Normandy’s manufacturing industry is committed to the future
Manufacturing plays a key role in Normandy's economy, in a land with real industrial history and its sights set on the future. With eco-friendly positive impact manufacturing projects, strong energy mix, meaningful future careers and an exciting ecosystem, it does more than just support economic growth; it's also helping to build a more sustainable world.…
Campus Normandie Eolien: a unique training venue
Campus Normandie Eolien in Fécamp has set a benchmark among students and employees specialising in wind energy. The unique facility on the Descartes-Maupassant college campus has helped make the region's name as a land of excellence in terms of renewable marine energy training. What better way to learn than in the field? Students and apprentices…
Safran Nacelles clears decarbonisation for take-off near Le Havre
Safran Nacelles in Gonfreville-l’Orcher, Seine-Maritime (76), is a world leader in aircraft nacelles and is cutting its carbon footprint throughout its business. https://youtu.be/878-wAJ8Nqc It's the group's biggest production facility in France. Safran Nacelles has 1550 permanent employees at its 80,000m2 site near Le Havre. One of the world's leading aircraft engine nacelle manufacturers has three…
Pont de Normandie, a tightrope between two banks
It's become a symbol of the region. The Pont de Normandie is a steel and concrete giant spanning the Seine estuary between Honfleur and Le Havre. It's a sight for sore eyes that has made life easier for the region and its residents. It was built between 1988 and 1995 in a feat of engineering…
GLLU: sustainable furniture made in Normandy
GLLU designs and makes 100% Norman, sleek and sustainable furniture in Malaunay, near Rouen. The Normandy Economy Awards, organised by AD Normandie, put the business in the spotlight for its "Made in Normandie" category. Let's find out more. Explore Gllu’s lovingly-made wooden furniture 9 people put their experience and craftsmanship into the Malaunay workshop to…
Genexpath helps detect cancer
The Normandy start-up sells tests to classify lymphomas and sarcomas. The technique developed at the cancer research unit at Centre Henri Becquerel in Rouen is intended to help improve treatment and care. Juliette Renauld isn't a researcher or a scientist. The 46 year old is the director of Genexpath, a Rouen start-up specialising in tests to detect…
Introducing Bioeconomy For Change (b4c)
In the space of a few years, Bioeconomy For Change (B4C) has become the flagship network for the bioeconomy in France, Europe and internationally. What do they do exactly? They help their members in their innovation and industrialisation projects surrounding biomass. The business cluster joined forces with the Region in 2021 and uses the area's…
The Normandy Region Nurtures Entrepreneurs and Innovation
Is the Normandy region a land of entrepreneurs? The co-founders of Yousign, the European leader in e-signatures for SMEs/VSBs, certainly thinks so. The start-up was founded in 2013, moved to the Caen peninsula in September 2022 and is pushing forwards with a new CEO, new markets and new recruits. Let's meet Luc Pallavidino, co-founder and…
Biofuel production is being revolutionised by the T.H2 project in Normandy
The T.H2 project launched by Vincent Calleja, CEO of the Tertu Group since 2018, intends to produce second-generation biofuel then green hydrogen in Blainville-sur-Orne, just outside Caen.Why? To recycle up to 120,000 tons of waste wood every year and promote green transport in Normandy. On top of that, the factory and process are carbon neutral.…
Laboratoire Dielen explores marine biotechnology to create natural active ingredients
Laboratoire Dielen was founded in 1978 by an agricultural engineer called Bernard Noël. It is now one of the leading marine biotechnology laboratories in France. The Manche company is fuelled by its eco-friendly values and CSR policy to constantly innovate and regularly hire new recruits. Let's find out more. https://youtu.be/eFG5kefMEj0 French content A family of…
LEIZUP: improve your social life
Moving to a new place is hard, even if it is Normandy! It may be a lovely place to live but moving to a new region can mean big changes: no family close by, new routines etc. Yoann Poher and Samuel Guillot launched Leizup to help people settle in and combat loneliness. It's a 100%…
How 6NAPSE Group’s test centres are shaping the future of aerospace technology
The 6NAPSE Group is a group of labs and support and test centres. Three of them are in Normandy: CEVAA in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray (76), Analyses et Surface in Val-de-Reuil (27) and 6NAPSE in Vernon (27). The group helps several major sectors in Normandy's industries, including aerospace and automotive, in terms of R&D, inspection and reliability for…
CERDATO designs sustainable materials of the future in Serquigny
CERDATO (Centre de Recherche, Développement et Assistance Technique de l’Ouest) in the Eure area (27) is one of the Arkema group's biggest R&D labs. 250 researchers work here, researching and developing high-performance materials that are mainly bio-based and recyclable. Making history in Normandy What do the carpet on the SS France ocean liner, shoes worn…
Greenoco, green tech made in Normandy
The Le Havre start-up founded by Mathieu Cottard brings businesses a game-changing tool to measure and reduce their website's carbon footprint. Mathieu Cottard has run his own web design agency for 10 years and developed hundreds of shopfront websites, e-commerce and blogs for small and large companies. "There's no denying the advantage of digital in…
Cyceron: a centre for innovation in healthcare
Cyceron is a biomedical imaging platform that has been conducting research in Caen-la-Mer since 1985. The centre plays host to world-renowned research units as well as providing the latest technological equipment and a unique group of labs on the same site. Let's meet Benoît Haelewyn, managing director of the GIP (public interest group) in charge…
Normandy’s cancer centres lead the fight against cancer with innovation and expertise
Centre François Baclesse in Caen and Centre Henri Becquerel in Rouen are two CLCCs (cancer centres) in Normandy. These private, non-profit, healthcare centres work in three areas of oncology: healthcare, education and research. Let's find out more about two centres that have set a benchmark in the region, whose research and unique features are beacons…
Virtuoz Feelobject: Revolutionising Accessibility for the Visually-Impaired
The start-up based in Petit-Quevilly has designed an innovative tactile map concept for people with a visual impairment. Virtuoz is already in place at Disneyland Paris, the Assemblée Nationale and will be at the Fan Zones at the Paris Olympics in 2024. Getting your bearings in a new place is simply impossible when you have…
FLEXIKEG: Revolutionising Sustainable Kegs for a Greener Future
FLEXIKEG makes sustainable and durable kegs and won the Innovation award at the most recent Normandy Economy Awards, organised by the economic development agency AD Normandie. It's a major asset to help countless businesses embrace the challenge of sustainability transition. New Generation Kegs: Lighter, Recyclable and Versatile What's the idea? Make kegs that are lighter,…
Emploi Normandie: revolutionising recruitment in Normandy
Are you struggling to find staff? Looking for that rare gem? A place where you can say what you're looking for and why your business is a great place to work? Good news: the new platform designed by the Normandy Region and its partners meets your every need. Let's find out more. A unique tool…
The biggest-ever wind turbine blade measures 107m, and it’s from Cherbourg!
A record-breaking 107m long rotor blade makes it the biggest offshore turbine blade ever built. LM WIND POWER in Cherbourg holds the record. The challenge began in 2017 and has stayed the course: one of the biggest French factories in the General Electric group hasn't stopped hiring staff since it opened in January 2019. fabrication…
Sinay, an Industry 4.0 business
Environmental impact assessment, port risk management, optimised fishing, modelling, simulation and experimentation, navigational risk assessment and more. SINAY was founded in 2008 and has designed the first multi-business big data platform. The Normandy SME provides unique digital and maritime expertise and won the first Index French Blue Tech, an award promoting maritime start-ups with 23…
Alga Biologics: fighting the big C with the sea
49 year old Muriel Bardor is making her childhood dream come true, or almost. She started out wanting to battle genetic disorders but ended up finding a way to produce antibodies that could treat some forms of cancer using microalgae... Her start-up, Alga Biologics, has already won several awards including the Normandie4Good prize in 2023.…
NEOLITIK, pioneering innovative and sustainable construction
The industrial start-up NEOLITIK won the design award at the Normandy Economy Awards and is revolutionising the world of construction. What sets it apart? An innovative alternative to concrete and stone called EcoLithe designed for eco-friendly building sites. From Paris to Fécamp Thirty-something Marc Dib left Île-de-France for Seine-Maritime in 2022. Why? To set up…
Jean-Louis Louvel, eco-friendly entrepreneurship
Jean-Louis Louvel is president of the PGS Group near Rouen in Seine-Maritime and was named "Entrepreneur of 2023" by EY. It's a first for a managing director in the region. Let's meet a Norman with inspiring values and his sights set on a more sustainable world. What does PGS stand for? Palettes, Gestion, Services (Pallets,…
Futerro: the future of sustainable, green plastic in Normandy
We got the good news at the end of 2022… Following in the footsteps of Eastman, the Belgian brand Futerro announced it was coming to the Port-Jérôme business park in Seine-Maritime. What's the idea? To open the world's first industrial facility producing, processing and recycling bioplastic. It brings the circular economy and energy transition together:…
Aptar Pharma: a pioneering group
Normandy is home to a network of pioneering groups and industries that are often looking for new staff and working hard to make the industry more sustainable. Let's meet Aptar Pharma in Eure, the world's leading spray and aerosol manufacturer for the pharmaceutical industry and an "Industry Showcase of the Future". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9IYg6YGCl8 What is the…
Virtual Reality (VR) at the service of research
CIREVE (the Centre Interdisciplinaire de Réalité Virtuelle, or Centre for Interdisciplinary Virtual Reality) is at the heart of the University of Caen Normandy’s technology centre, created in 2006 and, since 2012, part of the training and research unit for humanities and the social sciences (the Unité de Formation et de Recherche, or UFR Humanités et…
Tertu: how Normandy is helping make roads safer around the world
They flash past us, often unseen, and yet they’re indispensable. They appeared in france in the 1960s, lining the roads – retaining devices, or crash barriers. They help keep vehicles on the road and give users added security. In the norman county of orne, at villedieu-lès-bailleul, tertu equipements has been developing innovative ones made from…