OREANDA-NEWS. July 19, 2013. ArcelorMittal is supplying specialist steel to a young company that is helping to solve a common problem in modern life – low battery.
  
In January 2012, Distribution Solutions partnered up with Gidophone, a fast growing and innovative French company, through its activities in Vaulx-en-Velin, France. The plant near Lyon specialises in finishing steel products for a variety of applications.
 
Founded in 2009, Gidophone manufactures public lockers to recharge electric devices including cell phones, tablets and MP3 players. ArcelorMittal will supply 30 tonnes of electrolytically galvanised (EZ) steel to Gidophone throughout 2013, with the quantity due to increase to 80 tonnes in 2014. This equals approximately 1,000 charging lockers.

Gidophone power charging lockers are 1.8m high ‘totems’; each is composed of five boxes and an integrated touch screen. Mobile devices (tablets, cell phones, cameras and game consoles) of all brands can be securely charged, put in the lockers that resemble hotel safes. The lockers also offer an option to charge without having to plug in the device, via an induction system compatible with the latest smartphones.

In January 2012, one year after the first prototypes were released, Gidophone started looking for a strong industrial partner to plan mass production and support its business growth.  That’s where ArcelorMittal Vaulx-en-Velin came in: thanks to the employee's specialism in the design and industrialisation of steel components, they were chosen for the project.

The site’s experience in mass production helped shape the product into a more easy-to-use solution including features such as removable boxes for easy maintenance, and a new design taking into account logistical constraints. The totems are then manufactured, painted and assembled in the ArcelorMittal workshops in Vaulx-en-Velin and delivered directly to final customers.

A problem - an idea - a solution
Romain Lecarpentier, founder of Gidophone, explains how his idea came to life: "During a trip around the world in 2006, I spent a lot of time in airports. I faced the same problem over and over again: my electronic devices were running out of battery. I was not the only one in this situation and this is how I got the idea of a charging locker."

The plan is to manufacture 300 lockers in 2013, but Gidophone will not stop here. The company forecasts a quick growth in production from 50 to 100 items per month with worldwide delivery, all manufactured on ArcelorMittal’s premises.