L'Agence Régionale de Développement de Franche-Comté, investir en Fran

Interviews

DRYADE Créations blocks and fittings - a real passion

	This family business designs and manufactures blocks and bronze fittings for ‘classic’ yachts and pleasure craft designed between 1850 and 1950. It is the world’s only supplier of products and services in this area.
	www.dryade.fr

FAM Automobiles and new modes of transport

	FAM Automobiles (Française d’Assemblage et de Montage Automobiles) was set up in 1986. Starting out as a specialist in the manufacture of accessories for lifts, the firm soon turned to the transport sector, with a focus on electric vehicles, and now works with 18 manufacturers both in France and abroad.
	www.fam-auto.com

Groupe La Poste, an eye to innovation

	"Providing services to all - private individuals, businesses and local authorities - Groupe La Poste works with Franche-Comté to face the region’s major challenges and support its projects". Groupe La Poste is involved in several projects with the Vehicle of the Future Cluster to improve the performance and reduce the environmental impact of its delivery vehicles.
	www.laposte.fr

Jean-Paul Jeunet, gourmet cuisine in Franche-Comté

	Gourmets everywhere are keen to discover Jean-Paul Jeunet’s restaurant, with its Michelin 2-star rating. The restaurant, located in the chef’s home town of Arbois (Jura), proposes dishes that artfully combine the tastes of the region’s cuisine with flavours that Jean-Paul Jeunet has brought back from his travels around the world.
	www.jeanpauljeunet.com

LOVALITE, a young and innovative business

	Lovalite was born in 2004, the product of a technology transfer from the University of Technology in Troyes. It designs and manufactures nanotechnology components intended for the near-field microscopy market for biomedical research and industrial applications and the optical interconnection market for the telecom sector.
	www.lovalite.com

The Japanese automotive OEM, Fuji Autotech

	This Japanese group specialises in the manufacture of two types of product: steering columns and seat components. With Toyota as its major shareholder, it is pursuing its development strategy in Europe. Fuji is also present in India, Brazil and the Czech Republic.
	www.fujiautotech.com

FOB, Franc-comtoise d’Ossature Bois

FOB was set up in Sauvigney-lès-Pesmes, Haute-Saône on 24 September 2009.
FOB, Francomtoise d’Ossature Bois sprang from an encounter between Christophe Mirbey, an expert in working with wood, and Philippe Bossanne, founder of Huttopia, a company that runs a network of ‘back-to-nature’ campsites, currently consisting of 14 sites in France and 14 more in Canadian National Parks.
The decision to set up FOB was taken in the autumn of 2008 during difficult economic times. In February, the production plant was up and running, with ten employees, and €180,000 invested in a high-performance machining facility.

FOB must already expand its existing production facility to keep pace with Huttopia’s rapid growth. The company is focused on this activity from February to June and from September to November and plans to build ‘made-to-measure’ individual accommodation and collective facilities. A second company will also be set up to market custom-built units and put them up on site. The first projects are already waiting.
Local authority backing
The first contacts are the result of a meeting between Philippe Bossanne and ARD’s Vincent Donier at a conference organised by CNER in Paris, at which Philippe Bossanne spoke on behalf of the Huttopia Group: “ARD’s role is to help with all the formalities and it has done that most efficiently.” ARD worked hand in hand with Action 70 and ADIB to set up the project initiated by Christophe Mirbey. Local authority support including providing information on currently available tax and social advantages, a grant covering 15% of equipment investments and helping to set up contacts with schools.

www.francomtoise.com

DEF-TEC, a customised solution for a specific requirement

DEF-TEC set up in Bourguignon, Doubs on 18 September 2009.
The firm, which specialises in dust removal systems for the agri-food and wood industries, set up its metal sheetwork facility for manufacturing filter parts and fans in March 2009.

The Bourguignon site (Doubs) was chosen in preference to Châteauroux (Indre) in spite of the latter’s central position. Ideally located, the new facility will serve the DEF-TEC sites in Toulouse and Strasbourg.

The Bourguignon site has been operating for six months. It employs nine people and has a turnover of nearly €600,000.
The firm has invested more than €300,000 in equipment, including two travelling cranes, a shearing machine, a folding press, a rolling machine, a band saw, a washing booth, a painting booth and eight welding machines.
In the words of Joe Beaufils:
“Completing funding application formalities is a hard, long and tedious task but, if the grants all come through, they will help us develop our metal sheetwork facility. We’ve also turned to the banks for help but they’re very cautious at the moment. We have taken out a €200,000 loan, with the machines pledged as collateral. OSEO has covered 50% of the loan and I have personally had to stand security for 20%. Which is why my colleagues, partners and I particularly wish to thank the Region, Développement 25 and BPI. ARC has been very professional and effective in helping us complete these formalities.”

www.def-tec.fr