We are not replacing Eric Sarrat, we are succeeding him as best we can. This is some of the guideline that guides Frédéric Ruppli, president of GT Logistics for a year, and Jérôme Gasquet, general manager since the beginning of the year. A few weeks after the death of Eric Sarrat, the historical leader of the company since 1976, the new duo at the wheel of the Gironde ETI explained their intentions before the presentation planned at the end of the year of the strategic plan on the horizon 2030. And each has a well-defined role. Frédéric Ruppli, who has a rich career as an investor and has supported GT Logistics since 2007, is part of the long-term while Jérôme Gasquet, who notably worked in the management of Danone Boissons and Geodis and first mission at GT Logistics in 2020-2021 is here during two years This transition manager will prepare the ground for the future general manager.
And the company with more than 1,400 employees, which manages logistics sites for around fifty industrial clients across France, is not expected to change scale in the coming years. ” GT Logistics is growing at around 7% per year, we will not seek growth for the sake of growth and there is no international plan. », explains Frédéric Ruppli. ” The challenge is the continued satisfaction of our customers, especially through a territorial approach that offers more security to our customers and more opportunities to our employees. » The ETI reached 107 million euros in turnover in 2023 for 10% of the net profit before tax and it even allowed itself, for the first time, not to renew one of its clients, lack of sufficient prospects for profitability.
Climate roadmap
The Gironde logistician operates sites for the automotive, aeronautics, defense, energy and steel sectors. ” Half of the websites we manage have been entrusted to us for more than eight years, which proves a certain satisfaction of our customers. », underlines Jérôme Gasquet. ” Today, we are a generalist in the industry, are we becoming a multi-specialist? Should we move more towards energy and especially wind energy? These are questions we will have to decide. »
Especially since the other important project at the moment is the development of a climate road map, which must be presented at the end of this month. ” The goal is to integrate all the effects of our activity on the climate and biodiversity and to decide what we want to measure but also what we know how to measure. », specifies Frédéric Ruppli while GT Logistics is a member of the Commercial Convention for the Climate (CEC). But it is also not about leaving the oil sector or turning the tables. Quite simply because the market does not allow it, believes Jérôme Gasquet: ” Many customers talk about an ecological transition but, despite all their ambitions, it is still the price criterion that weighs the most in their decisions… »