IIII - Comité Expansion Economique du Puy de Dôme

Aerial view of Volvic plant
© Xavier LEFEBVRE
Puy-de-Dôme:
excellence in business
and the art of living
With infrastructure to optimise travel, superfast networks
for effortless communication, space to set up new businesses,
renowned centres of excellence and precious human resources
brimming with energy, Puy-de-Dôme ensures excellence
in business and the art of living.
DEMOGRAPHIC DYNAMICS
According to the latest figures released by INSEE, the
French Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies,
more people come to live in Puy-de-Dôme than those
who leave. The county is expected to increase its
population by 46,200 in exchanges with other
French counties and foreign countries, according
to forecasts for 2007-2040.
The capital of Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, is a
beneficiary of this trend, as it is beginning to rank
among the top 10 cities in France for investors.
Given current demographic dynamics and the ease
of access to the property and land markets, which
is more favourable than in other comparable cities,
the return on investment is clearly worth considering.
One heavyweight player from the furniture sector, the
Swedish giant IKEA, made a smart move in choosing
Clermont-Ferrand for its latest 24,000 m² site, which
has just been inaugurated.
a business cluster known as Le Damier, which
operates on the music and imagery sector.
Auvergne has a total of 8 clusters. 3 of these were
established recently (with a focus on spa treatments, lumber and industrial efficiency), a great
addition to the existing clusters, which include E2IA
(eco-industry).
On a larger scale, the county’s three competitiveness
clusters – Céréales Vallée, Elastopôle and Viaméca
– benefit from a pool of companies and researchers,
as well as the presence of multinationals needed to
ensure dynamic projects.
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© CICE
In the field of physics, the Université Blaise Pascal
is placed around 200th worldwide on the University
of Shanghai’s academic ranking. The Université
d’Auvergne, which appears in the ranking for the
first time, is among the top 10 French universities
in terms of successful Bachelor’s and Master’s
degrees, and is the 3rd best university in France
for law, economics and management in terms
of postgraduate employment rates. More than
15% of students in Auvergne’s universities are
from overseas, attending as part of the Erasmus
programme or international agreements.
The cultural sector is every bit as impressive,
including the Ecole Supérieure d’Art de Clermont
Métropole, the unique possibility of completing
a Master’s degree in sound engineering, and
Greentech © Denis POURCHER
EXCELLENCE RANKINGS
AXIOBIB 650/85R38 TYRE © MICHELIN
and its products now appear in some of the finest
restaurants worldwide.
Small SMEs have invested in niches in the luxury
sector, including Cabiria which produces bronze and
aluminium objects to be used by artists, designers,
architects, etc. 70% of its production is exported.
Cycles Victoire, founded in 2011 by young entrepreneurs from Clermont-Ferrand, has received
international recognition through its collaboration
with luxury brand Berluti: “they have revived French
expertise in producing exceptional bicycles”.
A total of 32 companies from the county of Puy-deDôme have been awarded the State accreditation as
“Entreprises du patrimoine vivant” (living heritage
businesses), which rewards French manufacturers for exceptional craft skills and industry par
excellence.
cutting-edge equipment that has received international recognition.
This is the strength of Puy-de-Dôme: to make this
exceptional quality of life available to industry and
researchers.
Jacques FOURNET
President of the Puy-de-Dôme Committee for Economic
Growth (Comité d’Expansion Économique du Puy-de-Dôme)
QUALITY OF LIFE
Finally, the county’s geographic features make it
a unique location. The Clermont-Ferrand agglomeration is surrounded by two natural regional
parks (Volcans d’Auvergne and Livradois-Forez),
and the Puy mountain chain is due to be included
on UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites. Such
an environment does not only make for an
exceptional quality of life but also underpins our
scientific excellence. The Laboratoire d’Excellence
(LaBex) Clervol, a volcanology research centre in
Clermont-Ferrand, boasts unrivalled skill sets and
© Allizé Plasturgie
Automotive profiling © SNCP
APRV © CRV
Lastly, high-end manufacturing has brought growth
to the leather/luxury sectors, which employs around
2,000 employees in Auvergne, with the notable
example of the Hermès Group and its production
units for luxury leather goods.
Cutlery manufacturing in Thiers, which is currently
undergoing a successful restructuring process, is
also focusing on markets with high value added,
© Office de tourisme du Sancy
But Puy-de-Dôme continues to maintain a strong
industrial presence, home to innovative activities on
the biology and medical sectors, the manufacture
of rubber products and plastics, aeronautics and
groups with an international dimension: Michelin
of course, but also Constellium, Sanofi, Limagrain,
Laboratoires Merck Sharp & Dhome Chibret, Volvic,
Aubert et Duval and others. And when it comes to
companies with fewer than 10 employees, the latest
figures released by INSEE show that they have a
greater capacity to survive in the long term here
than elsewhere in France.
Field crops © Vincent BOUCHET
STRONG INDUSTRIAL PRESENCE
3
PLATFORM SERVING
A
EUROPEAN EXCHANGES
The high-speed POCL project could put ClermontFerrand just two hours from Paris for passengers.
Parc de l’Aize © SYMPA
In more concrete terms, as part of the east-west axis
(A89), the development of the Balbigny motorway
section in 2013 has cut a half an hour from the transit
time between Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon, and a further
reduction is expected once the final section has been
completed (Tour de Salvagny – Lyon).
© Produced by the Comité d’Expansion Économique du Puy-de-Dôme
With its three motorways (A71, A75 and A89), Puy-de-Dôme
serves as a technical transport hub.
In terms of rail links, the high-speed POCL line (Paris / Orléans /
Clermont / Lyon) has been included in plans to ease congestion
on the Paris/Lyon rail link.
And multimodal transport for merchandise is improving. With a
central location in the transport network, Puy-de-Dôme is now
identified as a strategic target for sustainable investment going
forward.
This transport route means that just 7 hours now
separate Clermont from Turin by truck.
And the Millau viaduct on the A75 enables trucks
leaving Clermont to reach Barcelona in 7½ hours.
As traffic intensifies, the north-south axis (A71/A75)
increasingly serves as the intended alternative to
the Rhone corridor in terms of distance, driving time
and cost, especially since large sections of the A75
are toll-free.
The success of this route is such that the increase
in traffic volumes (from 45,000 to 60,000 vehicles
per day in different sections) has led to an increase
from 2 to 3 lanes on the A71 on the Gerzat toll/A75
section north of Clermont-Ferrand.
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All of this has placed the county of Puy-de-Dôme
in close proximity to the Rhône-Alpes and Paris
markets, and by extension those of Italy, Spain
and Switzerland.
Auvergne has a positive trade balance (446 million
euros in 2013), mainly due to its primary export
sectors: rubber, pharmaceuticals and chemical
products.
More than half of Auvergne’s exports are made
within the European Union, primarily to neighbouring
countries. Puy-de-Dôme alone is responsible for two
thirds of the region’s exports.
In order to increase exports, the region has
implemented a plan to encourage companies to
expand internationally through specially adapted
support programmes.
With the same objective in mind, Clermont-Ferrand
airport has just opened a new terminal, maintaining
its essential role as a business airport in order to offer
local companies the ability to develop internationally.
Dachser © Jérôme CHABANNE
Transport and
the economy
Further north, in Combronde, the Dachser Group has
set up in the Parc de l’Aize, where it has expanded
its activities.
At the junction between the A71 (Paris-Clermont)
and A89 (Lyon-Bordeaux), its 3rd biggest hub after
Germany and Slovakia offers highly competitive
logistics. It connects the main commercial centres
of France and all of the Group’s agencies within
just 24 hours.
In order to meet the needs of the markets,
professionals from this sector have integrated all
of the supply chain services: goods transport and
information transfers, logistics (storage, order picking
and packaging), consolidation (networks, groupage
and messaging), piloting and optimisation of
transport flows, sustainable deliveries, development
of specialised software, and e-commerce transport
management.
Some of these services are regrouped within
Auvergne Logistique Développement, which
accounts for 3,000 employees, 2,600 registered
vehicles, 4 transloading platforms and 280,000 m²
of storage.
Another association has been set up to offer
multimodal transport solutions. A group of around
10 companies, including Multitransports and ATR,
came together to establish Auvergne Ferroviaire
Développement.
Ferovergne, which is majority owned by the
Combronde Group, offers rail links for the transport
of sea containers. Ferovergne currently operates one
weekly connection between Clermont-Ferrand and
Le Havre and three weekly connections between
Clermont-Ferrand and Fos-sur-Mer, with stops in
Saint-Etienne and Lyon. The multimodal platforms in
Clermont-Ferrand and Saint-Etienne will soon offer
bonded storage for these containers.
Finally, qualified staff with diplomas provided by
AFT-IFTIM, CCI Formation, Polytech and Groupe ESC
complement offer from Certificate of Professional
Competence up to Master’s level.
The courses on offer cover all the needs of the
logistics chain: head of logistics (4 years), Master’s
degree specialised in logistics and international
logistics (5 years), BTS (technical diploma) in
transport and for senior technicians in logistical
operating methods.
© Jérôme CHABANNE
Dascher © Jérôme CHABANNE
Dedicated sites such as the Clermont Auvergne
logistics site offer companies a physical presence
in close proximity to key areas of consumerism and
employment. 40 companies currently occupy its
156-ha site, representing 939 jobs.
Companies with more than 20 employees include
the Plane Group, Pomona, Norbert Dentressangle,
Omnitrans, Atsm, Euromulticourses, Chronopost,
Fenwick Linde, Fraikin, Maximo, Exapaq Clermont,
Transports Star, Calberson Auvergne, and Auvergne
Racing Pneumatique.
Multitransports © Jérôme CHABANNE
HOSTING AND LOGISTICS
INFRASTRUCTURE
© CSP
FEROVERGNE – Clermont-Ferrand’s multimodal platform © Carine Sai
As part of the European objective to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions fourfold by 2050,
multimodal goods transport is becoming
increasingly structured.
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INFRASTRUCTURES
FOR THE DIGITAL ECONOMY
With 100% coverage, Auvergne is a forerunner in highspeed broadband networks and is taking up a leading
position in very high speed broadband. The entire region
is set to enjoy speeds of more than 8 Mb/s by 2017, and
42% of homes are already at more than 100 Mb/s. The
development of this new network is being organised by
a public company, Auvergne Numérique. Digitalisation
forms one of the 4 missions of Auvergne 2030, the outline
for sustainably planning and developing the region, and
makes provision, among other things, for forming and
backing actions within the realm of the e-economy,
e-education and e-health.
Clermont-Ferrand has itself established a very highspeed network through a public service outsourcer,
Clermont Networks.
The availability rate is nearly 100% for the 200 locations
currently connected to very high speed Internet. 180
kilometres of network connect community activity zones,
public research centres, universities, higher education
institutes and the hospital.
It is also extended on a regular basis so as to link
businesses which need it, above all affordably.
its immersive cube, until then hosted in the Pascalis
business centre.
The Virtual Reality Centre enables interactive 3D simulations in real time.
ISIMA is already playing host to 4 companies working on
themes including Catopsys, which develops immersion
solutions, and Reoviz, which specialises in augmented
reality.
Every year, a hundred or so students follow a unique
computer engineering course with 5 areas of specialisation: embedded system computing, software
engineering and computer systems, information systems
and decision support tools, scientific calculation and
modelling, and networks/telecommunication.
For year 3, and an optional 4th year, ISIMA is also
providing an introduction to research.
Working with various laboratories has been fruitful,
especially with the LASMEA (Automatics and Electronics
Materials Sciences Laboratory), and through Gravir
group, which works in artificial perception to produce
tailor-made and autonomous automated systems.
In Clermont-Ferrand, Pascalis has become a dedicated
digital and ICT centre.
This is a business centre and incubator that provides various
services: access to secure very high speed broadband,
a multimedia amphitheatre, company synergies etc.
Finally, for professionals only, PRATIC is a resource and
assistance centre dedicated to ICT and discussing digital
best practices.
There are close ties with higher education and research,
especially with ISIMA (the French graduate engineering
school focused on computing and its applications) which
has recently incorporated the Virtual Reality Centre and
Pascalis © Horizon Photographie / Clermont Communauté
/ Architectes: Jacques et Philippe Moinard
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Robot © ISIMA
The Data Centre, recently established start-ups and
international digital companies, productively designed
businesses. With R & D in magnetic systems, multimedia 3D
designers, man-machine interface development etc., Puy-deDôme is a natural home to research and development.
This requires brainpower, of course, but also the right
environment and equipment (very high speed broadband,
business centres, clusters etc.) provided by local authorities.
Other laboratories are associated with research
projects:
LIMOS (Computer Science, Modelling and Systems
Optimization Laboratory)
The Corpuscular Physics Laboratory, which is renowned
for its IT expertise in calculation grids.
© ISIMA
Information and
Communication
Technologies
More generally speaking, training courses providing
qualifications in software engineering, telecommunications, networks and infrastructures, web specialist
software engineering and industrial data processing
are also available in secondary schools, universities
and institutes of technology.
AUVERGNE TIC
Companies in the ICT sector (700 businesses and more
than 7,000 jobs) are still nearly all based in Puy-de-Dôme
and especially Clermont-Ferrand.
It assists in developing training courses suited to
company requirements via, for example, its involvement
in the upcoming Campus des Métiers and qualifications
provided by ISIMA and the Lycée Lafayette, whilst
promoting innovation and joint projects, especially
between research and business, in areas such as cyber
security, conference calls, connected objects etc.
Some of the more notable examples are Vesalis with its
facial recognition software, Exotic Systems, IP Leanware,
Numtech for its environmental and atmospheric
modelling, Openium, Veodis 3D, Yansis and CIPAM.
Auvergne TIC is also working on new projects such as
building a saw simulator - a world first - in partnership
with Auvergne Promobois.
ICT products are also available from other familiar
names, including Neyrial, Adista and IBO.
• ALMERYS, a major player in industrial processing of
sensitive digital data including third party payments,
which has physical infrastructures with very high
security and confidentiality levels, for managing huge
quantities of data on a daily basis.
Perfect Memory is the latest major organisation
to have relocated its business from Paris to
Clermont-Ferrand.
IBO has built an eco-centre in Cébazat that is among
the most ecological in France, for 4 million Euros. Its
business centre is home to around a hundred computer
racks.
Its services are based on developing a unique semantic
software platform for managing, indexing and monetizing large quantities of multimedia content so as to
transform it into knowledge.
Its clients include Radio France and the RTBF. This
start-up is looking to become a major name internationally in the semantic web.
Implementation of an air quality monitoring system by Numtech
© Numtech
Campus © ISIMA
• ALLEGORITHMIC is especially innovative, responding
to problems encountered by video game companies
concerning texturing. The products it provides
automate various tasks from artists, enabling them
to concentrate on their creativity. Its partners include
Dassault Systèmes, Nvidia and Intel.
An invitation to tender has enabled Auvergne to provide
assistance to 7 young digital entrepreneurs who were
selected from a hundred or so applications from all
over France.
Haptic arm © ISIMA
It includes some innovative companies among its
numbers:
LATEST SETUPS
© Perfect Memory
At regional level, they are grouped in the Auvergne TIC
cluster, which has 80 members representing around
3,000 jobs: SMEs and SMIs, large groups, research
laboratories, training centres and public institutions.
APRV © CRV
French and foreign computer engineering service
companies are widely represented, and include CGI,
Sopra Group, IBM, Capgemini, Atos Origin, Orange and
Cegi Alpha.
7
The impact of food on public health, along with environmental
challenges and food safety regulations, have emphasised once
again the importance of high-quality food produce, labels and
PDO products.
From family-run businesses to the largest international groups,
meat and dairy products, cereals and water have made the agrifood industry the third largest industrial employer in Auvergne.
AGRI-FOOD
Ripening © Société Laitière de Laqueuille
The agri-food business can be broadly divided up
into the dairy, meat, cereal and drinks industries.
More than one third of cheese production falls
under the four PDO labels: Saint-Nectaire,
Cantal, Bleu d’Auvergne and Fourme d’Ambert.
Major groups such as Beuralia (Groupe SODIAAL) and
the Compagnie des fromages Richemonts, as well as
companies with more than 100 employees (e.g. Société
Laitière des Volcans d’Auvergne), work alongside many
SMEs: Laiterie de Laqueuille, Société Laitière des Monts
d’Auvergne, Société Fromagère Les Terres d’Auvergne,
Fromagerie Dischamps and others.
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One fifth of France’s mineral water
production takes place in Auvergne.
The best-known example, Volvic (Groupe
Danone), produces up to 7 million bottles
per day.
Volvic plant © JP MARLEIX / Société des eaux de Volvic
The presence of global nutrition and agronomic research centres,
as well as research and development units for the meat sector, is
a source of excellence in this area.
Retail groups (Intermarché, Leclerc), and even independent businesses, have shown an interest in this
local resource by exploiting several springs: SainteMarguerite, Saint-Diéry, Laqueuille, Le Mont-Dore,
Rozanna, Ardesy and Châteldon.
More specifically, sugar is produced at the Sucrerie de
Bourdon (which transforms sugar beet), the region’s
longest-standing active sugar processing plant and
the only one south of the river Loire. Other examples
include Cruzilles SA, which for 130 years has produced
Auvergne’s traditional fruit jellies and candied fruit, and
STEVIA NATURA, the only European producer of a plantbased and calorie-free sweetener.
As for the meat and bakery grain processing industries,
these are represented by structured sectors that form a
network with laboratories, research centres, higher-level
institutes and universities.
THE MEAT SECTOR
The meat sector makes a major contribution to Puy-deDôme, with meat cutting and processing businesses,
including Label Rouge (poultry production) and cured
and salted meat producers (André Volailles, Domaine
de Limagne, Le Clos Mally, SEDIVOL, Salaisons Polette,
Limoujoux, Porc Centre, Salaisons Lassalas…).
The meat sector is structured by an initiative taken
30 years ago to support businesses by coordinating
research & development and training activities run locally
(INRA Clermont-Ferrand – Theix – Lyon, Université Blaise
Pascal, in particular its microbiology laboratory, ADIV,
Lycée agricole Pasteur de Marmilhat, VetAgro-Sup). This
expertise has received both national and international
recognition.
As a special partner of professionals from the meat
sector, ADIV plays a dual role: as a benchmark agriindustrial technical institute involved in collective
R&D programmes, and as a research company under
contract offering specialist consultancy on technical and
economic innovation.
ADIV provides companies with services in R&D, auditing,
consultancy and training.
It has exceptional tools at its disposal, making it a
unique centre in France and part of a select group of
organisations worldwide.
• An EEC-approved 1,000 m² trial platform for cutting
and processing activities. This facilitates improvements
in products, procedures and equipment both at the
pilot stage and on an industrial scale. It also has an
area for aging products.
1 IRSTEA: National Research Institute
of Science and Technology for
Environment and Agriculture
3 LASMEA: Sciences and Materials
for Electronics and Automatic
Systems Laboratory
2 LaMI: Mechanics and Engineering
Laboratory
4 LIMOS : Computing, Modelling and
Systems Optimisation Laboratory
© Vincent BOUCHET / LIMAGRAIN
Food/
Nutrition
• A multi-purpose robotic cell
• A laboratory for handling P2+ pathogens and conducting challenge tests on pathogens.
THE CEREALS SECTOR
With 8,000 jobs in the cereals sector, including 4,300
in the grain processing industry, cereals represent a
significant proportion of Auvergne’s economy.
Its collaboration with INRA, which includes a research
unit working on genetic diversity and crop ecophysiology, resulted in the long term investment project
Breedwheat, which is worth more than €35 million
and is scheduled to last for 8 years. The objective of
this programme is to produce new wheat varieties
to meet the requirements of sustainable and viable
agriculture. Finally, the European Whealbi project is
of international importance. It is being coordinated by
INRA and supported by 18 partners from 9 different
countries, representing Europe’s top wheat and barley
research laboratories working in areas like genomics
and agronomics.
© Vincent BOUCHET / LIMAGRAIN
CÉRÉALES VALLÉE
From a small organic muesli producer in Livradois-Forez
right up to the Thiers-based German group Brüggen
(which specialises in breakfast cereals), there is a broad
spectrum of businesses in this sector.
LIMAGRAIN is the private sector’s second largest
employer in the Clermont-Ferrand area, the world’s
fourth-largest seed producer, and France’s leading
producer of bakery and pastry products. It has seen
a twofold increase in revenue over a ten-year period,
with sales of nearly €2 billion and a staff of 8,600
worldwide. In 2013/2014, the Group invested €188
million in research.
In the same area, the Nutravita cluster draws on existing
skills in food/nutrition/health (350 researchers, 35
companies and 2 technological resource centres). It
is affiliated with CRNH Auvergne (Research Centre into
Human Nutrition), which has received global recognition
for its scientific excellence (150 publications annually).
Together, they offer an integrated services platform
which combines CRO (Contract Research Organization)
and CMO (Contract Manufacturing Organization) with
experiments on muscular and bone health, cardiometabolism and the digestive system.
Research areas focus on the effects of food, nutrients and
micronutrients on ageing, certain chronic pathologies,
metabolism, etc. Finally, the Clermont-Ferrand-based
Institut Carnot Qualiment® works specifically on the
nutritional qualities of food.
In support of its collaborative projects, the Céréales
Vallée competitiveness cluster is naturally based in
Puy-de-Dôme, at the heart of the Limagne plains.
It brings together 500 representatives from both the
public and private sectors, involved in research, the
services industry and training in the cereals sector.
The cluster focuses on 4 areas: sustainable agricultural
production, human nutrition/health, animal feed and
agri-materials. It has the following objectives:
• develop new crop varieties based on a reading of
genomes,
• offer training designed to cope with changing business
and technologies,
• and serve as the interface between agricultural
production, industry and consumers.
The overall aim is to build up sustainable sectors for the
creation of value and to produce the seeds of the future.
FOOD-RELATED HEALTH
Building on this is a comprehensive university-level
teaching unit working in the area of nutrition/food/health:
the Centre de Clermont d’Agro Paris Tech is a member
of ESTIVE (Enseignement Sciences Technologiques et
d’Innovation dans les domaines du Vivant et de l’Environnement). This scientific interest group also includes
IRSTEA, INRA Clermont-Ferrand – Theix – Lyon Centre,
and VetAgro-Sup (agronomic engineering school).
© Vincent BOUCHET / LIMAGRAIN
Finally, it includes two mixed technology units:
• UMT Aprocel, for the “streamlining and improvement
of processing procedures for meat products”, which
is also partnered by the Université Blaise Pascal
(represented by the Institut Pascal) and the Quapa
unit of INRA’s Clermont-Ferrand – Theix centre.
• UMT Mécaméo, which offers “dedicated mechatronic
and robotic solutions for the meat industry” and is
jointly represented by ADIV and the three governing
bodies of the Institut Pascal (IFMA, Université Blaise
Pascal and CNRS), as well as associate partner, CEA.
© Florent GIFFARD / INRA
ADIV also has laboratories for microbiological and
chemical analysis, a laboratory for physical measurements and a mechanics/sheet metal workshop.
9
Auvergne ranks 4th or 6th for pharmaceuticals, depending on
whether one counts firms or establishments, and in either case
remains one of the leading French regions. The county of Puyde-Dôme employs three quarters of those working in the sector
in Auvergne.
More specifically its Health Cluster stands apart in the fields of
nutrition and health, oncology, ophthalmology, perinatal care,
medical imaging and pain management. Finally, life technologies
are represented in Puy-de-Dôme in the food and plant industries
(Green Chemistry Cluster) and nutrition.
Les Laboratoires MSD Chibret
Sanofi, located in Vertolaye, is
one example. It is one of the
most important sites in Europe for
producing corticosteroids with a
model workshop for the group in
terms of micronisation and grinding
of active ingredients. Sanofi has
invested €150 million over the last
three years in its Auvergne site.
MSD Chibret has made its Riom site a centre for excellence in
sterile products for Merck & Co in the fields of ophthalmology,
antibiotics, infectious diseases and parasitology.
Les Laboratoires Théa
Laboratoires Théa, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2014, is ranked 6th
worldwide and 4th in Europe in ophthalmology. Growth has been stimulated by
international expansion (19 subsidiaries in Europe) and the launch of new products.
Nearly 10% of sales (€295 million in 2013 compared to €270 million in 2012)
is dedicated to Research & Development. Théa has recently joined the G5 Health
association whose members include the main French firms in health
and life sciences.
Finally, Quantel Medical, with head offices in Puy-deDôme, has achieved a leading position worldwide in
ocular sonography and laser photocoagulation. The firm
is present in 110 countries with 22,000 machines set-up
across the globe and has developed 15 innovations over
the last 20 years.
10
© MSD
Quantel Medical
Other firms have been created
locally and grown significantly to
occupy strategic positions on French
and international markets. The best
example of this is Dômes Finance,
a holding company that now has
several laboratories in veterinary
and human pharmaceuticals: TVM
(leader in veterinary ophthalmology),
Vétocentre (leader in pharmacies for
the pet market), Europhartech (production of dry-form medications), etc.
On more specific markets we can note these success
stories:
• The IRP (Institut de Recherche Pharmabiotique) has
encouraged research and development in probiotics
by creating a skills cluster and securing its legal
status.
• In the field of medical devices, we can cite the
example of Prodont Hollinger, the first French
designer and producer of dental instruments in
stainless steel that has moved its production sites
in Nice and Cholet to its existing site at Olliergues
in Puy-de-Dôme.
Also within the Livardois-Forez region, Top Clean
Packaging is now a reference in the medical and
pharmaceutical industry. The firm designs and
injects ultra-clean technical devices in white rooms.
Products include implants for long-term use (spine
cages or subcutaneous ports) in biocompatible PEEK
(Polyetheretherketone), a very strong polymer with
an elasticity similar to bones, and electronic gastric
bands in silicone. These represent technological
breakthroughs for the firm as it has moved from
plastics to the medical sector.
© Europhartech
The pharmaceutical industry is represented by
firms that have invested heavily over the last few
years. Three of them are recognized in the field of
ophthalmology:
More generally speaking, firms in the pharmaceutical industry have joined forces within the GIMRA
(Groupement des Industries du Médicament). The
organisation represents all the businesses involved
in developing drugs, from research on new molecules
to the production, commercialisation and distribution
of medicines. Its members include around forty firms,
some of which have major production sites.
And at the other end of the chain is CSP (Centre
Spécialités Pharmaceutiques), a firm that manages
the entire logistics circuit by handling healthcare
products from the factory gate, and ensuring their
storage and distribution. The leading French depository for healthcare products, its premises meet
all the current standards: temperature control, air
conditioning, anti-dust surfaces, video surveillance...
THE MEDICAL CLUSTER
The Medical Cluster’s research teams are recognized
for three broad areas of excellence: oncology, with
teams from the CHU (university hospital) and the
Gastric band © Top Clean Packaging
THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY
Greensea rhodella violacea © Copyright Greentech
Health / Life
technologies
In the field of analgesics, the first European institute
dedicated to transnational research and innovation in
pain management has just been created in ClermontFerrand and calls on the expertise acquired over
several years within the cluster. Analgésia Partnership
includes 13 members, 5 public organisations and 8
private firms in Auvergne, but also other regions in
Switzerland and Belgium.
Clermont-Ferrand
boasts an internationally renowned team
in neuro-surgery and
is working closely with
imaging and digital
technologies (computerassisted surgery).
In the same building the CENTI (Centre d’Endoscopie
et de Nouvelles Technologies Interventionnelles)
includes several medical-surgical teams concerned
with the future of surgery (robots, medical biotechnologies) and vascular exploration. It also is home
to the ISIT unit, specialised in fundamental research
in medical imaging and applied to gynaecology and
cardiovascular disease.
Other platforms exist, such as the CICS (Centre d’Imagerie Cellulaire Santé) and the CIC (Centre d’Imagerie
Confocale) at the University of Auvergne. They have
cutting-edge scientific equipment and dedicated
skills for handling research or industrial projects.
There is also a dedicated building for start-ups, the
Centre Biomédical de Recherche et de Valorisation,
with laboratories and work areas.
BIOTECHNOLOGIES: SITES FOR
PREMISES AND RESEARCH
Ties between firms and universities, particularly the
faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy, national research
organisations (INRA, CNRS, CEMAGREF and INSERM)
and engineering schools (VetAgroSup, Polytech,
Chimie Clermont…) are extremely strong. There are
fourteen specific undergraduate and graduate degree
programs dedicated to biotechnologies, ranging from
2 to 8 years.
A few other examples of firms located on the Biopôle
include:
• Neuronax, which has just
obtained orphan drug
status for the development of the NX210
molecule for treating
spinal cord injuries
• Roowin (fine chemicals)
has transferred its
business from the Paris
area to the Riom site
• ANS Biotech, which takes
part in the Analgésia
Partnership cluster
• Aptys Pharmaceuticals,
specialized in galenic and
analytical development
• Icare (service provider in
contamination management) which hopes to
triple its capacities in
ten years thanks to an
ambitious development
plan
• Greentech, one of the first
firms to join the Biopôle
• and many others...
We must not overlook BUSI, a business incubator that
promotes the creation of innovative start-ups in life
sciences as well as engineering and ICT. BUSI offers a
pre-creation structure (economic, legal, strategic and
scientific assistance) and support during the creation
phase (access to financing, support for research and
organising partnerships).
To provide a base for them, a technology cluster
dedicated to bioindustries has been set up. Biopôle
Clermont-Limagne includes three sites in Riom, SaintBeauzire and Clermont-Ferrand. It has a 20,000 m²
Training at CICE © CICE
Indeed, there is a
great deal of imaging
equipment that can be
put to use in research.
The CICE (Centre
International de Chirurgie
Endoscopique) was created in 1990 during a period
where both surgical techniques and new imaging
technologies were evolving.
A recognised leader in gynaecology, the ClermontFerrand team has set up an experimental simulation
centre dedicated to teaching. The centre is open to
other specialisations and welcomes 1,500 individuals
from around the world.
business park that is highly equipped for activities
in plant biotechnologies and others related to drug
development and health.
Firms have access to a complete range of amenities:
premises, promotion, services, networks...There are
currently around 50 firms located there. The SaintBeauzire site has specific day-care and company
restaurant services. This is where Limagrain has
its head offices.
© Greentech
Concerning cancer, research activities are conducted
at CLARA (Cancéropôle Lyon Auvergne RhôneAlpes) in which teams from Clermont-Ferrand that
also belong to the GRED (Génétique Reproduction
Développement) coordinate research projects
concerning, in particular:
• the environment, nutrition, cancer
• tumour escape mechanisms, cellular plasticity and
targeted therapies
For example, within the framework of CLARA’s
"proof of concept" system, a project associating
Cyclopharma and INSERM (French National Institute
of Health and Medical Research) aims to improve
diagnosis and provide more targeted treatment of
melanoma.
© Copyright Jérôme CHABANNE
Centre Jean Perrin, neurosciences, with a strong
focus on pain management, multiple sclerosis,
Parkinson’s disease and nutrition, particularly during
the ageing process and chronic illnesses, in cooperation with the CRNH Auvergne (Centre de Recherche
en Nutrition Humaine).
11
The engineering sciences represented in Puy-de-Dôme include
design engineering, management and industrial production,
research and innovation, resulting in some of the world’s leading
companies in the tyre, braiding and cable production sectors.
Ancestral know-how is enhanced with modern technology
in cutlery production. Subcontractors have also developed
solutions for the automotive and aviation industries in their
laboratories and engineering departments, or in partnership
with engineering schools (IFMA, POLYTECH, Chimie Clermont,
ISIMA and more) and public laboratories in the materials and
mechanics field.
AT THE CENTRE OF TWO
COMPETITIVENESS CLUSTERS:
ELASTOPÔLE AND VIAMÉCA
Elastopôle, the rubber and polymers competitiveness
cluster, is helping to develop new materials, products
and processes. Its scientific committee consists of 14
members, including three in Puy-de-Dôme: Michelin,
Socamont and CNEP.
Michelin, the world’s 2nd largest tyre manufacturer
recently strengthened its historic roots in ClermontFerrand by investing more than €270 million in its
plans to modernise and expand its global technological
innovation centre. It is called ‘RDI Campus’ (RDI: Research,
Development and Industrialisation).
• Socamont is specialised in the production of coloured
and black rubber compounds.
• CNEP (National Photoprotection Evaluation Centre)
studies the long-term behaviour of polymer materials.
CNEP, in cooperation with the photochemistry team at
the Institute of Chemistry in Clermont-Ferrand (ICCF,
CNRS, ENSCCF and Université Blaise Pascal), and
surrounded by 40 major European industrial groups, is
proving to be an original organisation with world scope.
Other members of Elastopôle include industrial groups
such as Valéo, Trelleborg Modym and Auvergne
Caoutchouc as well as institutions of higher learning
such as the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie
(National Graduate School of Chemistry), which offers
a variety of specialised courses on high-performance
materials.
Viaméca, the mechanics competitiveness cluster based
in Clermont-Ferrand, has given its seal of approval to
projects focusing on surface engineering, advanced
manufacturing processes, intelligent and robotics
systems and usage-centred and service engineering,
a new area of focus developed in 2013.
The Laboratoire d’Excellence Mobilité Innovante (IMobS3)
has close ties to the cluster and is home to 7 laboratories.
It has three main areas of focus: intelligent vehicles and
machines, intelligent mobility services and systems and
energy production processes for mobility.
A founding member of the IMobS3 laboratory, the
Institut Pascal concentrates on four thematic pillars:
mechanics, materials and structures; perceptual images
and systems; robotics; process, energy and biosystems
engineering and photonics, waves and nanomaterials.
It has created a cluster that gives structure to the field
of engineering sciences and systems that are significant
both nationally and internationally.
12
© Michelin / Cabinet Chaix et Morel
• For example, POLYTECH Clermont is involved with the
Institut Pascal through 50 of its lecturers/researchers.
The school trains engineers in 6 specialised fields:
biological engineering, civil engineering, electrical
engineering, mathematical engineering and modelling,
physical engineering and production systems engineering. It has developed two innovation platforms
specialised in biological engineering (BIO-UP) and
materials and structures (GEN’MAT).
• IFMA is involved in many projects and recently
created 2MAtech, a subsidiary that brings together
the Auvergne-based technology platforms. The
mechanical and industrial engineering activity operates
with resources transferred by the technology transfer
platform, Mec@prod, and the materials activity
receives resources from Casimir, the Auvergne technology unit. Its collaboration with the École de Chimie
(School of Chemistry) has resulted in the founding of
a Mining School and a master’s degree programme
in chemical and mechanical engineering.
Elastopole - Automotive profiles July 2010 © SNCP
Materials &
Mechanics
© ENSCCF / Joël DAMASE
MOBILITY ENGINEERING
AND TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT
More specifically, and besides Michelin, expertise in
the automotive sector draws on the competencies it
has developed and on the equipment suppliers who
are inventing the cars of the future.
For example, Valéo has transformed its site in Issoire
into a global research centre for the development of
wiper systems.
Its latest innovation is the Aquablade, a windscreen
wiper whose rubber blade can project water onto the
windscreen.
Research and optimisation of the materials required for
road and air transport, in particular aluminium and composite
materials, play a key role in and around Issoire.
More generally, all the automotive industryrelated trades are represented in Puy-de-Dôme:
machining, precision engineering, smelting, metal
forging, plastics processing, composites, electrical
and electronic components, surface treatment and
packaging, cable braiding and sheathing. Local
companies are recognised as top-tier suppliers by
European automobile manufacturers.
ECONOMIC ZONES SPECIALISED
IN MATERIALS
The Thiers zone is highly specialised in metallurgy and
the transformation of metals, plastics manufacturing
and in the wood and paper industry.
Its industrial activities are linked to the cutlery industry,
which represents 70% of French production. The brand
‘Esprit de Thiers’ represents cutlers who meet the requi-
Representing 6 to 8% of industrial
jobs, the plastics processing cluster
in Thiers and Clermont-Ferrand is highly
innovation-oriented.
This sector includes the design and production of moulds
(Massacrier, Gilbert, etc.), thermoplastic injection (CEP,
Gepman and Manuthiers), heat moulding, extrusion (CGP,
Pichot etc.) and rotational moulding (SAAM, etc.).
CEP has developed a new range of flexible tubing and
has acquired multiple patents for its injection moulding
process.
Top Clean Injection is specialised in the clean-room
injection moulding of high-precision plastic parts for
the medical and pharmaceutical fields.
The recyclable jacket
© Picture Organic
Clothing
and general mechanical engineering activities, including
machining, cutting tools, screw turning, fine sheet-metal
working, surface preparation, polishing and more.
Wichard, for instance, is one of the world’s leading
marine hardware companies, and also has a precision
forging business for the aviation, healthcare and automotive sectors. Others, such as Forginal, are specialised
in the petrochemical and military fields. Forginal is
quickly expanding into the healthcare field with its
titanium forging business, which focuses essentially
on orthopaedic implants.
It also manufactures medical
devices under its own trade
mark.
Leading companies specialised in packaging and
furniture manufacturing
(Durolle Emballage, CELTA
and so on) have developed
around the cardboard sector.
Several secondary schools
also offer specialised courses
related to the manufacturing
industries in Thiers (technician certificate in industrial
sheet metal working, professional secondary school
diploma in plastics and
composites, higher technician
certificate in the design and
production of material-forming tools, plastics industries
and Europlastic, etc.).
In Ambert, located in the
Livradois-Forez region,
around a dozen businesses (Omerin, Plastelec, Joubert,
Gauthier, Promotress, Tresse Industrie, IFT, Favier, Berne
and so on) have specialised in the production of technical
braiding and speciality cables. These products are
exported around the world. Joubert and Omerin have
each become global leaders in the production of braided
and woven elastic cords and silicone-insulated wires
and cables.
Sheath braiding © JOUBERT
Hot stamping © FORGINAL
rements of a manufacturing quality charter, which serves
as a guarantee of local know-how. In the same vein, the
Confrérie du Couteau de Thiers complies with the same
quality standards for the production of the ‘Le Thiers®’
knife, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2014.
Metal processing has become centred on metal forming
Raw material © Allizé Plasturgie Auvergne
Polydyam, a technology innovation platform, was
created in 2010 and is supported by the competitiveness clusters Elastopôle and Viaméca. It is specialised
in the industrial testing of material behaviour in a
number of fields of activity including automobiles
and aviation, with a significant focus on vehicles of
the future. As an expert in the study and recycling of
rubber and polymer materials in order to establish their
characterisation, formulation, ageing and durability, it
also performs studies on vehicle suspension systems
and dynamics.
Issoire is also home to major groups such as
Constellium, which produces low-density aluminium
alloys, as well as Aubert et Duval, which manufactures aluminium parts, high-performance steel and
superalloys for aeronautics companies. Recently
created companies include: MTechnologies, which
has designed and built several competition vehicles
(WRX) in Issoire. It began exporting within Europe and
to the United States two years ago.
EMI has been located in the area for the past decade
or so. It designs and develops comprehensive mechatronics systems for all types of vehicles by integrating
high technology for harsh environments. And there are
many more on the list.
NEW MATERIALS
Young companies here are innovating.
For example, Picture Organic Clothing
has invented a 100% recyclable down
jacket made with a bio-ceramic membrane
that absorbs every type of energy, helping to quickly
eliminate lactic acid in muscles. The start-up Revlum
uses exclusive patents from the Institut de Chimie
(Institute of Chemistry) in Clermont-Ferrand to develop
customised luminescent materials for the LED lighting
and visualisation markets.
And, of course, these areas are also studied and
researched in engineering schools, including the
Institut de Chimie in Clermont-Ferrand, which
focuses its research activities on functional materials
using soft chemistry, on the durability of organic
materials and on polyplastic system engineering.
They are also studied in laboratories such as the
particle physics laboratory in Clermont-Ferrand,
which develops bioactive materials used as a
bone substitute, especially in bioactive ceramics.
13
Aeronautics
A STRUCTURED ORGANISATION
Companies focus on:
• the production of metallic materials, aluminium,
special alloys, composites, plastics and rubber
upstream
• maintenance activities downstream
The sub-contracting activities are primarily related
to metal working, especially sheet metal working, as
well as the use of composite materials. The textile
sector rounds out the industry, represented by the
braiding businesses in Ambert.
The organisation is structured around major
groups and 120 SMEs, 70% of which are located
in Puy-de-Dôme.
MAJOR GROUPS
Metal production and metal working activities are
carried out by major national and international
groups.
Towing a heavy plate at the Issoire plant
© Photo G. Uféras for Constellium
known as UKAD. This plant is located near the site
in Les Ancizes, which is equipped with a vacuum
melting furnace necessary for manufacturing aircraft
engine and gas turbine discs, and landing gear too.
There are fewer than ten furnaces in the world with
such a capacity.
The Issoire site, which is known for its 65,000 tonne
die forging press, has just installed a heavy-duty
press for aluminium forging used primarily for the
production of fuselage/wing junction fillets for the
A350.
Aubert et Duval @ Joël DAMASE
As France’s 5th strongest region in terms of jobs (10,000) and
revenue (€1.8 billion), it’s safe to say that Auvergne — whose
aeronautics tradition dates back to World War I with the
construction of the Michelin-built Breguet fighter planes and
the arrival of AIA (Industrial Aeronautics Workshops) — is going
strong. A century later, the region’s membership in the VIAMÉCA
and ELASTOPÔLE competitiveness clusters reaffirms this fact.
Constellium continues to invest in its
Issoire site. Constellium has one of the
largest heavy plate rolling mills, used to
manufacture wings. The group has invested
in a new AIRWARE foundry, inaugurated in
2013, the only one of its kind in the world
capable of producing advanced low-density
alloys (aluminium - lithium).
This technology has been such a success that
Constellium is building two new foundries on-site,
requiring an additional €43 million investment.
This production capacity will be necessary in order
to comply with the contract signed for the Airbus
A350 XWB, the Bombardier C Series and the SpaceX
Falcon 9.
As for Michelin, its latest model of radial tyres, the
NZG, will be used as original-equipment tyres in the
future Boeing 737 Max, the newest version of the
world’s top-selling commercial aircraft.
Aubert et Duval, which belongs to Eramet group, is
one of the world’s leading companies specialised
in high-tech metallurgy. It designs, develops and
uses heat to transform special steels, superalloys,
aluminium alloys and titanium alloys through forging,
die forging, metal rolling, technical processing and
powder metallurgy.
Finally, Aubert et Duval received the Safran Grand
Prize for Innovation in 2014 for co-creating ML340
with SNECMA. This new ultra-high performance steel
is used to manufacture turbine shafts for the LEAP
and Silvercrest aircraft.
In partnership with UKTMP, Aubert et Duval invested
€47 million in a titanium ingot processing plant
14
Aubert et Duval @ Michel LABELLE
€5 million was recently invested at the Ancizes site on a vertical
tempering furnace for titanium parts, including landing gear
components for the A350.
NSE BU Intégrations designs, produces and sells
systems embedded into high-end wire bonding,
integrates complex wired structures and provides
related services, in particular aircraft construction
work.
Finally, the Auvergne Aéronautique group employs
750 people, including some 400 in
Auvergne, its historical home.
Modification of Rafale aircraft © AIA – Richard ANDRIEUX
A first-tier subcontractor, Groupe REXIAA (ISO
9001, EN 9100, PART 21 and PART 145) includes 8
companies specialised in the design and production
of parts, assemblies and sub-assemblies using
high-performance composite materials (metallic and
hybrid). One of the companies, Issoire Aviation, was
highlighted recently as part of a project carried out by
the competitiveness cluster Viaméca, known as LCM
SMART. The project is helping to improve injection
moulding processes for complex composite parts for
future aircraft sub-assemblies through the addition
of sensors that interact with the process. The
company also designs and builds certified aircraft
for civil, military and non-profit flight training schools.
MAINTENANCE
Aircraft maintenance activities provide some 2,000
jobs in Puy-de-Dôme.
AIA (Industrial Aeronautics Workshops) is
one of the biggest employers, with 1,250
people working on the Aulnat platform.
Some fifty of these activities are grouped together
within the business cluster known as AVIA (Auvergne
Valorisation of the Aviation Industry). It aims to provide
a comprehensive range of services to major buyers,
to improve the skills of business (qualifications,
equipment, etc.) and to boost their competitiveness
(pooling, international competitiveness).
The A400M, designed to equip the French army’s
transport fleet, will thus be updated in ClermontFerrand, just as the Transall, Rafale, Mirage 2000
and Alphajet aircraft as well as the Gazelle, Puma
and Tiger helicopters were before.
Near the airport you will also find the Hop! Regional
maintenance centre (400 employees), which has a
16,000 sq. m facility. It has been certified by Embraer
(ERJ 135/145, EJET 170/190) and ATR (42/72). Each
year, it carries out maintenance on the aircraft used
by Hop! as well as those of third-party clients.
Finally, Enhance Aéro Maintenance, a Part 145certified establishment, provides maintenance
services for the ERJ range and the Falcon 50.
AÉROCAMPUS
is one of the first 12 establishments to bear the
‘Campus des métiers et des formations’ label.
It provides training programmes ranging from a
technician certificate in boilerwork composites
and plastics to a Ph.D in Engineering Sciences in
three major aeronautics fields: civil and military
maintenance, mechatronics and mechanical
materials and assemblies.
As both a technical and educational platform in one
unique place, the 3,000 sq. m building has direct
access to the Aulnat Airport runway.
Aérocampus Auvergne offers training programmes
that teach students how to make the best use of
new technology and provides bilingual training
modules.
Finally, the one hundred or so students can hone
their skills on the five aircraft, including a Mirage,
a Cessna 421 and others.
INFRASTRUCTURE
For maintenance companies, the airport platform
has more than 33 hectares of land connected to a
3,000 m runway via a private taxiway, a parking
area offering temporary parking for some twenty
medium-sized aircraft and hangars designed for
aircraft such as the Airbus A320 and A340.
With the support of Aérocampus Aquitaine, and
initiated by the Auvergne region, the local education
authority, the Lycée des Métiers Roger Claustres in
Clermont-Ferrand and IFMA, Aérocampus Auvergne
Tiger maintenance workshop © AIA – Richard ANDRIEUX
The company posted a turnover of €52 million,
mainly in the field of sheet metal working, welding
and bodywork for the aviation sector. Its main
customers include, among others, Airbus, Airbus
Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter), Aérolia, Safran,
and others…for which it is a first-tier supplier.
© Fotolia
Auvergne Aéronautique - Welded structure of the glass roof
of the Super Puma-Airbus Helicopters © Jérôme Pallé
SMEs: DRIVING FORCES
AND BROAD EXPERTISE
15
175 millions d’euros
d’investissements
en 5 ans
IIII Accroître la vitesse de réalimentation
en cas d’événements climatiques
IIII Améliorer la qualité de fourniture
IIII Intégrer les énergies renouvelables
Et l’électr icité vient à vous