The engineering group naval TWG led by Philippe Berterottière realize all of its sales internationally, particularly in South Korea and China. It occupies the second place of our ranking, 2013, and shows a growth of 360% of CA export.

The group TWG (89 million euros of turnover) with the highest growth of turnover achieved internationally in our top 2013. This global expert in naval engineering, in which the seat is installed in the valley of Chevreuse (Yvelines), has become “the” specialist techniques membranes for the storage and transportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by ship. TWG team and 70 % of the vessels lng tankers in circulation in the world. “90 % of the vessels in order for the next few years will be equipped with the technology-GTT”, thus announces proudly Philippe Berterottière, CEO of the company since 2009.

efforts in innovation

of Course GTT is not an SME independent classic : its capital is owned 40 % by GDF Suez and 30 % by Total, the remaining 30% being owned by an american investment fund, Hellman & Friedman. But, if it is listed in our ranking is that this company is not a subsidiary stricto sensu of another ; no shareholder holding more than 50 % of its share capital. In addition, TWG is “fully independent from the operational point of view,” says its leader. And, in fact, this company is emblematic of our champions of the 2013 international.

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first, because TWG is exemplary for its effort of investment in innovation :”A third of the staff works here for the R&D and the employees are 60% engineers and technicians, which is more common in a start-up than in a mature company,” says Philippe Berterottière, who adds : “90 % of the tankers are constructed in Korea, which is our first industrial partner. Therefore, we need to be at the height in terms of innovation, at the risk of being quickly overwhelmed !” Then, because TWG has the dynamic global energy sector, even if the transport of liquid natural gas has declined in 2009-2010 “with a general slowing of demand in the wake of u.s. investment in shale gas,” says the CEO.

GTT (Gaztransport and Technigaz)

location : Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse (78)

Activity : naval engineering

2012 Sales: $ 89.5 million euros

international : 100 %

But the market went after the Fukushima disaster, LNG as an alternative to nuclear power, which has more and more supporters. And TWG, which occurs very early (as soon as the command) for the construction of vessels, has benefited immediately from this renewed activity, with a hundred of starts scheduled from march 2011. “Today, Asia takes our growth,” says the CEO, who expects strong growth in its activity for the next ten years, while his only competitor, asian, group, japanese, holds only 8 % market share with a technology that is more expensive.