When table football goes female: interview with producer René Pierre
3min read
18/06/2019
Bill Gates was not the only one who started his business in a garage… René Pierre, manufacturer of table football and pool tables started his entrepreneurial adventure in the very same place.
A success story Made in France.
On the occasion of the Women’s Football World Championship, we have decided to provide you with many sports gifts, but above all a René Pierre branded women’s table football as a prize!
Offer only valid until 07/07/2019, click on the image to find out more
We interviewed Sébastien Menneveaux, Head of Large Customers at René Pierre. He has the floor.
Can you briefly introduce the company?
René Pierre is a company that has been manufacturing billiards and foosball tables for almost 70 years. Today a leader in France, it is present on all continents and employs around fifty people.
Every year, more than 8,000 foosball tables and 2,500 billiards tables are shipped from the factory.
How did founder René Pierre’s adventure begin?
The first Rene Pierre table footballs were designed… right in Mr Pierre’s garage! The son of a carpenter, he used his knowledge of wood and the potential of this material to open a small factory in Jura, France in 1953. This business has continued to expand over the years driven by ever-increasing demand.
In the 1970s, a new 8,000 m² factory was built in Chalon Sur Saone, where we still manufacture all René Pierre billiards and René Pierre foosball tablesunder the watchful eye of Claude Pierre, the current CEO and René Pierre’s son.
Can we say that the productions of the early years have become collectors’ items?
Yes of course! Many customers contact us to refurbish old 70s foosball tables that they have found or that have been passed down from generation to generation.
Plus, now that vintage is back in fashion, we receive many photos of foosball tables that despite their years are still perfectly usable!
Has the way foosball is produced changed much since 1952?
Yes and no at the same time! Although we have invested in wood-cutting machines, the majority of production remains manual and handcrafted.
Who buys your table football?
Almost all production is for private individuals or for camps and schools.
Recently, however, we have been supplying more and more start-ups and companies that want to animate relaxation rooms or waiting rooms.
Have you ever created customised foosball tables for sports events?
Yes, for every big football-related event, we launch a limited series.
Sports events are an opportunity for us to communicate the innovation and dynamism of our company.
We also make customised foosball tables with designs and logos.
What prompted you to create a foosball table dedicated to the Women’s World Cup?
This event is special for us because it is an important showcase for the world of women’s sport, and more generally for the promotion of gender equality.
It was therefore natural for us to launch the ‘Elles’ foosball table and we did so with great enthusiasm!
What should we expect from you in the future?
I will quote our motto: to continue to provide fun for our customers while preserving the quality and values of a family business!
Would you like to receive a limited edition René Pierre table football? Enter the Rajacup competition, you only have until 07/07/2019
