Seldén - the world's leading producer of carbon and aluminium masts, spars and rigging systems has chosen Western France for its new production plant. The Swedish company is setting up a unit in the Vendée region at the Actipôle Ouest industrial park in Poiré-sur-Vie.

The business will start with a 3,000 m2 building on a lot measuring around 3 hectares. Twelve jobs will be created immediately, a figure set to rise to 35-40 people in three years' time. The plant will become operational in early 2007.

Led by its leading brands Seldén and Furlex, the group reports annual sales of €35 million and employs 200 people worldwide. Seldén has production plants in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, the UK and the US. Production licences in Argentina and Australia are rounded out by a network of over 750 authorized dealers that give customers quick access to maintenance services, spare parts and expertise on all of the world's maritime markets - literally around the globe.

The French site selected by Seldén is close to French main yachtbuilders and fills a gap in the expertise available to the region's pleasure-craft industry. Seldén's choice of Western France for its new facility reflects the shared commitment of regional development agency Ouest Atlantique and Vendée Expansion, a company set up to promote the Vendée department. There is no doubt that Swedish company's decision confirms the appeal of Western France for international investors.

Source: IFA, Seldén Mast AB and Invest in Western France (Ouest-Atlantique)

In 2007 over 1000 different trade shows and exhibitions are scheduled in France. More then 500 of these will take place in the Parisian area.

If you wish to find out about trade shows within your sector of activity or speciality area, please contact us and we will help you get more information.

Please click here to view next year's agenda for exhibitions and trade shows in France.

Source: IFA, Promosalons and Foires Salons et Congrès de France (FSCF)

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce in France (CCSF) recently awarded Alfa Laval the Prix d'Excellence. The jury decided on Alfa Laval for its remarkable growth and success in France during the past years. Alfa Laval France will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2007.

The jury honoured Alfa Laval's successful Swedish-French collaboration and gave prominence to its innovative commercial policy, its comprehensive view on its clients, the capability of adjusting to market needs as well as an excellent management and human resources policy. The Prix d'Excellence was handed over by H.R.H Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden at a ceremony in Paris on December 1st.

Since 2004 Alfa Laval France has had an increased turnover of more than 30% and almost 20% increased results. For the first time order intake has reached 100 million euros in 2006. This positive evolution is despite fierce competition, particularly noticeable within heat and fluids handling, energy sectors and food industries.

Alfa Laval was in 1907 the first Swedish company to set up in France. At the beginning the subsidiary in France was importing equipment for milk production from the mother company in Sweden. Later, in 1947, Alfa Laval France became an industrial player through the acquisition of a production plant in Nevers. Today Alfa Laval France employs over 750 employees at five production sites. The headquarters are located in Clayes-sous-Bois in the Yvelines, not far from Paris.

In 2000 Alfa Laval started implementing a new strategy which have drawn on significant reorganization, also in France. The new dynamic organization has been a great growth factor. In addition to reorganizing the sales, Alfa Laval took over the French company Packinox in 2005.

The French part of Alfa Laval plays an important role within the group, especially for its welded heat exchangers which are heavily used in the energy sectors.

Note: The Prix d'Excellence is awarded a Swedish company who has distinguished itself on the French market. Four reasons have incited the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in France and the Swedish Trade Council to give the award: to create a new interest in favour of commercial activity, to unite the French-Swedish business community, to share the work and methods of Swedish companies as well as to promote Sweden and the Swedish industry in France. Previous winners of the prize have been: Volvo Automobiles, Ericsson, Tetra Pak, Gunnebo/Fiche Bauche, Becker Industrie, Mercuri Urval and Atlet.

Source: CCSF (Chambre de Commerce Suédoise en France)

The Rhône-Alpes region is leveraging its historical assets to build successful industries of the future. Highly versatile in scope, it is involved in the most advanced technologies. And foreign companies have got the message.

In the Rhône-Alpes, birthplace of the Lumière brothers who invented cinema, innovation is part of the local tradition. Today, the region is investing in such forward-looking sectors as bio- and nanotechnologies in an effort to extend its influence. Its reputation as an innovation centre is due to its many examples of industrial success in chemicals and health among global leaders such as Rhodia and Air Liquide, the Mérieux Institute and Sanofi Pasteur.

Each year, more than 233 000 students and 15% of French engineers are trained in the region to give companies direct access to young talents. In Rhône-Alpes, especially in the Grenoble area, there is a strong tradition of knowledge sharing between schools and research labs, enterprises and universities. For example, the Grenoble Institut National Polytechnique invites its students to join in the engineering and nanotechnology cluster program for university cooperation, or offer their skills to the CEA research teams and nearby international companies.

Approximately 70 Nordic companies are today established in the Rhône-Alpes area, the n°2 most chosen location after the Paris region. Gambro, Volvo Trucks, Envac, Polimoon, Securitas, Miller Graphics, Åkers, Lindab, Grundfos, Arla Foods, Becker Industrie, Ahlström are just some of the names present in Rhône-Alpes.

It is easy to feel welcome if you are a Scandinavian in Lyon, much thanks to the French-Scandinavian club "Le Centre Franco-Scandinave (CFS)". CFS was created in 1991 in order to create a closer link between the Rhône-Alpes region and the Nordic countries. Today the club has 200 members; Scandinavians as well as French people with a special interest in the Nordic countries. CFS is open to everyone but not surprisingly are a lot of the members Scandinavians who have moved to Lyon to work and wish to meet others alike. Lyon city itself has approximately 1 500 Scandinavian residents.

Business Region Göteborg is an organism which promotes the exchange and collaboration with Lyon, Göteborg's twin city. The two cities both have production of heavy vehicles so transport development for large cities has been one of the main subjects, prompted in part by Volvo Trucks' purchase of Renault's lorry business. Business Region Göteborg has been collaborating with its sister organization in Lyon, ADERLY (Agence pour le Développement Économique de la Région Lyonnaise), since the early 1990s.

If you want more information about CFS and the activities you can visit their site on www.cfslyon.com, here you will also find a forum to get in contact with Scandinavians living in France. More information about Business Region Göteborg can be found at www.businessregion.se

Key Figures - Rhône-Alpes

• Nearly 6 million inhabitants in 2005 (10% of the national population)
• 2nd largest French region for foreign investments in terms of jobs
  created or preserved (3 694 in 2005)
• 16 competitiveness clusters among 67 receiving Government approval in July 2005

Source: IFA Nordic Countries, CFS, Business Region Göteborg