Around fifty trials are required before a shower screen is approved.
Summary for decision-makers
Each Kinedo shower solution undergoes around fifty checks and tests before being validated , conducted in Aquaproduction's integrated laboratory in Chaumes-en-Retz. This SFA Group competence center comprises two ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 certified sites , 32,000 m² of workshops, and over 200 employees . The manufacturer invests €1,6 million annually there, has doubled the capacity of its Kinewall Design printing workshop, and now manufactures its custom-made glass on-site.
A shower enclosure is chosen based on its glass, hardware, and availability. These three points are decided upstream, in the workshop where it is manufactured. Kinedo produces its shower enclosures in Chaumes-en-Retz, at two sites that the manufacturer modernizes every year and where it now also manufactures its own custom-made glass.
What tests does a shower enclosure undergo before it is shipped?
Quality control for a shower solution goes far beyond a simple visual inspection at the end of the production line. Aquaproduction, Kinedo 's center of expertise located in Chaumes-en-Retz, operates a testing laboratory integrated into its workshops. Each product undergoes approximately fifty checks and tests designed to assess its robustness, safety, and durability.
These tests replicate conditions close to real-world use. Impact resistance, wear resistance, chemical resistance, transport stresses: each type of stress is validated separately. For the installation company, this is the variable that is measured after the project is completed: returns and warranty claims.
This commitment to excellence is also evident outside the factory. The Solo Z shower enclosure received the 2026 Gold Trophy for outstanding bathroom design.
Why does custom glass machining remain in the workshop?
Glass processing and aluminum machining are the two technical skills upon which a shower enclosure is based. Aquaproduction has integrated a new machining center dedicated to custom-made glass , giving it complete control over the manufacturing process.
The consequence is immediate for orders of non-standard sizes: they follow the same process as catalog items, without going through an external intermediary. Furthermore, an integrated design office drives innovation and continuous improvement of product ranges, bringing design closer to the production line.
The criteria for distinguishing between two shower enclosures are decided at this stage. We have detailed them in our technical selection criteria.
Two sites in the Pays de Retz that are ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 certified
Aquaproduction has been based in Chaumes-en-Retz for 40 years . It is the center of expertise for Kinedo, a bathroom brand belonging to the SFA group . Its two production sites total 32,000 m² and employ more than 200 staff specializing in shower solutions, decorative wall panels and bathtub replacement, which the company claims to have invented.
Both sites are ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 certified . The first international standard concerns quality management systems, the second occupational health and safety management systems. Neither certifies a product performance level; they attest that the processes are formalized, documented, and audited by a third party.
| Site indicator | Value reported in September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Surface area of the two production sites | 32 m² |
| Workforce | more than 200 employees |
| Employees residing in the Pays de Retz | 83% |
| Median seniority | 16 years |
| Distribution of women and men | 44% and 56% |
| Workplace accident rates | 1,33% |
| Annual investment in production equipment | 1,6 million euros |
All the product ranges produced locally are gathered on the Kinedo brand page.
An annual investment of 1,6 million euros in production equipment
The site dedicates €1,6 million annually to modernizing its equipment, its digital transformation, and the working conditions of its teams. Two recent projects illustrate this commitment: doubling the capacity of the Kinewall Design wall panel printing workshop and integrating the custom glass machining center.
The remainder of the budget will be allocated to strengthening security measures, improving workshop equipment, and deploying digital production management tools. The product range follows the same trend and is enhanced based on four key expectations identified by the manufacturer: design, comfort, accessibility, and sustainability.
The ranges of partitions from this line are regularly updated, as exemplified by its Walk-in partitions . The focus on accessibility responds to a demand that often comes from the individual's support network, as demonstrated by the significant role of caregivers in enabling people to remain at home.
How stable are the teams behind consistent production?
A production line relies as much on its operators as on its machines. 83% of Aquaproduction's employees live in the Pays de Retz region, and the median length of service is 16 years , a level the company presents as being above the national average. The workforce is divided between 44% women and 56% men.
Each new employee follows a structured onboarding program that introduces them to the various roles, production tools, and departments. Ongoing training is based on performance reviews, annual appraisals, and a skills development plan created each year.
“We invest heavily in the continuous training and skills development of our teams with a precise integration path and a training plan for everyone. At Aquaproduction, we also prioritize close relationships to support each employee in their development,” says Manon Leroy, Human Resources Manager.
Prevention is reflected in a workplace accident rate of 1,33% . The organization of working time complements the system: teleworking according to roles, flexible hours, and a week spread over four or four and a half days.
Internal career paths are the most concrete example of this. Starting as an operator, Aurélie Couturier became a team leader and then a production unit manager. For an installation company as well as for a specifier, this continuity of teams is what makes lead times predictable and ensures consistent quality of execution from one production batch to the next.
Frequently asked questions about the manufacturing of shower solutions
What is an integrated testing laboratory at a manufacturer?
This is a test bench installed in the factory itself, not at an external provider. At Aquaproduction, it allows each product to undergo around fifty checks relating to robustness, safety and durability, under conditions close to real use.
What is the difference between ISO 9001 certification and ISO 45001 certification?
ISO 9001 covers quality management systems, that is, the control of production processes. ISO 45001 covers occupational health and safety management systems. Both Aquaproduction sites hold both certifications.
What criteria should be used to judge the manufacture of a shower enclosure?
Three key elements must be verified: the internalization of glass processing, the existence of documented tests prior to market launch, and the presence of a design office attached to production. These three points determine the consistency of batches and the handling of non-conformities.
How are the custom-made glass panels for a shower enclosure produced?
They are cut and machined on a dedicated machining center. Aquaproduction recently integrated one, giving it complete control of the process: an order outside standard dimensions then follows the same chain as catalog items.
What standard governs health and safety at work in industry?
The international standard ISO 45001 defines the requirements for an occupational health and safety management system. It is a voluntary certification process, separate from the obligations of the labor code, and is subject to audits by a third-party organization.
Should we favour a manufacturer who machines his own glass?
This alone does not guarantee the quality of a wall, but it eliminates an intermediary for non-standard orders and shortens the loop between the design office and the workshop. On a renovation site, it is the unusual dimensions that pose the most difficulties.
Glossary of bathroom manufacturing terms
Competence Center
An industrial site to which a group entrusts the design and manufacture of a product family for all its markets. Aquaproduction fulfills this role for Kinedo's shower solutions.
ISO 9001 certification
A certificate issued by a third-party organization establishing that a company applies a quality management system that conforms to the international standard ISO 9001, based on documented control of its processes.
ISO 45001 certification
Certificate relating to the occupational health and safety management system. It covers the identification of occupational risks, preventive measures and monitoring of results obtained.
Testing laboratory
A facility dedicated to resistance testing of a finished product. Shocks, wear, chemicals and transport stresses are reproduced there in order to validate the product's behavior before it is marketed.
Decorative wall panel
Large-format wall covering installed on shower walls instead of tiles. It reduces the number of grout lines and can be installed during renovations without completely removing the existing surface.
Custom machining
The operation of cutting and shaping glass or profiles to the exact dimensions of a project. It allows for the processing of openings that do not correspond to any catalogue reference.
Other publications from the brand
9 rue de Rouans
44680 Chéméré
France
Courriel : contact@kinedo.com
Site internet : https://www.kinedo.com
