The construction of this new cork treatment unit using the ‘Diamant®’ process at Céret in the Pyrénées-Orientales region completes the existing 5-hectare site, which houses Diam Bouchage's head office in the heart of the Vallespir region.

This 2,000 m2 extension gives the company a new unit (‘Diamant III’) dedicated to cork purification, in addition to those at San Vicente de Alcantara in Spain. It will enable Diam Bouchage to keep pace with the growing demand from its customers around the world.

Of the various scenarios considered, the group chose to invest in France to develop the existing site, with the support of the Communauté de Commune du Vallespir, the Conseil Général des Pyrénées Orientales, the Languedoc-Roussillon region, the French government and Europe (ERDF). Worth €30 million, this industrial project has created 25 jobs on the site, which currently has 150.

The new plant will enable Diam Bouchage to purify an additional 3,600 tonnes of cork flour. This will enable it to increase its production by

700 million corks to reach a total capacity of 2 billion corks a year. France, the leading market, accounts for 30% of sales.

Diam is also expanding significantly internationally, and is already present in 42 countries around the world.

Diam Bouchage is heavily involved in research and is already anticipating new developments. To this end, the plant includes a 300m² laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to invent the products of tomorrow.

Take a look at the building :