Newsletter 2024-12

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DEFENSE

How Multiplast beacame a specialist in the construction of radomes and radars

Commissioned by the Thales group, Multiplast has manufactured dozens of civil and military radomes, radars and sonars since 2010. Franck Martin, the shipyard's naval architect, explains how.

How did Multiplast enter the world of defense, and particularly of radars?

It all began in the early 2000s, when Thales Training Simulation heard about our expertise in the manufacture of large composite parts, and called us to see if we could make simulator domes for their Tiger helicopter. Following this initial order to their satisfaction, we manufactured a series of eight domes. I then received a phone call from another Thales entity, the one in charge of radars, asking me if we could make a large sandwich radome. The radome is the covering that protects the radar from environmental aggression. Once again, we met the order, so they asked us again for carbon radars. At the time, there was no such thing, and the people at Thales didn't even know if it was possible. The active form of the parabola was perfectly defined, but they didn't know what was needed to structure an assembly that wouldn't deform in its meteorological environment. To give an idea of the complexity of the task, between that phone call and the delivery of the first qualified radar, some twenty months passed. It was an absolutely fascinating project, because we were dealing with people who represented the cream of the crop in their field, but had no mastery of composites, and in our case, the opposite was true. By starting from scratch, we succeeded in proposing a design and manufacturing the first coastal surveillance radar, the le Coast Watcher 100. Since then, Multiplast has produced over fifty of them!

To the point where you've become a true radar specialist?

Yes, over the past fifteen years or so, we've sometimes developed prototypes, and at other times produced small series, some of which have been discontinued, while others are still in production. I think that since our first radome, in 2008, our teams have worked on some fifteen different models, with around fifty delivered each year. These radioelectric components, as we call them, now account for 15-20% of Multiplast's sales. This activity has been a great help in accelerating our diversification into other markets, such as aerospace and defense, Such references are a great calling card, even for other Thales entities, such as the sonar division, with which Multiplast now works closely.

Did you have to adapt your industrial facilities to meet the demand for these parts, which we imagine to be quite specific?

The fundamental change was that, after some time, Thales informed us that if we wanted to continue working for them, the site had to be certified. In this context, we had to at least acquire ISO 9001 certification, which was done at the same time as EN 9100 certification, which enables us to work in the aeronautical industry. This particularly demanding set of procedures meant a lot of work for all our departments, so yes, we had to adapt our work tools and procedures, in order to successfully pass our customers' audits and those of the certification bodies (see the interview with Myriam Akalay in our October newsletter). In terms of materials and working methods, however, there are no fundamental differences with what we do in other sectors. To put it simply, I'd say that the main difference concerns the level of technical requirements, which are particularly high to guarantee the wave transparency or, on the contrary, the reflectivity of parts intended for radioelectric equipment. Deviations of a few tenths of a millimetre from the required tolerances on shapes, dimensions or drilling positions can lead to a part being rejected. What would be acceptable on a boat will not be acceptable on a radome or radar.

 
 

© Jean-Marie LIOT

EN BREF

• INTERNAL. For the fourth year running, photographer Jean-Marie Liot transformed Multiplast's paint shop into a photo studio on November 26, to take portraits of all employees, alone and in groups. The photos will be displayed in the company's entrance hall, and will also be used to illustrate the portraits regularly featured on Multiplast's social networks.

• RACING. The Ocean Fifty Series season ended on a high note for Primonial : second in the Grand Prix de Sainte-Maxime in October, Sébastien Rogues' trimaran, built at Multiplast, finished top of the overall circuit ranking, with three wins out of the five events contested in 2024: Grand Prix de Pornichet-La Baule, Route des Terre-Neuvas and Med Max.

• MARITIME TRANSPORT. Multiplast has just delivered to SolidSail Mast Factory (SMAF) the three 40-meter mast sections of the future Orient Express Corinthian, a luxury cruise ship due to enter service in early summer 2026, operated by the Accor Group brand. The masts are now being assembled, while Multiplast has tackled the manufacture of the carbon panel sails, which will all be completed by autumn 2025. In addition, the SMAF management team spent Wednesday, October 16 touring its associate partners, including Multiplast, giving them the opportunity to drap a composite panel.

• RACING. The year 2024 will have been a particularly rich one for the Sun Fast 30 One Design :the one-design built by Multiplast and Jeanneau will have begun it by being elected Sailboat of the Year by the editors of Voile Magazine, she will then have taken part in her very first races, culminating in the Drheam-Cup in July and the double-handed offshore racing World Championship in Lorient in September, before receiving the “Performance Yacht of the Year” at the recent British Yachting Awards.

• RACING. Construction of the Japanese DMG Mori Team's future Imoca yacht began in October with the manufacture of the molds, which will be completed on January 10. The 60-footer will be delivered to Kojiro Shiraishi in the spring of 2026.

• PODCASTS. Multiplast has been featured in two podcasts in recent weeks: the 106th episode of Into The Wind, the Tip & Shaft podcast, featured the company's managing director, Yann Penfornis, giving him the opportunity to talk about his career, while project manager Samuel Napoleoni, was the guest on the 2nd episode of Transitions de Transitions, a podcast launched by the Imoca class, which looked at the carbon impact of racing boat construction and how to reduce it.

© Jean-Marie Liot

CRUISING

Jaric, the beautiful story continues

Launched in early December, Jaric, , a 60-foot motor yacht, is the latest addition to the collection of Jacky Setton, a true enthusiast of aesthetic, high-performance boats. This unit is just as singular as those already built by Multiplast over the past fifteen years for this loyal owner.

“Between 60 and 70”, Jacky Setton himself isn't quite sure how many boats he's owned. The Franco-American businessman - former president of Pioneer France, among others - still owns around ten boats at his home in Porto Cervo (Sardinia), six of which were built by Multiplast over the past fifteen years. The latest, Jaric, a 60-foot motor yacht designed by Mauric, has just left the yard.

“We can't say no to a customer like Jacky Setton,” confides Multiplast's Managing Director Yann Penfornis, at the mention of this owner who is as unique as he is visionary. “I've known him for 30 years,” he continues. “In 1995, he came to La Trinité to sail on Magic Cat, the 82-foot cruising catamaran we were in the process of delivering. Climbing onto the roof, he said to me: 'This is where the wheelhouse should be'. It seemed a totally far-fetched idea to me, but in the end, he was a visionary, and the evolution of cruising catamarans proved him right!”

The first collaboration between Jacky Setton and Multiplast began some fifteen years later: “In 2009, we built him a magnificent dayboat named Ciao Gianni in homage to his friend Gianni Agnelli. Jaro, which we delivered last year (see our October 2022 newsletter), is a further development. Jacky, who mainly sails single-handed, takes her out very often, so much does he love upwind steering this beautiful hull. And in June 2023, before we'd even finished it, he wanted a custom motorboat.”

 A speedboat capable 40 knots

The design was entrusted to the Mauric Firm - hence the name, a contraction of Jacky and Mauric - with whom we also have a long-standing relationship. “Jacky Setton and Mauric have a long history together. In 1982, we built a boat called Pioneer, an evolution of Kriter VIII, on which he had put his stamp and made it his own,” recalls Mauric president Vincent Seguin, “He came back to us a year and a half ago, interested in building himself a pleasure craft. He had fallen in love with the design of some of our workboats, particularly our rescue launches.”

Jaric, capable of speeds of up to 40 knots or 300 nautical miles at 30 knots, is a pleasure craft with the codes of workboats, particularly in terms of hull design. “We designed a hybrid between lifeboats with a reputation for excellent seakeeping, which go at 25-30 knots, and faster interceptors, while incorporating the comfort and finish he wanted inside. Above all, Jacky wants a lively boat on which he can enjoy going to sea, even when the going gets rough. He's not afraid to take on swell, wind and bad weather. And for that, every detail counts.”

Yann Penfornis confirms: “Jacky is someone who gets very involved in design. He's interested in every detail and knows everything about his boats. It's really rewarding to put so much energy into his projects, because we know he sees everything and appreciates the smallest detail.” For Mauric and Multiplast, this project is a way of pulling each other up: “Each brings his own touch to composite work and its implementation, between our codes developed on workboats and Multiplast's more sophisticated and technical approach, which comes from the world of ocean racing,” explains Vincent Seguin.

Yann Penfornis concludes: “The longevity and quality of our relationship prove that we know how to satisfy our customers by providing them with the solutions they are looking for. It's always rewarding to work for such a demanding owner, capable of challenging us, but also of trusting us.”

© Safran

AEROSPACE

Multiplast in the bellmouth market

For over fifteen years, Multiplast has been committed to a policy of diversification, and has developed its business in the aerospace sector, working with some of the sector's heavyweights. Nearly ten years ago, the Vannes-based yard was approached by Safran Aero Boosters, , a division of the Safran group based near Liège, Belgium, to produce bellmouths, or air inlets for aircraft engine test benches. These air inlets channel the flow of air that feeds the engines' compression turbines.

“Aircraft manufacturers carry out periodic engine maintenance. These engines are disassembled, checked and functionally tested before being installed on the aircraft”, explains Jérémy Mazzolini, head of Multiplast's design office. In this context, “Safran Aero Boosters produces complex test benches, comprising a large number of mechanical and aerodynamic parts. The bellmouth air intake, for which Multiplast is commissioned, is a critical component of the test rig, due to its interior shape, which must be perfect”.

After manufacturing the first bellmouth, 4 meters in diameter and 2.30 meters high, in 2016, Multiplast delivered two more in the same year. Since then, according to Jérémy Mazzolini, the pace of production “has accelerated considerably”. The Vannes-based teams now have five models of various sizes in their “catalog”, not to mention the prototype air inlets produced for Airbus as part of the NEO re-engining programs, which Multiplast is able to manufacture in small series. What's new at the site in this field? “We are currently manufacturing the first of a series of ten air inlets, 2.90 metres in diameter and 1.70 metres high”, answers the head of the design office.

Specially trained operators

Constructed in prepreg or infusion, these parts require a very high degree of technical skill. “In the aeronautics sector, there's no room for doubt or imperfection. We're dealing with margins of between a hundredth and a tenth of a millimetre,” explains Moussa Khalfallah, one of the two engineers in charge of the project, along with Samuel Napoleoni. “For example, our technicians insert pressure sensors inside the bellmouths to measure airflow disturbances. If this flow is disturbed by a slight step or dip, however slight, the measurements of airflow quality will be incorrect. So there's a very high requirement on the level of finish of the air stream.”

This is also why the operators responsible for manufacturing these air inlets are specially trained. “Myriam Akalay's team, in charge of Quality, makes sure that they are up to date with their certification in several special processes, both in terms of training and skills,” confirms Jérémy Mazzolini. This whole process gives rise to a weekly review between Multiplast and Safran Aero Boosters' Belgian teams, who also visit the site regularly. “This is particularly the case when the Production Readyness Review is organized, to validate that the manufacturing file complies with customer requirements,” explains Moussa Khalfallah.

What does the future hold for Multiplast in this market? “Today, the signs are green, with accelerated growth in our sales with Safran”, replies Damien Harlé, President of the Carboman Group, who is delighted to see a new major industrial player (after Thales and Airbus, for example) placing its trust in Multiplast: ”Our experience in these aeronautical parts is growing every day, and positions us in the eyes of principals as composite experts who understand their mechanical, aerodynamic and functional requirements.”

CONTACTS PRESS

MULTIPLAST : Yann Penfornis This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / +33 (0)6 12 05 86 97

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