Oreco-Thomas Clair

How did you get into wine business?

I come from a very different field as I was working previously for PricewaterhouseCoopers, which specializes in audits, accounting and consulting missions.
I joined Oreco in 2009, when the need for storage was so important that we had undertaken major construction work. Over a period of 3 years, from 2009 to 2011, we have created nine new cellars in order to reach a storage capacity of around one million hectoliters. Over 7 years, we have built a total of 22 cellars! Our site in Merpins is now classified SEVESO 2* at a high level.

Do you remember your first experience with wine?

It is an old story. My grandfather was a winemaker and a distiller. I was about 3 years old when I discovered Cognac by curiosity, and this has become a passion.

Is there anything special you would like to tell us about ORECO…?

This period from 2009 to 2011 was a real turning point for ORECO and gave us a new dimension. Since 2011, our cellars have doubled their storage capacities, each one rising from 20,000 to 40,000 hectoliters. The partnership with H&A for barrel management has facilitated our rapid growth.

How did you hear about H&A?

You came to us, and for a while, your short term model didn’t match our way of setting up the storage of Cognac. But with many discussions, together we managed to adapt your offer to our needs.

What do you appreciate at H&A?

You have a supportive aspect and make contracts easy to set up. You allow us to save time and focus on our storage business.
You were able to assist us in our growth and adapted your service model to bring us the support we were looking for to develop our cellars.

How would you describe your relationship with H&A?

A clear and transparent relationship, with flexibility in your support. You know how to adapt yourself quickly to our changing needs. We appreciate the relationship of trust that has been developed between us and François, who was able to anticipate our needs.

*Seveso 2 was created to cover risks arising from storage and processing activities in mining, from pyrotechnic and explosive substances, and from the storage of ammonium nitrate and ammonium nitrate-based fertilisers.