Industry in the Ardennes
INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Traditionally anchored in metal working (30% of national forging /stamping production comes from the Ardennes), industry in the Ardennes has been considerably modernised and diversified and the département has become a pioneer in the field of technological innovation.
Consequently, numerous high security parts, whether it be for Ariane, the TGV, Airbus or the Automobile industry, are made in the Ardennes
• Great names in national and international industry working side by side with a dense network of SMB’S
| AMADA EUROPE | PSA |
| DELPHI FRANCE | SPARTECH POLYCOM |
| IDEAL STANDARD | SMURFIT Kappa |
| ELECTROLUX | TARKETT France |
| TRELLEBORG | FAURECIA INDUSTRIE (SOMMER) |
| UNILIN | HERMES |
| VISTEON | NESTLE |
| MONIER | LU France |
| GODART (WESTAFLEX, AutomotiveGroup) |
THE MAIN ARDENNES INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYERS
| Firm | Activity | Jobs |
| PSA | Foundry | 2 350 |
| VISTEON | Equipments for automobile | 800 |
| LA FONTE ARDENNAISE | Foundry | 750 |
| ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS FRANCE | Domestic appliances | 523 |
| FAURECIA | Textile for automobile | 381 |
| KME France SAS | Tube manufacturing | 374 |
| DELPHI FRANCE | Equipments for automobile | 348 |
| TARKETT | Plastic material coatings | 347 |
| ATELIERS DES JANVES | Forge – Stamping | 240 |
| AMPHENOL | High security connectors | 220 |
| NPL groupe DEFTA | Cutting stamping | 216 |
• Opening towards the outside worls : very active balance of payment for over 10 years
Main products exported in 2009 :
- Equipment for automobiles
- Panels and wood-based veneering
- Different metal working
- Domestic applicances
- Products for iron and steel industry
- Plastic elements for construction
Diversification: new sectors of activity are developing with the recent installation of well-known firms: UNILIN(2001) ARDENNES CHICOREES / WARCOING (2003), SPARTECH POLYCOM (Extended in 2004), Ardennes leather MAROQUINERIE DES ARDENNES/HERMES (2005), MONIER (2006), THE ANTS (Agency for secured documents-2008) TD Structure (2009), TECHNIPAT (2011)
MAIN SECTORS OF ACTIVITY
METAL WORK
The Ardennes has always been the leader in the following fields :
• Forging/Stamping
The Ardennes is the first French centre with almost 30% of national production, including bolt manufacture (15% of national production).
Companies work for many sectors, including automobiles, heavy goods
vehicles, agricultural machinery, aeronatics, armament etc. The sector is
evolving toward active co-contraction, partnerships with corporate purchasers.
The impovement of technological competitivity contributes to the increase in the market share of exports
• Foundry
The Ardennes is the first départment in France for foundry production and represents 20% of the national production of castings in iron, steel, aluminium and copper alloys.
The progress in productivity and the level of quality are the determinating assets on markets which are becoming more and more globalised.
AUTOMOBILE
A centre of excellence
The Ardennes constitutes a genuine centre of excellence in the field of automobile sub-contraction, which represents approximately 7 500 jobs.
Subsidiaires of constructors and equipment manufacturers are present in the département, for instance:
- PSA : Aluminium and SG iron foundry/2 350 employees
- VISTEON : ventilation, air conditioning and filters - 800 employees
- DELPHI FRANCE : radiators and air conditioning units/348 employees
- FAURECIA: Carpets textiles for lining and sound-proofing parts/381 employees.
- La Fonte Ardennaise:Ferrous metal Foundry/ 750 employees
- Ateliers des Janves: Stamping Forge/250 employees
- NPL group DEFTA: Cutting, metal stamping, assembling/216 employees
Alongside these constructors and equipment manufacturers, a large number of SMB’s act as direct sub-contractors in the automobile sector.
Three main areas are concerned :
• Metallurgy: bolt manufacturer, foundry, stamping, welding, machining, cutting-coining...
• Plasturgy: injection of plastics
• Textiles: Equipment and inside lining
PLASTURGY
A good example of successful diversification
Many workshops are integrated in companies whose main
activity is metallurgy: the tonnage of plastics transformed is very high but not very visible.
The applications are very diversified: automobile, domestic appliances, information technology, electric equipment etc.
An exceptional level of « quality/productivity » thanks to « high technology » processes: injection, compression of thermohardening, extrusion, coextrusion coating, plastic assembly prototypes, rotomoulding, tooling, moulds, compounding of raw materials etc.
INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT
A wide range of production
This very diversified sector represents approximately 300 jobs, and its main productions are:
Laser cutting, numerically controlled cutting machines, sorting belts, reuse and recycling of waste products (VAUCHE SA) presses with multiple slides for wire or sheet work (NUMALLIANCE), bending presses, impact surface treatment (WHEELABRATOR Group), special harvesting machines (THIERART) etc.
HARDWARE AND ACCESSORIES FOR BUILDING
A traditional speciality
Very diversified activity, it is also another traditional speciality in the Ardennes:
Screws, bolts, nails, buckles, fixing devices for covers and tarpaulins, metal accessories for doors and shutters.
These articles are destined for professional customers and also private individuals through wholesalers, hardware shops and big DIY stores. Many family SMB’s are specialised in the production of articles sold by catalogue.
A few examples of companies: FAYNOT, INNOVAX, FTS, TURQUAIS INDUSTRIE, VYNEX etc.
CONNECTOR INDUSTRY
« High tech » products
Another proof of industrial diversification, the products and activities in this sector have evolved from the production of cables (originally)
towards fibre optics and special cable for computers (NEXANS FRANCE and NEXANS INTERFACE) connectors (AMPHENOL AIR LB/Aeronautics) electric and electronic connecting materials, high tech telephone equipment (SEDECA).
HOUSEHOLD EQUIPMENT
Many of the products used in our everyday life come from the Ardennes:
Washing-machines (ELECTROLUX), ceramic washbasins, cast iron baths (IDEAL STANDARD, OXAME) heating and cooking equipment (DEVILLE) cooking utensils and cast iron garden furniture, inserts, barbecues (INVICTA), toilet seats (OLFA), floor and wall coverings (TARKETT), wooden floors (UNILIN).
This sector of household equi pment empl oys approximately 2500 people and is very widely oriented towards exports.
AGRIFOOD INDUSTRY
From agriculture to industry
Ardennes agrifood industry is essentially concerned with activities of primary transformation and represents approximately 1650 jobs in the following sectors:
- Biscuits: LU FRANCE, Technipat
- Milk product industry: BESNIER cheese
manufacture, North East Ardennes Milk
Cooperative, NESTLE,
- Animal feedstuffs: luzern and dehydrated
pulps: EUROLUZ, VIGALARDEN,
- Meat industry: SOBEVIR, SOCAVI, ARCADI,
- Production of substitution foods: ARDENNES CHICOREES
(WARCOING),
- Agricultural equipment: LA BUVETTE.
WOOD
Ever present - forest covers one third of the département
The WOOD sector is essentially represented by forestry activities and primary transformation, and is situated in the North of the Département.
Main production: wooden floors and wooden panels, buildings and chalets, pallets, railway sleepers, packaging etc.
A FEW EXAMPLES OF COM- PANIES: UNILIN, NOUYRIGAT, LA SCIERIE ARDENNAISE, REITZ sawmills, BARET sawmills, CEPIA etc.
THE ARDENNES COMPANIES:
A rich culture of innovation and traditional industries contributing to product innovation: TD Structure , a company which joins together several Ardennes industrialists, to develop an innovative and constructive process using expanded steel and low weight concrete. A balanced compromise between prefabrication and traditional construction, this process is developing importantly in developing countries and responds in France to the evolution in technical and environmental regulations (www.tdstructure.com).