A large workshop dedicated to seamanship
Ino-Rope came into being in 2013 with the creation of the Ino-Block textile axle pulleys. Since then, textile rigging and seamanship are the core business of the company. The company left Roland Jourdain's incubator, Kaïros in 2017 to invest its own premises, with a total area of 1500m². Of these, 800m² is dedicated to the production workshop and storage, but space remains available to increase manufacturing.
Ino-Rope has a large stock of rope of all types of material, with a preference for French rope mills. The majority of the ropes are used for internal production, while some are sold on the online sales site. "Our ERP is essential. We have more than 15,000 references just for products processed internally for cruising and long-distance cruising, not to mention semi-custom products for regattas and offshore racing," says Thibault Reinhart, co-founder of Ino-Rope.
Three workstations installed in the seamanship workshop are used to produce custom-made ropes sold to yachtsmen, ocean racers and construction sites for original equipment. "We are developing the BtoB aspect with shipyards, as ocean racing has tended to internalize seamanship compared to when we started," says Thibault Reinhart.
Once the splices, assemblies and finishes have been completed, the ropes are grouped on hangers, by boat. "We work like in the fashion industry" ironizes the manager of the equipment manufacturer.
Customized rope testing tools
In order to continue the development of new textile products for the industry or solutions such as the mooring line on a dead body as an alternative to metal chains, Ino-Rope has created its own test facilities. Its tensile test bench can apply a tension of 20 T over 10 meters and 10 T over 27 meters. A scratch and abrasion simulation tool is being assembled. "We need our independent laboratory tools to see how the ropes react in a given situation," explains Thibault Reinhart. Of the company's 11 employees, 6 are in the development and production team.
A commercial reference in the sale of textile fittings
If it has a showroom for its products, Ino-Rope makes 50% of its turnover through its online store. The company is working on its offer with a catalog of already sewn ropes referenced by boat and a halyard or sheet calculator. It also capitalizes on its image as a reference in textiles to create a more complete range of fittings. "We offer products that are consistent with our own. We are the biggest resellers of constrictor blockers in the world!" concludes the founder of Ino-Rope.
