French Fab: Just over a year ago, in October 2017, the French Fab movement was launched by Bruno Le Maire to revamp French industry. Finance and economy minister at the time, Mr Le Maire was driven by his belief in French industry and its renewal. In his inaugural speech, he invoked the death of the French industrial era of Zola’s time and urged French manufacturers to get involved in the movement.
“I believe in French industry. It is not a thing of the past. It must not be a subject of nostalgia for French people. Gone is the industry of Zola’s time with its poverty, filth and class struggles, even if these form part of our history.”
Bruno Le Maire – Minister of Economy and Finance
We understand this only too well. The factory of tomorrow, Industry 4.0, needs solid foundations to stand tall. So after just over a year, what has become of this movement? Where do we stand with the de-industrialisation of France? Does French manufacture mean anything for the French people? Is it important for the nation? Is it still valuable for the economy?
The figures speak for themselves. 10% of GDP, 2.8 million jobs, around 300,000 companies. This is what the sector represents in France. Clearly, the economic stakes are high.
French Fab is a movement that has emerged to rally French manufacturers and drive the transition towards the fourth industrial revolution.
French Fab, while not a label as such, owes much of its inspiration to the French Tech initiative. Both initiatives have involved joining forces under a strong visual identity. It’s a well known precept that strength lies in unity, especially when faced with foreign competition.
French Fab was created within the Bpifrance incubator when small businesses decided to duplicate the French Tech model.In face, the Banque Publique d’Investissement plays a key role in the initiative.
The BPI helps small business that are aware of the digital revolution but unsure of how to ride the wave. BPI is a formidable growth driver which supported 2,000 companies in 2018 with the aim of raising the number to 4,000 from 2019 onwards.
The French Fab has three conditions for success:
Theory has already been transformed to practice and decisions have been taken to ramp up the movement and meet the challenges head-on.
Building and maintaining momentum must be a reality. For Bruno Le Maire, it’s all about agreeing on a common goal. Which direction should industrial entrepreneurs follow?
Towards innovative manufacture, a modern factory, with the ability to rally brainpower towards this common aim. The future of industrial companies lies in high-end innovation driven by high-end talent.
To stay on course, various initiatives have been launched in the following areas: training, taxation, labour costs, innovation, sectors, Europe.
The foundations of French Fab have been laid. Now it’s time to act and convert words into deeds. The aim is to unite the industrial ecosystem and stimulate vocations.
This is the aim of the French Fab Tour. 60 dates throughout France in a tour beginning on 15 January 2019.What can we expect from this tour? Who is it aimed at? What does it consist of?
The French Fab Tour will make 60 stops all over France to promote the excellence of French manufacturers.In French Fab’s own words, it is “a tour for youth, employment and growth”.
But it is also an opportunity for entrepreneurs to meet other stakeholders in their business ecosystem.It is a moment dedicated to the evolution of industry, with no less than 20 concrete and successful examples of the successful transition to factory 4.0.
When speaking of factory 4.0 and the digital transformation, Visiativ is 100% behind this movement and will be present on the French Fab Tour. Visiativ helps industrial companies to make the leap and bring their commitment to digitisation to fruition.
A publisher and integrator of innovative software solutions, Visiativ accelerates industry transformation and innovation via its TNGV* offer. Helping French industry to succeed in the digital transformation is the ambition of the Lyon-based Group. Its chairman is convinced that the digital and technological revolutions currently underway are an unprecedented opportunity for the industry to reinvent itself.
“Weare convinced that French industry will be a driving force in the economy of tomorrow. To step up innovation and consistently create more value, industrial companies must arm themselves with digital tools, incorporate them into their strategy and carry out profound transformation. In this environment, the French Fab movement is the perfect springboard to help companies leap into the industrial future”.
Laurent Fiard – Chairman of the Visiativ Group – Chairman of MEDEF Lyon-Rhône
*High Speed Digital Transformation
There are a few requirements for obtaining the French Fab label, including:
