La Savonnerie du Midi launches a campaign to crowdfund its museum

The museum will celebrate the history of the soap, its manufacture and its regional roots

With the support of Provence Promotion, La Savonnerie du Midi, the iconic Marseille plant established in 1894 and acquired in 2013 by the family-owned company Prodef, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund the museum it plans to open in the city, a museum that will protect its important historic heritage. Starting this summer, the museum will celebrate the Savon de Marseille, the history of the soap, its manufacture and its regional roots in the heart of the city's Aygalades district!

In July 2013, Prodef acquired the Compagnie du Midi which at that time consisted of two facilities in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region: La Savonnerie du Midi in Marseille and the plant at Saint-Laurent du Var.

To ensure the future sustainability of its operations, the company then decided to launch a significant industrial and real estate project at its Marseille site. With the aim of achieving this goal, Provence Promotion provided support for the company’s development. In particular, the agency organized a round table to carry out the project, helping the company obtain the financial support of local authorities.

The project consists of:

• re-creating the traditional “Savon de Marseille” soap-making process by renovating the plant's historic cauldrons,
• restoring the current buildings, which have been listed by the city as an outstanding element of its industrial heritage,
• in addition to creating a Soap Museum, open to the public and with an on-site store.

The Savonnerie’s base within the local economy has already led to around ten employees being hired and will be further strengthened in 2018 with the creation of 6 to 7 new jobs in the coming years, as well as jobs resulting indirectly from it.

A crowdfunding campaign for an “industrial” tourism project

Developing so-called “industrial” tourism is important for local organizations. This project, with its historical, cultural and educational elements as well as the industrial and real estate aspects, makes a significant contribution to the international standing of the city of Marseille. It is a symbol of the re-industrialization of a product that is well-known throughout the world.

After 2 years of renovation work on the production site, the Savonnerie du Midi now needs investors to fund part of the Museum. It is launching a crowdfunding campaign between April 4 and May 4, 2018 with the aim of raising €15,000 in 30 days.

If you would like to support this cultural, educational and regional project and protect this important historical heritage, you can do so here!