Amazing Classic
Véronique Maignant, 12.09.2022
Tout le Loudspeaker, otherwise known as TLHP, is the story of a family united around the same passion: sound. Having become in 20 years the European leader in the online distribution of loudspeakers and electro-acoustic components, the SME offers no less than 14,000 references, half of which are in stock. The site’s success led René Denoual and his three sons to move this summer to a 1,500 m² building in Bourgbarré, south of Rennes. Equipped with state-of-the-art logistics (stack cranes and picking software), the project required an investment of €4 million and benefited from a subsidy from the Region via European funds of €243,000. A look behind the scenes of an entrepreneurial adventure that started in the family garage.
Business leader and hard worker, René Denoual proudly retraces the path taken. It was in a submarine that the leader of TLHP learned to listen to sounds: “ for four years, I was an electro-mechanic in underwater detection. “Then, the man traveled all over France, performing temporary assignments to earn his living and especially that of his family. In 1987, he set up his first television repair business. Five years later, he launches, with His-Light-Concept, in the sound system and lighting of performance halls and discotheques. ” I had up to 7 employees, but I was overtaken by unpaid bills. » In 1995, he was forced to file for bankruptcy and follow a business continuity plan.. ” I stuck with it until 2004. I paid it all back and we got through it. I must admit that this difficult period allowed me to acquire solid knowledge in management and accounting. »
Start of the activity in 2005
In 2005, he created with his eldest son, his very first e-commerce site. This is the birth of toutleloudien.com. “ The family garage was overflowing with electronic components of all kinds, loudspeakers, mixers but also vinyls. Equipment and objects accumulated by my father during his former activity, continues Timothée Denoual, an IT enthusiast, in charge of the company’s digital strategy. From the beginning, I understood that it was necessary to free oneself from platforms like Amazon to retain its customers and develop.. After a year, the duo refined their business model and decided to specialize solely in the sale of components and accessories related to the world of loudspeakers.
Very quickly, the online sales site attracted a clientele of individuals and professionals convinced by the richness of the offer, the quality of order tracking and advice. The garage is no longer enough. A first move took place in 2013 in a 430 m² building in Vern-sur-seiche, south of Rennes. It was also at this time that Brice and Mathieu Denoual, the two youngest, joined the family adventure. They take care of production, logistics and purchasing. The workforce rises to 4 people (five today). “We started selling by lot and by bag instead of selling individually and above all we invested in a digital machining center to offer kits of wooden panels to assemble yourself, to make your own speakers. The craze for Do It Yourself has helped us a lot “, emphasizes Timothée Denoual.
80,000 customers worldwide
Today, TLHP offers through its site, 14,000 catalog references, 7,000 in stock and receives between 80 and 120 orders per day. All the biggest loudspeaker manufacturers in the world are referenced. “ The basket starts at 5 euros, but can climb up to several thousand euros. We are in a niche market, leader in Europe. Home cinema, audio, studio… We are of interest to all sound professionals, even if they still only represent 35% of the activity compared to 65% for individuals. The objective is to reach equilibrium within two years. TLHP has 80,000 customer accounts. The strength of the business model is based on a thoughtful user interface, rigorous customer follow-up, optimized delivery times and prices and of course an unequaled depth of ranges. ” We have developed a fee schedule adapted to each customer profile, according to its geographical location. It’s very time-consuming and complex to develop, friends we work with more than 150 carriers around the world. With each order, it is the most competitive in its geographical area that stands out. »
30% growth between 2022 and 2021
2020 turnover reached 2.3 million euros, then 2.8 million euros the following year. In 2022, it amounts to 3.5 million euros, up 30%. ” The Covid crisis has cleaned up the market. Those who had no stocks very quickly found themselves in difficulty in the face of supply delays. For us, it was an opportunity. It was therefore in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, that TLHP decided to take a new step. The SME acquires, in Bourgbarré in Ille-et-Vilaine, an 8,700 m² plot of land on which it has built a 1,500 m² building housing a fully automated logistics centre. The overall budget was estimated at the time at 3.2 million euros, including 1.2 million for the stacker cranes and picking stations. ” In the end, two years later, it is clear that we suffered an overrun of 800 K€, including 640 K€ for the building alone. Luckily we have strong kidneys »observes René Denoual.
Supported by the Region and Europe to the tune of 243 K€
To complete this project, TLHP approached the Brittany Region via the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) and won a grant of €243,000. She also relied onexpertise Morgane Pennec, financial engineering advisor at the CCI Ille-et-Vilaine and referent for the Breizh Fab programto set up the financing file and the banking agreements. She is incredibly available and saved us a lot of time. She knows how to present cases to bankers and ask the right questions. It is a godsend for companies like ours which are not structured to mobilize public aid »
The move to Bourgbarré took place in July 2022. ” With this new tool, nwe are going speed up order preparation, structure and make our logistics flows more reliable, focus on tasks with high added value while controlling our costs, explains Timothée Denoual. The aim is also to provide a suitable work environment to the whole team and to future recruits. Two to three people could soon strengthen the workforce. It is now 5 people. The next step will be to change the interface of the site. It’s a budget of about 360 K€. Within three years, we hope to double our turnover and cross the threshold of 6 million euros. » In the meantime, René Denoual may well have left the company for a well-deserved retirement. Finally, nothing is less certain…
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