Table football gets feminised: Interview with manufacturer René Pierre

Not only Bill Gates started his career in a garage… René Pierre, French manufacturer of table football and billiards since 1952, also started his business adventure in a garage converted into a workbench.

On the occasion of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019, held in France, Rajapack Spain and all the other subsidiaries of the RAJA Group in Europe, will raffle among its customers who make a purchase from 27/05/19 to 07/07/19 and sign up for the draw on the website, an Elle table footballand that’s not all! In addition, with all orders until 07/07/19, customers will be able to choose between different gifts depending on the amount of their purchase, here you have more information: RAJACUP.

Interview with René Pierre’s representative, Sébastien Menneveaux

Sebastien Menneveaux has been René Pierre’s Key Account Manager for more than 10 years. He will explain us the success of the biggest foosball table company in France.

helloSebastien, can you briefly introduce the company?

of course! Since 1952, already almost 70 years ago, René Pierre has been the leading manufacturer of billiards and foosball tables in France. Today, the company has fifty employees and is present on all continents.

every year, more than 8,000 table football tables and 2,500 billiards tables are shipped from the René Pierre factory!

it all started in 1952, how did René Pierre become the founder of his table footballs?

René Pierre’s first foosball tables were designed… in his own garage! René was the son of a carpenter, used his knowledge of wood and, seeing the great potential of these foosball tables, built a small factory in the Jura in 1953, which continued to grow over the years due to increasing demand.

In the 1970s, a new 8000m² factory was built in Chalon-Sur-Saône, this is the current factory where we still work and manufacture all René Pierre billiards and foosball tables, under the watchful eye of Claude Pierre, the current CEO and son of René Pierre.

have the first productions of the René Pierre factory become collector’s items?

Yes, many customers contact us to restore antique table footballs that they have found or that have been passed down from generation to generation.

With the vintage trend at the moment, we receive many photos of table footballs that are still usable and want to give them a second life.

has the way of making a table football changed a lot since 1952?

Yes and no. Although we have invested in wood cutting machines, most of the production of our table footballs is still handmade and handcrafted.

► Who buys foosball tables today?

Almost all of our production is for individual customers and communities such as campsites or schools.

Lately we have noticed a new trend: Start-ups and start-up companies want foosball tables for their break rooms.

► Do you have more sales when there are major sporting events?

Major sporting events are a perfect source of communication for our company, it is an opportunity to show the innovation and dynamism of the company.

do you usually make limited edition foosball tables at major sporting events?

For every big football related event, we launch a limited edition or a special package – we can also make football tables with customised designs!

► Let’s talk about the Women’s World Cup – what made you decide to make a table football with female players?

Beyond all the international football tournaments for which we always create a table football, this world cup is special for us: it represents a showcase for the world of women’s sport and to demonstrate gender equality in all areas. That’s why we launched with great enthusiasm the Elles table football that you will raffle among your customers.

how interesting, what do you think the future holds for you?

I will quote our leitmotiv: We will continue to provide our customers with moments of fun, while preserving the quality of French manufacturing and the values of a family business.

thank you very much for the interview!