Chemicals
Facts & figures :
-
149 industrial sites with 13,500 employees - Most chemicals operations are centered around Lille and Dunkirk, with special expertise in carbon chemicals in the former coal-mining area, reflecting the region’s coal-mining past.
- Foreign direct investment plays a disproportionate role in the industry.
- A specialized supply chain (see Logistics).
- % of regional chemical production is exported (compared with a French average of 37.6%)
Key trends
- Pharmaceuticals are expanding apace, with regional and international businesses including AstraZeneca, Biorad, MacoPharma investing heavily in the region.
- With cosmetics, soaps and perfume, the focus has shifted from basic production to higher value products.
- Joint ventures and outsourcing are common, and partnerships with companies already present in Northern France can be a valuable alternative to a direct presence.
- Public research: 10 R&D laboratories (universities, ENSCL, Pasteur Institute, Lille and more) employ 700 researchers. Public research teams are open to and interested in partnerships with the private sector.
- Private research: another 430 researchers are employed in the private sector including local chemical companies (among them PPG, Cyanamide, Tioxide, BP Chemicals, Elf)
- Based on your needs, additional competences can be found in related sectors (see technical textiles, food, life sciences and plastics sectors for examples).
Training :
Engineers:
CENTRALE LILLE www.ec-lille.fr
CHIMIE LILLE www.ensc-lille.fr
ECOLE DES MINES DE DOUAI www.ensm-douai.fr
HEI www.hei.fr
Technicians :
AFCIC : Training body set up by UIC NPC and employee trade union organizations www.afcic.org
IUT A de Lille www.univ-lille1.fr
IUT de Béthune www.iut-bethune.univ-artois.fr
Lycée G. Eiffel d’Armentières www2.ac-lille.fr/eiffel
Lycée JY Cousteau de Wasquehal www2.ac-lille.fr/cousteau-wasquehal
Lycée L. Pasteur d’Hénin Beaumont www2.ac-lille.fr/pasteur-henin
Lycée V. Labbé de La Madeleine www2.ac-lille.fr/vlabbe-lamadeleine
Lycée de l’Escaut de Valenciennes www2.ac-lille.fr/escaut-valenciennes
