Right on trend, Exokit is surfing on the development of vans
Located in Le Légué, near Saint-Brieuc, the Brioche company Exokit, specialised in the fitting out of vans, is made up of nine employees and a Golden dog: Nova. And a Golden dog : Nova (Le Télégramme/Benoît Tréhorel)
Created by two friends in November 2020, Exokit now has nine employees. In addition to kit fittings, the Brioche-based company now offers to install furniture, electrify and insulate any van under the Homad brand.
What is the difference between a good idea and a bad idea? The good one will have benefited from a tailwind. The other does not. When they launched Exokit in November 2020, between two waves of health crises, Raphaël Guigo and Morgan Barroux had a good nose for it. The principle: to offer van owners kit solutions that are both customisable and easy to assemble.
Relocation and recruitment
Thanks to 3D design and digital machining, the furniture that comes out of their workshop in the port of Le Légué fits perfectly into the bodywork of any vehicle that has been on the road for less than fifteen years (Volkswagen Transporter, Peugeot Traveller, Ford Transit, etc.). Demanding, conscientious and attentive, the duo of partners wanted a result that lived up to its promise: clever, adapted, attractive and above all robust. “You can slam the door on our furniture, it doesn’t move,” defends Morgan.
In two years, the order curve has literally skyrocketed. “Between April and December 2021, we designed and manufactured about 120 kits. This year, over the same period, we should approach 350. As a direct consequence, Exokit has grown from three to nine employees. At the start, the team was cramped in the 400 m2 located at 8 Quai Armez, but now it is located at n°10, in 1000 m2. Rented from the Agglo, the premises house offices, workshops and a showroom.
A partner network that is becoming more structured
Anxious to meet the aspirations of a booming market, the company has not only refined its know-how but also developed, since last April, a complementary service offer under the Homad brand. On the menu: the complete fitting out of the vehicle, from the installation of the furniture to the thermal insulation and the installation of the electrical system. From now on, we’re no longer limiting ourselves to 2m high vans,” explains Raphaël. We fit out large vans (such as the Fiat Ducato or Citroën Jumper) and minivans (Renault Kangoo or Peugeot Rifter). We also offer to fully customise the vehicle according to the owner’s wishes.
In order to accompany this development, Homad relies on a network of partners (seven at present) spread throughout France. The objective? To satisfy the demand locally and efficiently. “Each installer has the same range of kits, charges the same prices and ensures the same quality of follow-up. If necessary, we can also train them.
The prospect of hypergrowth
In addition to surfers, mountain bikers and the “vanlife” spirit, the clientele has expanded to include professionals. Local authorities, consultants or even craftsmen call on Exokit to configure mobile offices, mobile reception areas or modular vehicles for business or personal use. Recently, the “big accounts” with orders in two or three figures have been taking a close interest in the young Costa Rican company.