Laurent Gourdon passes the torch to Philippe Dugougeat, appointed Managing Director of SSI Schaefer France

After several successful years at the helm of SSI Schaefer's French subsidiary, Laurent Gourdon is handing over the reins to Philippe Dugougeat, who has been appointed Managing Director. An entrepreneur at heart with extensive international experience in top-level positions, Philippe Dugougeat's mission is to maintain the strong growth momentum of the leading intralogistics company in France.

A chapter in the history of SSI Schaefer France is coming to a close. After masterfully leading the subsidiary of the German intralogistics leader, Laurent Gourdon – a respected and renowned figure in the industry – will step down as Managing Director of SSI Schaefer on December 31st, at the height of its success. At the helm of the French operation since 2017, when SSI Schaefer acquired GRN Logistics, a company specializing in WCS and WMS software, Laurent Gourdon has successfully developed the business. SSI Schaefer is on track for a record year in 2025, with an order book exceeding €120 million. He will be succeeded by Philippe Dugougeat, another prominent figure in intralogistics, who has previously held leadership positions at companies such as Bowe Group and Swisslog.

Philippe Dugougeat, a born builder

A graduate of IDRAC Business School and HEC Paris, Philippe Dugougeat is a business development professional with over twenty years of international experience in the electronics industry. He began his career at Grundig in 1994 as a sales representative, before becoming Director of the Electronic Professional Business Unit. In 2000, he joined Pitney Bowes, where he rose to the position of Vice President of Marketing and Communications. In 2006, he continued his career at Quadient (formerly Neopost) as Managing Director for Scandinavia. After two years in Norway with the startup FXI Technologies SA as Chief Operating Officer of Global Operations, he joined the Bowe Group in 2016, initially as Managing Director and Sales Director for the UK, Ireland, and India, and subsequently as Executive Vice President for North America . Returning to France in 2023, he took on the role of Managing Director and Sales Director at Swisslog, before joining SSI Schaefer last October.

A new impetus in service of the 2030 Strategy

His arrival is part of the Group's 2030 strategy, whose ambition is clear: to make SSI Schaefer an attractive company that creates sustainable value for its customers, employees, and shareholders. This vision guides the Group's development, driven by a dynamic French market and one of the most comprehensive intralogistics offerings in the sector. With its "one-stop shop" approach, SSI Schaefer covers all intralogistics needs, from the simplest solutions (racks, standard equipment, etc.) to the most advanced systems, including robotics (AMR, robots, etc.), manufactured primarily in its European factories. With a strong focus on the future, the Group offers reliable and relevant solutions, suitable for both SMEs and large international groups. It is in this context that Philippe Dugougeat's mission is to continue the growth momentum of SSI Schaefer France, particularly by strengthening its presence in the distribution market.

“I am delighted to join SSI Schaefer and to build upon the remarkable performance achieved in recent years under the leadership of Laurent Gourdon. He has successfully built a sustainable company, offering security and stability to our employees. I will leverage my entrepreneurial experience to consolidate and develop the business in France, which represents the second largest market with strong potential in the EMEA region. My ambition is to ensure that we are fully recognized for what we are: the world's leading manufacturer of intralogistics solutions,” stated Philippe Dugougeat.

"Thanks to his extensive experience, Philippe Dugougeat is undoubtedly the right man for the job. I have complete confidence in the future of SSI Schaefer, convinced that the company will continue its development successfully." "I wish him every success and extend my sincere thanks to our clients for their trust, and to our employees for their commitment over the past few years," concluded Laurent Gourdon.

Meet Philippe Dugougeat and his teams at the trade shows:

•    CFIA in Rennes : March 10-12, 2026
•    Logimat in Stuttgart : March 24-26, 2026
•    SITL in Paris-Villepinte : March 31 - April 2, 2026