Incidences acquires Dimension Polyant's D4

Major step for French sail making group

The French sailmaker Incidences Sails has acquired D4 Technology, previously owned by the German manufacturer Dimension Polyant.

A new division, Incidences Technologies, has been created to support the manufacture of D4 on one hand, and also future membranes for the entire group.

The company objectives are clear: to continue providing efficient and innovative solutions for customers’ sails, while controlling manufacturing steps from design to production.

Incidences Technologies will begin manufacturing D4 as of  1 January 2014. The membrane has been owned since 2004 by Dimension-POLYANT.

Since June 2013, engineer Morgane Paix has been actively working on the implementation of the new membrane: "I have been working for Incidences Sails for a year now, and when the group decided to acquire this technology they asked me to look after setting up the manufacturing plant in La Rochelle that is currently under construction. I have been in charge of the building and now we are working on bringing the manufacturing machinery there," explains Paix, who take on responsibity for the production of D4.

To enable the best technology and skills transfer, each employee will be required training in their respective positions at Dimension Polyant that will take place over November and December, after the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre and before production starts in 2014.

Research and Development

But the role of Incidences Technologies will not be limited only to the production of D4. The company will also have its own R&D team working across the group.

"Our hope is eventually to develop this product," says Yannick Richomme, President of Incidences Sails (and father of Figaro sailor Yoann). "We now enjoy a structure internally to develop future membranes, based on the experience gained in contact with the greatest skippers of offshore racing."

To this end, Stéphane Fauve, an engineer with over eight years of experience in sailmaking, including two years developing membranes, will head the R&D department at Incidences Sails. "Firstly, I will be in charge of optimising D4 and I also take care of other research that we want to carry out on membranes. With the support of the engineering departments within the Brest and La Rochelle lofts, as well as third party specialists, we want to develop membranes, fibres and manufacturing tools."