France

Languedoc-Roussillon, taking off …

Home to enterprise, the Languedoc-Roussillon stands out as a prime hub for business, outstandingly well situated in an attractive and innovative environment at the heart of Mediterranean Europe. Representing 3% of the French GDP, the region is France’s leading demographic growth area (+ 1.6% per year) and also boasts the country’s 3rd highest business creation rate – clear proof of the area’s resolutely dynamic spirit…

Boom in the services sector, implementation of training and R&D development policies, arrival of Hi-Tech industries in ICT, the healthcare field and renewable energies: these past few years have witnessed in-depth economic changes in the Languedoc-Roussillon. Thanks to a combination of specific local assets, the presence of international groups and the development of innovative SMEs, the region offers a rich selection of industrial opportunities.

Focus on ICT, biotech and healthcare sector

Representing 15,000 jobs and over 500 production plants, the Information and Communications Technology sector, electronics for businesses and medical equipment production have truly taken off in the Languedoc-Roussillon. Alongside Cap Gemini, Dell, IBM and its outsourcing network, numerous SMEs have developed in IT, electronics for businesses and medical sectors, including Horiba ABX for blood analysis systems, DMS Apelem in medical imaging and Tmi-Orion or Fogale Nanotech in sensors, electronic equipment and software, etc.

The Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon Genopole® is the undisputed proof that the Languedoc-Roussillon is also one of Europe’s major biotech, drugs and healthcare platforms featuring corporations such as Sanofi Aventis (world no. 3), Bausch & Lomb (ophthalmologic products), PCAS (fine chemistry), Horiba- Biopep, Proteus and Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Ontex Healthcare (hygiene products), Pierre Fabre (cosmetics) or Arjo Wiggins (world leader in paper for medical use). The region also has specialist structures in neuropsychiatry, infectiology, oncology, emerging pathologies and orphan diseases, regenerative medicine, biodiagnostics and biomolecules gathered within the French competitiveness cluster ORPHEME.

Backed by Europe’s leading campus in Mediterranean agronomy and agri-food, Agropolis, with global sales revenue of €8 billion and 25,500 employees, consistently developing over the past 10 years, the agri-food industries constitute a gilt-edge value for the area (Nestlé Group, Pernod-Ricard, Haribo, Conserves France, Royal Canin-Mars, Coeur de Fruit- DOL, etc). The region is also developing “sustainable agri-food systems”, health foods optimizing nutritional values, product traceability and variety of genetically or genomically grown plants, sectors of expertise which have been recognized by certification as a Q@LI-MEDiterranée competitiveness cluster.

Recycling, environmental industries and renewable energies

Based on the world-recognized expertise and technologies of the AREVA and CEA Marcoule groups in the nuclear field, a centre of over 4,000 researchers, engineers and outsourcing enterprises is developing applications in decontamination, depollution and environmental recycling for other industrial sectors, and has just been recognized by certification of the TRIMATEC competitiveness cluster.

The Languedoc-Roussillon is the only French region to offer such high potential in the renewable energies field: it is the country’s leading region for wind-produced electricity. Backed by R&D laboratories and centres (Corad, CNRS, Thémis), cutting-edge enterprises have also gradually developed in this future-focused sector, which also has a certified competitiveness cluster, DERBI.

Transport & logistics, sailing & watersports industries, building & public works sector

The Languedoc-Roussillon’s strategic geographical location and strong demographic growth reinforce the region’s key assets that drive logistic successes: efficient, multimodal infrastructures, local know-how across the four modes of transport, availability of land and buildings, tailored training programs and synergies with technological professions (traceability, embedded systems, instrumentation). The transport & logistics sector represents some 2,000 firms, mainly small and medium-sized businesses, employing over 10,000 people. The full range of know-how in transport (road, rail, sea & inland waterways, air) and logistics (upstream & downstream supply chain) are available and structure this sector in the region.

The sailing & water sports industry also has pride of place with leading names such as Catana-Poncin, Delta Voile, FE Industries, etc, and a nautical local production system in Caneten- Roussillon. 330 enterprises provide 2,490 jobs and generate €163 million in sales revenue. 85,000 boats are registered with 28,000 berths.

Finally, with some 53,000 employees and a turnover of €3.05 billion, the building & public works sector has registered steady growth since 1996. “Materials” in particular have been significantly growth-driven with major groups specializing in window or door frames, concrete or cement products (Feder Group, Calcia, KP1, Ciment Français), tiles and ceramics (Lafarge, Terreal...) and fiberglass (Owens Corning Fiberglass...).

KNOW-HOW IN LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON

Featuring four universities, nine public research bodies, over 200 laboratories, more than 11,000 researchers, together with foreign research organizations such as USDA (USA) and CSIRO (Australia), the Languedoc-Roussillon boasts prime assets in the fields of innovation, research and technology transfer. Research is focused on leading sectors such as Biology & Healthcare, Chemistry & Biopharmacy, Agronomy & Environment, Information, Structures & Systems Sciences, Materials & Systems, Process Engineering, Earth & Universe Sciences and Water Sciences.

The territory also benefits from choice laboratories such as the CEA, CEMAGREF, ENSAM, INRA, IRD, CIRAD or CNRS. Finally, in addition to the university infrastructure (Universities of Montpellier, Nîmes and Perpignan), the region features nine Grandes Ecoles, 14 Doctoral Schools, numerous institutes, preparatory classes for the Grandes Ecoles and advanced vocational training certificates (BTS)...

A TIGHT MESH OF COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURES

• A dense road & highway network with four highways (A9, A61, A75, A54).
• A European-level rail network (a “dedicated freight” line, a TGV line up to Montpellier, extended on to Barcelona in the future).
• Multiple international air links from Montpellier, Carcassonne, Perpignan, Béziers and Nîmes, together with three regional freight airports: Montpellier-Méditerranée, Nîmes-Arles-Camargue and Perpignan-Rivesaltes.
• Port infrastructures (Sète, Port-la-Nouvelle and Port- Vendres).
• Various dedicated multi-mode platforms: Gard Industries, Montpellier-Sète Méditerranée, Triangle d’Oc and Pyrénées- Méditerranée (Saint-Charles International, leading European platform for fresh fruit and vegetables).

A BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

Languedoc-Roussillon provides a broadband telecommunications network infrastructure: DSL, BLR, cable, optical fibre network, satellite access across the region, (France Telecom, Oléane Pop France, MCI World Com, Kaptech, Firstmark Communication France, Cegetel…).

Your one-stop shop:
Invest Languedoc-Roussillon/DIACT
LRP – 980, Avenue Jean Mermoz – CS 80553 –
F-34960 Montpellier Cedex 2 – France
Tel: +33 (0) 467 229 480
Fax: +33 (0) 467 229 490
Email: invest-Ir@invest-Ir.com
Website: www.invest-lr.com

 

All pages are copyright of © Roxby Media Ltd - European American Business is a Roxby Media publication.