A family-owned business specializing in life-sized decorative sculptures has reached a major milestone, celebrating 20 years of creating custom decor pieces that are now recognized worldwide. NLC Déco, based in Saint-Saëns, Seine-Maritime, has grown from a small decoration shop into an international supplier of oversized resin sculptures for events, theme parks, and municipalities.
Nicolas and Ludivine Raas are the entrepreneurs behind this remarkable success story. Ten years ago, they moved their containers filled with life-sized and even larger sculptures of animals, characters, and decorative pieces to Saint-Saëns. At the time, an alien figure positioned in their building's window intrigued passersby and became a local curiosity.
Today, their warehouse in the former DIY building has expanded significantly to accommodate their growing inventory. The company now stocks more than 7,000 pieces ready for shipment to France and international destinations. In total, Nicolas and Ludivine can offer customers more than 6,000 different references in their extensive catalog.
Their product range spans from pirates and Santa Claus figures to traditional animals, Easter eggs, Christmas decorations, Halloween items, and dinosaurs. A substantial sample of their work is displayed in their 400-square-meter showroom. The business has grown so much that they've had to invest in two additional warehouses since their 2010 installation to store their sculptures.
"We work with event agencies, theme parks, retail chains, and increasingly with municipalities that want to create special atmospheres in their communities during various festivals," explains Nicolas Raas. "Christmas is mainly our biggest period of the year." The seasonal demand requires careful planning and substantial inventory management to meet customer expectations.
The story of NLC Déco began 20 years ago with the purchase of a small decoration shop. "The former owner sold all kinds of things in the store, including garden gnomes," Nicolas recalls. "The idea came to me when I imagined these garden gnomes at the size of a 6-foot-tall person." This creative vision transformed a traditional concept into something extraordinary.
Ludivine joined the project several years after its launch, bringing additional expertise to the growing business. Their son is currently working as an apprentice in the company, representing the next generation of the family business. A fourth employee completes their dedicated team, handling the various aspects of production, sales, and logistics.
The company now ships their sculptures worldwide, with notable exceptions. They deliver to Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Guadeloupe, and numerous European countries, but avoid the United States due to prohibitively high shipping costs. Their creations have become part of the local landscape in many communities.
"We have all already encountered one of their creations: the cows at the Neufchâtel roundabout, the one at the Rouen roundabout, Christmas figurines in villages, theme parks," Nicolas notes with pride. However, some major clients remain out of reach. "Only Disneyland doesn't call on us because they don't want their pieces to be reused in other parks," he explains.
The business also faces certain restrictions with custom work. "Just like certain pieces created at the request of our clients, which cannot be sold again in the country where the request was made," Nicolas adds. These exclusive arrangements sometimes limit their ability to resell popular designs, but they respect client confidentiality and exclusivity agreements.
Despite these limitations, the company's thousands of references ensure they have plenty to satisfy their diverse clientele. Their success demonstrates how a creative idea, combined with quality craftsmanship and strategic business development, can grow from a local shop into an internationally recognized supplier. The family business continues to evolve while maintaining its commitment to creating eye-catching decorative pieces that bring joy and wonder to communities around the world.
