ISO 14001 certification
Mai 2010
The Groupement des Entreprises du Plateau de Signes (GEPS) has obtained ISO
14001 certification (Level 1) for the Signes Business Park… the first time a
business organisation-led project has pulled this off in France!
Objectives: to raise awareness, encourage, represent the Business Park companies, pool their resources to maintain and improve the quality of life and environmental friendliness.
This innovative approach is based on the mapping of the main business-induced environmental impact factors such as materials storage, the machinery installed, etc.
The environmental remedial and preventative work already undertaken by the GEPS will be continued, drawing on data provided by the twice-yearly map updates.
>> More
Objectives: to raise awareness, encourage, represent the Business Park companies, pool their resources to maintain and improve the quality of life and environmental friendliness.
This innovative approach is based on the mapping of the main business-induced environmental impact factors such as materials storage, the machinery installed, etc.
The environmental remedial and preventative work already undertaken by the GEPS will be continued, drawing on data provided by the twice-yearly map updates.
Les Petits Chaperons Rouges
Mai 2010
Les Petits Chaperons Rouges crèche has now been open for a year inSignes and looks after 64 children in a safe, high-quality setting. The familiesare charged the same fee as they would be by a local authority establishment. Thereare still places available for reservation by firms on the Park seeking to setup an attractive human resources policy. As the expenses are deductible and taxcredit applies, they will find the rates advantageous. For further details, callthe Head of Projects, Ms. Vinai, on +33 (0)4 42 95 17 49.
>> More
"Signes de qualité" event
23 octobre 2009
On 23 October 2009, the "Signes de qualité" event opened
giving pride of place to 5 new Business Park occupants: Cintragemétal – Quai
Sud/ Epicerie de Provence – Sanogia – Tethys - X-RayServices, involving a
presentation of the Signes Business Park, its bustling activity, the quality of
its services offer and environment, its guiding principles and the potential of
its 80 resident enterprises. View the video sequence on the home page.
>> More
Strategic sectors
Defence and security
The economic clout of the PACA Region’s Aeronautics Aerospace Defence sector is a key factor because it exceeds 5 billion euros.
The defense sector in the Var
The sector provides about 35000 direct industrial jobs, half of which are French defence-related. The Var has highest concentration of military personnel in France with 30000 forces members and about 10000 civilians working for the French Defence Ministry. On the industrial side, a network of technological SMEs (many of them spin-offs) has grown up around the sector’s major contract givers in the area, namely DCNS, CNIM and ECA.
Some of the companies based in Signes
- AERO13 – Fine aeronautical sheet metal work, precision engineering, repairs to aircraft components
- SMI – Manufacture of prototypes and assemblies for the aeronautics, aerospace and weapons sectors
- SMIT – Manufacture and repair of airframe components
And elsewhere in the Var
- BMTI (part of the PIB group includes a score of high-technology companies primarily specialised in aeronautics and defence).
- CNIM
- DCNS
- ECA
- ECT Industries
- SMAC (Mont Blanc Technologies Group)
- VN composites (Mont Blanc Technologies Group)
The Pégase competitiveness cluster
PRIDES – the acronym for the regional cluster for innovation and mutually supportive economic development – was given cluster status by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) region and then promoted to competitiveness cluster status by the French government in July 2007. It covers the region’s aeronautics and aerospace sector.
Pégase has a brief to develop a competitive eco-system in synergy with the network of major companies, research and test centres and the web of existing SMEs or forthcoming innovative ventures in the PACA region.
The aeronautics and aerospace cluster has built its strategy forestalling the development of societal needs relating to airborne and space-bound activities. Protection, surveillance, communication, goods and people transport are constantly evolving needs. They represent real growth opportunities for the aeronautics and aerospace sector.
Surveillance missions: development of new low-cost and autonomous aircraft, primarily drones, sent on surveillance missions of zones, industrial, cultural and natural sites.
Intervention missions: rapid-reaction aircraft development (drones, helicopters, etc.) for missions in inhospitable, polluted environments, or those that are inaccessible over land.
Transport missions: development of new low-cost and environmentally-friendly means of people transport (ground effect vehicle, electrically-powered plane) and new possibilities for transporting exceptionally heavy or bulky loads such as pipelines or bridge piles (jumbo airship). The airship’s enhanced navigability enables it to come into action in areas where communications have been cut off, for example by natural disasters.
Pégase has a brief to develop a competitive eco-system in synergy with the network of major companies, research and test centres and the web of existing SMEs or forthcoming innovative ventures in the PACA region.
The aeronautics and aerospace cluster has built its strategy forestalling the development of societal needs relating to airborne and space-bound activities. Protection, surveillance, communication, goods and people transport are constantly evolving needs. They represent real growth opportunities for the aeronautics and aerospace sector.
Surveillance missions: development of new low-cost and autonomous aircraft, primarily drones, sent on surveillance missions of zones, industrial, cultural and natural sites.
Intervention missions: rapid-reaction aircraft development (drones, helicopters, etc.) for missions in inhospitable, polluted environments, or those that are inaccessible over land.
Transport missions: development of new low-cost and environmentally-friendly means of people transport (ground effect vehicle, electrically-powered plane) and new possibilities for transporting exceptionally heavy or bulky loads such as pipelines or bridge piles (jumbo airship). The airship’s enhanced navigability enables it to come into action in areas where communications have been cut off, for example by natural disasters.
Key sector figures
- PACA’s No. 1 industry sector
- Leading the world with helicopters, satellites and testing
- 30% R&D
- 8 European-ranking contract givers
- Coming up for 250 SMEs
- 8 test centres of excellence