company restarted in February 2006 with only subcontracting activity for 4 major French retail distributors. It manufactures semi-finished soap bases and finished soap products under client brands.
2. Proprietary Brand Sales: Since 2008, the company creates and sells products under its own brands: La Cigale (traditional perfumed hygiene/toiletry products), Cigale Bio (organic certified hygiene/toiletry products), and Superclair (Marseille soaps and household cleaning products). Products are sold through the company's own online boutique and potentially through retail distribution.
3. Online Direct-to-Consumer Sales: The company operates its own e-commerce store (laboutiquedusavonnier.com) selling its branded products directly to end consumers.
4. Custom Soap Development: Custom soap base development services for clients with volumes over 2 tonnes. The company develops bespoke formulations with client-specified oils and special additives, leveraging its in-house R&D team including a doctor/engineer in oleo-chemistry and three cosmetology technicians.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Savonnerie De l'Atlantique is an industrial soap manufacturer producing semi-finished soap bases (solid bondillons/flakes and liquid bases) and finished soap products — hard soaps, liquid soaps, and shaving soaps — for B2B clients under private label and for end consumers under its own La Cigale, Cigale Bio, and Superclair brands. The company carries out 100% of saponification in-house across four distinct processes and offers full-service support including R&D, regulatory accompaniment, conditioning, packaging, and logistics.

Product overview

Savonnerie de l'Atlantique is a French soap manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of soap products organized around four main product categories (half-finished soaps, hard soaps, liquid soaps, and shaving soaps) and three consumer-facing brands (La Cigale for perfumed toiletries, Cigale Bio for organic certified products, and Superclair for household detergency products). The company operates as a contract manufacturer providing both semi-finished soap bases and finished products, with capabilities spanning development, saponification, shaping, conditioning, regulatory support, quality assurance, and logistics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La Cigale: Traditional brand of perfumed hygiene and toiletry products in the great tradition of combining French soap maker and Grasse perfumer know-how.
• Cigale Bio
• Superclair

Products and services

• Semi-finished soaps (Savons semi-finis)

Quantifiable outcome

• Product complaint rate below 2 per 1,000,000 kg sold (equivalent to 10,000,000 soaps of 100g) in 2017
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015SAVONNERIE DE L'ATLANTIQUE has been a member of the RSPO organization since before 2015. All standard palm oils used are RSPO certified since 2015. Since end of 2017, the company also uses RSPO-certified palm oil for its organic certified range. In 2019, this became an obligation under the COSMOS regulation update.
• AFISE (Association Française des Industries de la Détergence)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAVONNERIE DE L'ATLANTIQUE works continuously with AFISE (French Detergence Industries Association) on regulatory monitoring. The company participated in the creation of the AFISE 2003 'savon' code recognized by the DGCCRF. Pascal MARCHAL, co-director, serves as president of the Association Savon de Marseille France, which was created in 2017 with AFISE's support for the general interest of the profession and consumers.
• Association Savon de Marseille France (ASDMF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 2016 by French soap makers to promote a forward-looking vision for Marseille soap in the 21st century. Pascal MARCHAL, co-director of SAVONNERIE DE L'ATLANTIQUE, serves as president of the association and represents it before parliamentary and ministerial bodies. The association aims to resolve IGPIA (geographical indication) disputes and protect the interests of the French soap industry.
• ENSCPB Bordeaux (École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie, Biologie et Physique)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSAVONNERIE DE L'ATLANTIQUE is the only provider in France of industrial soapmaking and 'Marseille soap' courses, taught at ENSCPB Bordeaux in the final year of engineering training, jointly with the ITERG (Institut des Corps Gras) professional continuing education program.
• ITERG (Institut des Corps Gras)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSAVONNERIE DE L'ATLANTIQUE co-teaches industrial soapmaking courses with ITERG (Institut des Corps Gras) as part of the professional continuing education cycle at ENSCPB Bordeaux.
• University of Nantes / Faculty of Pharmacy of Nantes / University of Sciences NantesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSAVONNERIE DE L'ATLANTIQUE engages academically by giving lectures at the Faculty of Pharmacy of Nantes and occasionally at the University of Sciences Nantes. The company is also committed to the University of Nantes Foundation, supporting socio-esthetic projects at the CHU (University Hospital).
• Wastewater Treatment Station of Petite Californie, RezéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAVONNERIE DE L'ATLANTIQUE has a discharge agreement with the Petite Californie wastewater treatment plant in Rezé for treating industrial wastewater from formulation and conditioning operations. The discharge is 98%+ biodegradable, equivalent to fewer than 100 inhabitants, fully compliant with the February 2, 1998 ministerial decree.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Savonnerie du Midi (La Corvette): Marseille-based soap manufacturer producing genuine Marseille soap under the La Corvette brand. Operates an industrial-scale traditional kettle process and is a fellow member of the Association Savon de Marseille France, making it directly comparable to Savonnerie de l'Atlantique on authentic production method and B2B/retail distribution.
• Savonnerie Fer à Cheval: Marseille-based traditional soap factory established in 1856, member of the Association Savon de Marseille France. Produces genuine Marseille soap in cubes and liquid formats using cauldron saponification — directly comparable to Savonnerie de l'Atlantique on process heritage, geographic footprint and authentic Marseille soap positioning.
• Marius Fabre: French family-owned Marseille soap manufacturer founded in 1900 in Salon-de-Provence. Produces authentic Marseille soap using the traditional cauldron method and offers both branded and private-label products, making it the closest direct comparable to Savonnerie de l'Atlantique's traditional kettle saponification and B2B/private-label model.
• Pré de Provence: French traditional soap and personal care brand producing Marseille-style soaps, body care and gift sets. Closely comparable to Savonnerie de l'Atlantique's branded business (La Cigale, Cigale Bio) on product mix, French heritage positioning and retail/online distribution channels.

Broad incumbents

• L'Occitane en Provence: Large publicly-listed French natural beauty company headquartered in Manosque with a broad portfolio of soaps, body care and fragrances. Comparable as a broader French incumbent in the natural/heritage personal-care soap category where Savonnerie de l'Atlantique's La Cigale and Cigale Bio sub-brands compete, though at much larger scale.
• Roger & Gallet: Historic French soap and fragrance house (now part of the Impala Group). Comparable as a French heritage soap and personal-care brand competing in the same perfumed soap segment as Savonnerie de l'Atlantique's La Cigale range, though Roger & Gallet's portfolio is much broader and its distribution global.
• Unilever: Global FMCG giant with major soap and personal-care brands (Dove, Lux, Rexona, Lifebuoy). Comparable as a much larger player in the personal-care bar soap category where Savonnerie de l'Atlantique's La Cigale competes, and a potential customer for white-label/private-label soap bases and finished products given its global sourcing footprint.
• Henkel: German multinational with leading positions in laundry, home care and personal care (Persil, Le Chat, Fa). Comparable as a much larger incumbent in the household cleaning and personal care categories where Savonnerie de l'Atlantique competes via private-label and own-brand Superclair products, though at vastly greater scale and with global reach.

Regional players

• Saponificio Varesino: Italian traditional soap maker founded in 1945 near Varese producing artisanal shaving soaps, bath soaps and detergents. Comparable on traditional saponification know-how, niche premium positioning and use of natural oils, though operating in Italy rather than France and with a stronger focus on the shaving-soap segment where Savonnerie de l'Atlantique also competes.

Emerging players

• Cœur de Provence: French natural soap and cosmetics producer focused on Provence-sourced ingredients. Comparable to Savonnerie de l'Atlantique's Cigale Bio range on organic/natural positioning and direct-to-consumer and specialty retail distribution, though with a smaller industrial footprint and no contract-manufacturing offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sdafrance

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Savonnerie De l'Atlantique