Our history
Explore the human and technical journey that makes Outils Océans a unique company — proud of its heritage and constantly evolving.
Key moments
1987-1990
The first steps
Les années 90
Early successes and first strategic decisions
1992
Move into new facilities in Saint-Evarzec
1993
The beginning of the mail and logistics journey
2000-2010
The time of expansion
2012
A new chapter for Outils Océans
2012 à aujourd’hui
Innovation, the driving force behind our development
2021
New facilities in La Forêt-Fouesnant
2022
Introduction of new recyclable fabrics
1987–1990: The First Steps
Outils Océans took its place on the starting line in Ergué-Gabéric, more precisely in Odet, near Bolloré, one of its early supporters.
From the very beginning, Outils Océans embraced innovation, filing a patent for tool bags featuring a semi-rigid frame concept.
The product range quickly expanded to include document cases, and the first custom-designed marine equipment was developed — with support from renowned sailors such as Éric Tabarly.
The 1990s: Early Successes and First Strategic Decisions
Outils Océans established a presence in Paris and secured its first contracts for branded and promotional luggage, working with clients such as Canal+ and Rhône-Poulenc. To reach the general public, the Océame Marine luggage line was created.
In 1992, Outils Océans moved into new premises in Saint-Evarzec, equipped with a structured production workshop.
By 1993, following discussions with regional banks near the company’s headquarters (Crédit Mutuel de Bretagne and Crédit Agricole du Finistère), Outils Océans turned its attention to the internal mail operations of businesses.
At the time, mailroom services relied on longstanding habits and equipment that had seen little change in over 40 years. Outils Océans identified an opportunity to introduce innovative solutions aimed at improving quality and productivity.
It was during the late 1990s that Outils Océans designed and developed the sac navette — a shuttle bag that would become the subject of a patented invention.
While initial successes in the mail sector were taking shape, the promotional and consumer luggage markets began facing waves of offshoring.
In response, Outils Océans made the strategic decision to discontinue these ranges and refocus its efforts on professional markets and high value-added technical products.
2000–2010: A Time of Expansion
The 2000s were marked by strong growth, leading to a doubling of the company’s revenue by 2010, an expanded Outils Océans team, and enlarged facilities. To support this growth and integrate new technologies, Outils Océans partnered with specialists in textile production, furniture, machinery, and software development.
The company’s founding sectors saw steady development :
- Outils Océans’ professional storage solutions — already embraced by technicians and specialized distributors like Manutan — began gaining traction with major corporate clients such as France Télécom and EDF-GDF.
- Nautical equipment also took off, both through custom solutions for professional sailors and with a consumer range designed for recreational boaters.
- The mailroom activity experienced rapid success, particularly in the banking and insurance sector. Outils Océans became a key supplier for most major banking and insurance networks, establishing itself as the market leader for containers such as pouches, sleeves, shuttle bags, and cheque boxes. Thanks to our expertise and the trust of our clients, Outils Océans expanded its offering to deliver turnkey mail and logistics services — including needs assessments, design, workspace layout, ergonomic workstations, carts, and software solutions.
2012: A New Chapter for Outils Océans
In January 2012, Vianney Ancellin, the founder of the company, handed over the helm to three senior managers with complementary backgrounds and skills :
The goal of this transition was to continue the company’s development while staying true to its core values and embracing new commitments :
- Strengthening partnerships with our clients
- Offering the most innovative solutions
- Improving working conditions for end users
- Delivering a return on investment for managers
- Integrating sustainable development throughout the entire product life cycle
- Contributing to the preservation of industrial employment in France
Since 2012: Innovation Driving Our Growth
Since its creation, innovation has been a core value across all departments at Outils Océans — a commitment that has only deepened with the integration of new technologies. A clear turning point came with the expansion of our design office and the recruitment of a dedicated project manager.
In the field of textile-based products, Outils Océans continues to develop new solutions and services across all areas of expertise:
- In the nautical equipment division, two design patents have been filed.
- In the professional storage division, prototypes are currently being tested by ENEDIS and Orange.
- In the mail and logistics division, the medical sector is gaining momentum: following the success of our dental prosthesis boxes, a new range of compartmentalized isothermal containers has been introduced.
Outils Océans continues its transition into the 3.0 era, integrating cutting-edge technologies into its solutions:
- Operator assistance for mail sorting using voice recognition with Facilitri
- Barcode and RFID traceability of document and logistics flows in cloud mode with Traç@flux
- Automated mail opening, sorting, and digitization stations with Opex
- Electronic management of mail, document circulation, and third-party interactions with Elise
Outils Océans’ growth is driven not only by innovation, but also by the international expansion of its client base :
- The trieur-navette (shuttle sorter) makes its debut in London through a partnership with Sodexo
- The nautical range wins over German boatbuilders such as Hanse and Bavaria, and reaches distributors as far as Japan
- The tool pouches are now used by SNCB (Belgium’s equivalent of SNCF) thanks to our distributor De Pikke Industrie
2021: New Facilities in La Forêt-Fouesnant
The steady growth in activity created increasing storage needs, which until then had been managed by :
- Renting storage buildings within our current business park
- Using a nearby logistics partner (TWD)
However, operating from a remote warehouse involved unnecessary shuttling and handling. Outsourcing logistics required relocating quality control operations at the time of goods receipt. Modular buildings had also been gradually added to accommodate :
- A welding workshop
- Offices for the sales and marketing teams (with a second floor added in 2018)
The previous facilities had reached their limits :
- The original building was 30 years old, and the extension 15 years old — both no longer met modern energy standards
- The total surface area no longer allowed for optimal workflow or increased mechanization in the workshop
- Working conditions could be significantly improved
The project involved constructing a 2,450 m² building on a 16,000 m² site located in the La Forêt-Fouesnant business park (ZA de la Grande Halte), just a few kilometers from our former site.
This move allowed us to remain within the same local employment area, ensuring continuity for our employees. The layout of the facility is as follows :
600m²
1660 m²
74 m²
116 m²
Additional investments will also be made to prepare the building for operational use and to enhance production mechanization, including :
- Automatic cutting machine
- High-frequency welding machine
- Handling equipment (winch, trolleys, etc.)
2022: A New Focus on Recyclable Fabrics
Since 2022, Outils Océans has been using 100% recyclable fabrics in its product design, including polypropylene (PP). This material is lightweight, durable, strong, and easily recyclable. By choosing mono-material fabrics, we simplify end-of-life disassembly and achieve recycling rates close to 100%. This initiative is fully aligned with our eco-design strategy and our commitment to reducing environmental impact.
