French luxury group Hermès has announced it will establish a new leather goods production site in Les Andelys, Normandy. Led by CEO Axel Dumas, the company plans to transform a former brownfield site at the old Holophane glassworks into a workshop. The new Maroquinerie des Andelys is projected to create 260 skilled artisan jobs. This facility will join Hermès’ existing workshops in Val-de-Reuil and Louviers, consolidating Normandy as a key manufacturing hub. All new artisans will undergo an 18-month, paid apprenticeship at the Hermès craft school in Louviers. The expansion is underpinned by the sustained strength of Hermès’ leather goods division, which contributed approximately 41% of its 15.2 billion euros ($16.31 billion) revenue in 2024.
Related reading: Why AI will never invent the next Birkin