Hermès to open new factories

French luxury house Hermès is expanding its production, but keeping it in France.

The company stated it would open two new factories in Eastern France, creating 400 jobs, it said Tuesday.

Hermès, famous for its unrivaled quality leather goods, has chosen new sites in Héricourt and in Montbéliart, to be operational by 2015 or 2016.

Both sites are within 20 kilometres of Hermès’ existing factory in Seloncourt and will specialise in making leather goods.

Hermès’s policy is that only one artisan can produce one model from start to finish. Each artisan has their own unique set of tools, which are never shared and which they take with them when they retire.