Louis RIOU is the grandson of Pierre RIOU, president of RIOU OCEAN GLASS in Mauritius and founder of RIOU GLASS in France. In the image of his grandfather, he embodies the human values associated with this Mauritian entrepreneurial adventure, particularly concerning the challenges of sustainable innovation in the glass industry.
3 questions for Louis RIOU
Why is innovation in the DNA of RIOU OCEAN GLASS?
Innovation has indeed been in the DNA of RIOU OCEAN GLASS since its inception. My grandfather was determined to cultivate his distinctiveness in his vision as a self-taught entrepreneur to establish a presence in this market.
With my grandmother, they have passed down through the generations a certain vision of life based notably on human values and the taste for effort to achieve excellence.
So, it is naturally through innovation in our products, the passion for craftsmanship in our trades, and the preserved family balance that my grandfather allowed the RIOU GLASS company to become what it is today.
This new project in the Indian Ocean with RIOU OCEAN GLASS is based on the same recipe: innovating to differentiate ourselves in the glass market, demonstrating agility to better meet the expectations of our customers, and putting humanity at the heart of our development strategy. I am particularly passionate about this project to express my gratitude to my grandfather for his courage and commitment in this family venture.
The conquest of the Indian Ocean is the challenge I wish to undertake alongside him on this beautiful welcoming territory that is Mauritius.
How does it materialize in your ranges of trendy and committed products?
Our ranges of trendy and committed products are based notably on our ambition to address the societal challenges of the 21st century and our ability to associate them with our human and family values. We have a habit of creating market trends by simply not following them.
Thus, whether it’s about product design or innovating functionalities in our glass, we, along with our teams, aim to surprise our customers with unique solutions addressing present and future challenges: climate change, human safety, infrastructure design, and sustainability, etc., are all part of our playgrounds where we bring an innovative and committed vision through our Mauritian industry and our range of products.
What is your vision regarding the involvement of the glass market, particularly in addressing climate challenges?
There are numerous challenges related to climate change. I was born into a generation that is aware of the challenges to be faced and the commitment they require. So, I believe that innovation, digital technologies, and our ability to put humans at the heart of our development remain the key ingredients for us to engage, at our level, in the preservation of our societies.
The Indian Ocean is acutely aware of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of these changes on its daily life. So, we have the responsibility to build a glass industry that meets the challenges that lie ahead of us. Hence, RIOU OCEAN GLASS is building its development strategy on a human and responsible organization for its teams, its customers, and more broadly the territories where the company is present and will eventually expand.
We thus aim to initiate a hub for glass innovation with our local partners, particularly in the areas of eco-design and end-of-life recycling of glass products. It is particularly through the creation of value and jobs locally that we can envisage the necessary groundwork to carry a sustainable and virtuous vision in the glass industry.