FROM PRODUCTION IN CHINA TO MANUFACTURING IN FRANCE
Lunii turned to Kickmaker to reindustrialize the production of its “Fabrique à Histoires” (children’s audio player) in France, having previously manufactured it in China. The objective was to manufacture the product in France, preserve its design, control costs, and maintain its retail price.
A few years later, Lunii once again called on Kickmaker for a project independent of the first, but part of the product’s ongoing industrial lifecycle: managing it during series production.
Kickmaker supported Lunii in relocating its production to France, designing the product, selecting partners, setting up the production line, and launching industrial production.
The current project involves supporting the launch of new products, such as FLAM, at a new industrial site. Lunii once again called on Kickmaker to structure its relationship with a new factory and stabilize production.
The challenge
Reindustrialisation:
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Manufacture in France without increasing the final selling price
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Simplify assembly and reduce manual operations
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Facilitate disassembly and recycling
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Prepare production capacity of more than one million units per year
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Secure supplies through dual sourcing
Ongoing production support:
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Bringing a new product into mass production
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Introducing a new industrial partner
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Managing the first customer returns through after-sales service
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Improving the product and process to stabilize and make production more reliable
The solution
Kickmaker structured the project around three complementary technical areas:
Reindustrialisation:
Kickmaker redesigned the product with Bayonne Manufacturing Services (BMS), an All Circuits production site and electronics manufacturing partner.
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Reduction in the number of parts and assembly operations
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Simplified architecture and removable battery
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Automation of the screwing process
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Validation of the production line and test bench
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Implementation of dual sourcing for critical components
This approach was based on Design for Excellence (DFx), or design focused on the product’s overall optimisation, particularly through Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA) and Design for Cost (DFC).
Ongoing production support:
To support the production of new products at two sites, Lunii called on Kickmaker to structure collaboration with a new industrial partner.
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Establishing communication routines and protocols to structure the relationship
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Auditing production tools to identify process improvement opportunities
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Analyzing customer feedback to define the product enhancements required
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Assessing product updates, their backward compatibility, and their return on investment
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Ensuring the industrialization of product updates
Benefits
Reindustrialisation:
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Economically viable French manufacturing, with no increase in the selling price.
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A 34% reduction in environmental impact.
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Production capacity suited to projected volumes.
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A less dependent supply chain, thanks to dual sourcing.
Ongoing production support:
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Better-structured collaboration with industrial partners.
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Stabilized production following the launch of the new production lines.
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Better anticipation of risks related to components, quality, and product updates.
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Decisions based on a comprehensive analysis, taking costs, backward compatibility, customer feedback, and return on investment into account.
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Support capable of turning industrial constraints into opportunities for improvement.
Expertise
For this project, Kickmaker mobilised:
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Expertise in international industrialization: supporting the product in China, then organizing its relocation to France.
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A cross-functional approach: coordinating design, suppliers, the production line, and the client’s teams.
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Expertise in Design for Excellence (DFx)
To optimize manufacturing, assembly, and costs from the design stage onward. -
Expertise in series production support: stabilizing production, supporting factories, and managing improvements.
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The ability to take over an existing product: working on a design developed by other teams in order to maintain and improve it.
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A solutions-oriented approach: analyzing industrial constraints as a whole and identifying the most relevant options.
Kickmaker supports electronic products beyond their launch at every stage of the product lifecycle, from industrial preparation and continuous improvement through to end of life.
”Kickmaker has supported us at several key stages in the lifecycle of our products, both during industrialization and in production. Their understanding of industrial challenges, ability to communicate with our partners, and pragmatic approach have helped us structure production and move complex issues forward. Their availability and cross-functional perspective provide genuine support for our teams.
Olivier BRETTProduction Director at Lunii