Jean-LucMoreno, young buyer of a plastering company, begins his last professional challenge: to become a boss of an SME at the age of 57, thanks to tailor-made support.
57 years old,Jean-LucMoreno, finds himself at the head of a great affair of plastering, Delta Construction Partners, located in Meyzieu (69).The company benefits from well-established know-how and notoriety in the region.It has indeed become the faithful partner of a large number of promoters and general enterprises which use its services both in tertiary, in housing and in renovation or rehabilitation.
However, nothing intended at the startJean-LucMoreno to be interested in a building company.In the field of finance, within a large bank then two large groups, for 32 years, our buyer benefited in 2018 from a voluntary departure plan after a 11th restructuring plan thatHe accompanied.
"I no longer felt at all in this scheme, and I wanted to start a new professional project," he said.However, a question arises to him: does he remain in comfort by exercising his profession in the context of missions?Or does he make a real entrepreneurial choice?
Jean-LucMoreno chooses this 2nd option, more risky but which will constitute his last professional challenge: to become boss of SME.
A training to become a boss with the CRA
In 2019, his choice led him to undergo training at CRA (Cedants and Business buyers), a national network founded in 1985 by former managers and business owners.Advantage: The latter benefit from their experiences to young buyers, with the support of experts in different fields (notaries, lawyers, computer scientists, marketing directors, etc.).In addition, the association is based on large networks of sellers/buyers.
Jean-LucMoreno therefore forms for a month, at the rate of 180 hours, in all areas, a little less in that of finance which he knows well.Advantage of this training: the promotion of young buyers follows and supports during all their recovery operations.They exchange, compare, by benefiting from a benchmarking, and above all feel less alone, especially during the operations of sometimes complicated covers.
"After two years of follow -up, 90 % of people have resumed business," saidJ.L.Moreno who benefits from his side from the support of a godfather."I was interested in the construction and he told me to go meet the capeb which developed a service accompanying the buyers: the BTP icre.
Plastering: a choice for personal interest
Why this interest in the building and the second work in particular?The boss of the SME is explained: "I had a personal interest there, because I have a second home that I renovated and am attracted by building work".
In addition, the technical entry ticket in this sector seemed less complicated than that of the industry sector.This does not mean that I will be able to do everything but, I now master a certain number of things in the work of the second work ”.
Another reason: our entrepreneur feels that this sector is carrying and that the activity is very dynamic in the Lyon region.He thus met the head of the service of the BTP icre at the Capeb Rhône, Odile Van Kote.
ICRE training to master the notions of cost cost
Objective ofJean-LucMoreno: develop your skills in "business /technique"."Despite my knowledge in business plan, I needed to better master the cost of cost thanks to methods developed by specialists," he said.
The BTP ICRE service allows you to be oriented within the CAPEB which has several directions with specialists in different fields: HR, legal, finance, technique, etc.
Previously, the buyer had to "select" the building company to resume since several opportunities presented themselves to him.But operations do not always materialize, especially when the transferor hesitates.Finally, an intermediation firm presents him "a very beautiful company, in the field of plastering, facade and painting, with a beautiful customer portfolio".
Specializing in B to B, the structure which achieves 3.5 to 4 million euros in turnover, with 20 employees, works on behalf of large construction companies and promoters in new housing, the tertiary andthe renovation.At the time of buyout, the company has a command book provided, one year of work.
Creation of a false ceiling in an office building by the plastering company, Delta Construction Partners, located in Meyzieu (69)
A takeover of the company with two already employees partners
If everything is not "perfect" due to a complicated cash situation, the assignor and the buyer will nevertheless find a field of agreement."My assignor was very open, and I was able to visit the company and in particular to meet the technical and operating director, who has been the key man from the outset," explainsJean-LucMoreno.
This meeting with "the key man" (Kamel) played the role of click for the buyer: the two men decide to associate themselves in the operation with the administrative manager.J.LMoreno, majority buyer holds 80 % and minority, the remaining 20 %."It was a little more complicated than expected to finance the project, but this partner was important to help me in the long -term reorganization"
The period of the health crisis has of course complicated things, the company recorded in 2020 an exercise with a turnover in free fall (- 40 %), due to its privileged relationship with large manufacturers (broken down duringconfinement). « Au final, le cédant nous a fait un crédit vendeur sur 3 ans », termineJLMoreno.
In one year, a reorganization is set up in particular on the human resources aspects, site monitoring, calls for tenders and finally commercial."We have also seen the whole IT environment by starting a reflection on the strategy and the priorities.The company is investing in cloud storage, IT licenses and dematerialization software for invoices to facilitate exchanges with the accounting firm.
Price of prices and labor problems
The company must cope today with a very tense cyclical context: the prices of the materials flable and the tariffs negotiated with large customers (private markets) are not revisable since they are firm.
“Our large customers do not index markets with respect to their subcontractors, and this subject is very worrying since a third of our turnover comes from the purchase of materials, or 1.2 millioneuros. Ça peut donc devenir une grosse contrainte en termes d’équilibre économique » s’inquièteJ.L.Moreno
Another annoyance for the entrepreneur: the management of the workforce, very problematic, the sector having difficult to recruit and maintain a skilled workforce;"We need to recruit 5 people to keep 2" testifies the boss who estimates that the company lacks autonomous staff."It's complicated because our customers are demanding.We cannot afford to have a waterproofing problem when we dubbing for example ".
Following the difficulties encountered with the outbreak of material prices, and the lack of revision of the tariffs negotiated with large customers (general companies), Delta Construction Partners is today looking to position itself on small markets by dealing directly with thecustomer.
A new strategy with private and large private renovators
These difficulties therefore make the buyer think who wants to modify the functioning of the company."We want to go to more lucrative niches, such as the private customers segment.It will be for us to completely renovate apartments, even municipal buildings, or a restaurant, taking several lots and assuming the possible role of general business.
Objective: to position yourself on these small markets by treating live with the customer.This will make it possible to generate a small turnover (from 10 to 30,000 euros against 200,000 to 1 million euros for large markets) but with more attractive margins, according to the buyer."But you have to secure the implementation at the start, to go to these markets," he said.
To do this, the company reorganized the design office with the hiring of a person as well as two works conductors.She considers herself in working order to meet the requests of her new customers, in particular thanks to her local reputation and her good image.
The buyer remains confident for the future of the company: he signed a pact of associates with the minorities ("the key man" being associated with his sister who works in the company) and will give them in priority thecompany.
«Je partirai au bon moment. L’entreprise est sur les rails, et après, j’accompagnerai mes associés minoritaires pour qu’ils montent en puissance et qu’ils aient la capacité de se développer » Il faudra sans doute inventer des mécanismes comptables pour faciliter cette reprise car ce sont de jeunes actifs, mais je les aiderai »termineJean-LucMoreno.
Source: Batirama.Com/ Fabienne Leroy
