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Automotive Cluster Northern France

I- Footprint of the Automobile manufacturing in the RegionII- Networks and Clusters organisation and goalsIII- Main programs and actionsIV- Challenges for the future

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I- Footprint of the Automobile Manufacturing in the « Nord Pas de Calais » Region

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Nord Pas de Calais Region close to 5 main capitals4 million in habitants

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10 million vehicules manufactured yearlywithin a 700km radius

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200 Suppliers employing 32 000 people

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5 OEM in 7 sites, manufacturing per year:– 900 000 vehicules– 1.7 million gearboxes– 1.9 million Engines

Employing 22 500 people

Toyota chose the Region to settle a

4000 people greenfield plant in 2000.

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Most of the world largest Tier1 suppliers produce in the Region and supply nearly all world’s OEM

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II- NETWORKS AND CLUSTERS ORGANISATION AND GOALS

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OEM network• Mutual understanding: regular

meetings between the General Managers

• Working groups among the main functions:– HR– Maintenance– Etc.

Goals given to each working group for them to exchange their main concerns, best practice and solutions. Quarterly reporting to the General managers group.

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OEM network

• ARIA as the one voice towards Regional organisations (Conseil Regional, Préfectures, DRIRE…)

• By monthly News letter sent to 1000 key people in the Region

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Suppliers network

• Voluntary membership• Regular meetings between

the delegates of each supplier, animated by ARIA

• Speaches organised by ARIA on a monthly basis

• Coordinated training program made available to all members

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Automotive Clusters

• I Trans Cluster, funded by the Government , the Region and EC sustains several key research projects related to Transportation involving Universities, Research labs, and Private Companies.

• Regional Automotive Cluster is the place where all regional actors gather in order to contribute to the improvement of the efficiency and flexibility of the Automotive suppliers. Funds are provided by the Region and EC.

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Goals

• Develop synergies between all members

• Allow members to act in a fair way among them

• Improve the competitivity of the Automotive Industry as a whole and create the conditions to keep or increase the employment.

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III- ARIA MAIN PROGRAMS AND ACTIONS

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• News letter • Collaboration with National

Education in order to define programs taking into account the needs of the Cluster

• Collaboration with Research labs and engineering schools

• Active participation in the I Trans and Regional cluster

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• ASPARANCE: program proposed mainly to TIER 2 suppliers including:– Strategic analysis of the company performed

between the manager and a consultant– From that analysis, definition of an action plan

aiming at the main issues identified (HR, financial, development, continuous improvement…)

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IV- CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

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Challenges

• Overcapacity of production is putting at risk car manufacturing in the so called « high cost countries »

• Only the most competitive and the most flexible will survive.

In French we say « L’Union fait la force » Union is strength. Cluster organisation is one way to improve

and anticipate the evolutions.