Crosscall: the all-terrain smartphone soon 100% made in France?
smartphone brand Crosscall has become, since 2009, a reference in terms of resistant mobiles (or “rugged” as they are called on the sales sites). Police, gendarmerie, army or SNCF, professional users are numerous, as are the nearly 500,000 general public customers who choose its models each year. Is it due to the stormy origins of the brand? Or simply the actual quality of the models on the market? Probably a bit of both, as this smartphone has become synonymous with resistance.
Relocated production in the face of COVID
However, since the COVID crisis, Crosscall can no longer find the same efficiency on its delocalized production lines. By the CEO’s own admission Cyril Vidal, quality standards are not met following turnover in Chinese factories. This is due, among other things, to the drastic measures of the Chinese government. The confined workers have been replaced by less qualified personnel since the reopening of the factories, the price of the container has been multiplied by 10. A drop in productivity having already cost Crosscall 35 million euros.
The Snipers (TE) of the Support Company are deployed on the La Courtine camp.
For 10 days, they were able to test their new equipment:
– PGM upgraded;
– STEINER bezel;
– Crosscall telephones;
– AFS software. @Land Force @campLaCourtine pic.twitter.com/c7ZhboxMeB— 1st Regiment of Skirmishers (@les_turcos) November 22, 2022
In 2024 Crosscall will be 100% made in France
In February 2022, the brand had already started a return to France for part of its design line. With an investment of 4 million euros, it founded an R&D center in Aix-en-Provence, which also includes a manufacturing center for its prototypes. A new step has been taken with the assumed choice to repatriate production to France. The assembly lines will be installed at an industrial partner of the brand, probably in Normandy according to the first elements revealed by Le Figaro. Objective: to market a first “100% made in France” smartphone by 2024, with a rate of return of 2 million copies per year. However, Cyril Vidal qualifies: Asia and the United States remain unavoidable for certain components; the future Crosscall model will only be totally French in assembly.
A first in France!
📱#Crosscall will produce its first smartphones here! 🇬🇧The rugged smartphone champion wants to be a player in digital and industrial sovereignty.https://t.co/4lDqDli6Hn
— Fabienne Billat (@fadouce) November 27, 2022
Builders return to the fold
Since the COVID crisis, we have seen a desire to go back to basics among manufacturers. Costs skyrocketed and the reliability of production lines came into question. A very pragmatic reality that has been reflected in practice for several months by the repatriation of all or part of the industrial and R&D centers to the countries of origin of the brands. Apple is the latest example, its boss Tim Cook having announced that the company’s new strategy will be to source more from the United States and Europe.
Crosscall is therefore the first smartphone manufacturer to take the step of a 100% made in France design with translation in the field. Unlike some, like Wiko, claiming tricolor models yet from the Chinese manufacturer Tinno.
