Orano and Comète-J. Paris Sign Partnership Agreement for Lifting Equipment

Regulatory News:

On Thursday, November 29, 2023, Orano DS, a subsidiary of the Orano Group, and Comète-J. Paris, a subsidiary of the Fayat Group, signed a partnership agreement aimed at strengthening their collaboration in the lifting equipment market. The cooperation agreement, which was officially sealed today at the World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE) in Paris, was signed by Jean-Christophe Patout, Senior Executive Vice President of Orano's Dismantling and Services activities (Orano DS), and Emmanuel de Laage, CEO of Comète-J. Paris.

With the resurgence of the nuclear sector, lifting equipment is a sensitive area and central to the challenges facing the industry, both for existing reactors and for the future EPR 2 reactors. Orano DS, a leading service provider for French nuclear power plants, handles more than 30% of the lifting equipment maintenance for its customer EDF.

Through this cooperation agreement, Orano DS and Comète-J. Paris undertake to offer their customers a unique range of services combining the recognized expertise of a leading manufacturer of lifting equipment with that of a key player in the maintenance and operation of this type of equipment. The aim of this industrial alliance is to develop innovative solutions capable of improving the operational performance of the nuclear fleet, including the reuse of gantry cranes or traveling cranes idle during dismantling projects, the development of integrated solutions following joint analysis of equipment failures, and safer assembly operations associated with the purchase of new equipment by qualified and experienced teams.

These areas of common interest represent a major challenge, not only in terms of ensuring the longevity of the lifting equipment in use on the fleet, but also in terms of anticipating the future needs of the industry in a competitive manner, by extending the life of the equipment and increasing its availability.

Jean-Christophe Patout expressed his satisfaction with this partnership: "We are delighted to have signed this unique agreement with a major player such as Comète-J. Paris, the leading manufacturer of lifting equipment for nuclear power plants. This collaboration will enable us to offer our customers integrated, competitive and innovative solutions to collectively meet the challenges of the nuclear fleet today and in the future".