What began in 2004 has become Luxembourg’s premier large-format printing specialist. Julien Gottstein and Olivier Plumet, Founders and Partners at LuxVisual, reflect on twenty years of growth.
How did you meet?
Olivier: We met while studying for the HEC entrance exam in Nancy. Julien then went to ICN Business School in Nancy and I went to Euromed in Marseille. We remained close friends throughout our studies, shared the same circle of friends and had a common
interest in entrepreneurship.
Why did you decide to settle in Luxembourg?
Julien: I arrived in Luxembourg in 2004, during my gap year, to set up LuxVisual with three partners. This allowed me to validate a semester abroad for school, and I felt very comfortable there. My partners then left to pursue other projects, and Olivier joined me in 2008 to develop the company together. Olivier was an account manager at HSBC in Marseille and thought he would never leave the South of France. Our friendship, our values, our shared desires and ambitions set the scene. At that time, we worked and lived together 24 hours a day in a six-person flat share: we had to get on really well (laughs)!
What an adventure! And then what happened?
Julien: At first, we didn’t have any specific plans, but we shared a desire to learn, grow, be entrepreneurial and build something. The adventure began in a small 30 m2 office in Merl, buying and reselling printed materials and communication products. The real start: two weeks of intensive cold calling using a commercial database of around a hundred companies. Most of them are still our customers 20 years later!
Then, we continuously focused on innovation and investment in high-tech professional machinery. Today, we have the largest machine park in the Greater Region and we master the entire process of printing, cutting, finishing, manufacturing and installation.
From our small office in Merl at the beginning, to our headquarters in Cloche d’Or (2017 to 2022), to the acquisition of our current production building in Ehlerange, 40 employees have joined our project!
Why this type of business? What is your core business?
Olivier: Julien has always been passionate about digital printing and technology. It is a constantly evolving field that combines creativity, technique and innovation. LuxVisual is a true ‘One-stop-shop’ and entirely ‘Made in Luxembourg’. Our clients are well-known players in the Luxembourg ecosystem: banks, government agencies, architectural firms, communication agencies, event organisers, museums, etc.
As specialists in large format printing, we control quality, deadlines and prices, without subcontracting, while respecting our values and our ‘ESR – socially responsible company’ label. LuxVisual is clearly the most comprehensive and innovative player in large format and visual communication in Luxembourg.
Do you have any notable achievements in mind?
Julien: We often take part in large-scale projects: forums, exhibitions, global signage for corporate headquarters, major events and, more recently, the ‘Trounwiessel’ national festivities. Our fondest memory is the creation and installation of a gigantic canvas, over 28 metres wide, on the Esch-sur-Sûre dam for the Tour de France when it passed through
Luxembourg in 2017. A real technical feat!
What is your view of Luxembourg?
Olivier: It is a country that is conducive to entrepreneurship and offers real financing solutions, such as SNCI loans. LuxVisual is an independent structure and has no external investors. It is also a pleasant country to live in. We are proud to have created more than forty jobs here and we hope that this is not the end. Luxembourg has been our home for more than twenty years!
And your relationship is still the same as it was on day one?
Julien: Beyond loyalty and mutual trust, our partnership is effective because we divide up the tasks. In the beginning, we did everything together, including installation on construction sites. Today, Olivier manages the commercial and business development
side, and I manage the technical, administrative and financial side. We have one simple rule: we don’t launch a new project unless we are both 100% convinced. We also have a close-knit and highly committed team at our side, whom we consider our second family.
What are your objectives?
Olivier: Since 2008, we have grown from €350,000 to €6 million in turnover. The aim is to consolidate LuxVisual’s position as THE reference for quality and customer service in the sector, to create jobs, and to continue investing in innovative equipment, all with a view to offering the best service in the Greater Region.
This sponsored content was published in the 8th edition of Forbes Luxembourg.
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