AGENCE ÉCONOMIQUE RÉGIONALE DE BOURGOGNE FRANCHE-COMTÉ

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté: A European Logistics Crossroads and Innovation Hub for the Transport and Logistics Industry

The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region lies at the crossroads of major transport infrastructure linking Paris to Lyon and Marseille, as well as routes connecting Spain to Germany. This strategic location has attracted numerous logistics platforms and players in the e-commerce sector. The region boasts a dense and complementary network of transport routes, covering waterways, roads, air and rail. Situated at the heart of Europe, it stands as the ideal logistics hub for businesses in the sector. Numerous companies in the retail, e-commerce, transport and intralogistics sectors, as well as freight forwarders, are based in this region, which offers a wealth of opportunities.

With smart cities such as Autun, Besançon, Dijon and Nevers, urban logistics – particularly last-mile delivery – has become a major challenge for urban areas and metropolitan regions.  Stakeholders in the logistics sector in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté have successfully adopted innovative solutions, such as connected devices, automated order fulfilment, environmentally friendly modes of transport, autonomous vehicles, automated guided vehicles, smart sensors, and even drone-based stock management.

Training programmes are designed to meet market needs, thereby providing a skilled workforce suited to the demands of the logistics industry. The infrastructure, businesses and training programmes form a forward-looking ecosystem, helping to make Bourgogne-Franche-Comté a region capable of meeting the logistical challenges of tomorrow.

Support from the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region for the Logistics and Transport Industry

The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region is actively committed to supporting and promoting the logistics and transport industry by collaborating with key partners:

• ASLOG is a federation bringing together more than 400 companies from various sectors, drawing on the expertise of 2,000 professionals who work together to promote and develop the supply chain of the future. ASLOG’s mission is based on the conviction that the supply chain plays a strategic role in every business; it seeks to raise awareness of the supply chain and its specific characteristics amongst economic and institutional stakeholders, as well as to showcase the excellence of the French supply chain on an international scale.
• Robotics Valley is a cluster specialising in Industry 4.0, particularly in the fields of robotics, cobotics and computer vision. Its work focuses on integrating these innovative technologies into industrial companies, thereby contributing to the modernisation and efficiency of their processes.
• The Vehicle of the Future Cluster is a leading competitiveness cluster focused on vehicles, mobility solutions and related services. It brings together and coordinates a network of 400 members in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Grand Est regions. This cluster brings together companies, public research institutions, training organisations and local authorities to work on collaborative innovation projects, initiatives to improve industrial performance (notably under its PerfoEST brand), as well as training and skills development programmes.

The Dynamic Logistics and Transport Ecosystem in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region is at the forefront of the logistics ecosystem, with a focus on training professionals capable of meeting the diverse needs of businesses.

Several educational institutions are helping to shape the sector’s future workforce:

• AFTRAL Bourgogne-Franche-Comté: With six schools and seven training centres dedicated to transport and logistics, AFTRAL plays a key role in preparing qualified professionals. It offers programmes ranging from the CAP in goods vehicle driving to three-year higher education courses leading to a role as a logistics manager.
• ISAT (Institut Supérieur de l’Automobile et des Transports): Based in Nevers, this institution trains internationally renowned engineers in the automotive and transport sectors. Specialisms include energy, mechanics, embedded systems, transport infrastructure, and many others.
• UTBM (Belfort-Montbéliard University of Technology): UTBM offers engineering programmes in energy, electrical engineering and industrial logistics, amongst others. Its research teams focus on crucial topics such as energy optimisation, electric vehicle powertrains, and autonomous vehicles.
• University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté: This institution offers programmes ranging from a DUT (University Technical Diploma) in Logistics and Transport Management to a Professional Bachelor’s degree in Distribution Logistics and International Transport. Prospective logistics professionals can also pursue a Master’s degree in Transport, Mobility and Networks to gain in-depth expertise.

The region is home to a diverse range of companies in the logistics and transport sector, including Aldi, Amazon, Dachser, Easydis, ED, FM Logistic, Gaussin, Geodis, Groupe MTA, leplaisirdoffrir.fr, Lidl, Groupe PSA, PF Casino, Pneu Laurent, Régis Martelet, Renault, Savoye, Schiever, Stanley Black & Decker, Veepee, Virly, XPO, Zooplus, and many others. These companies contribute to the region’s economic growth and offer countless career opportunities for locally trained professionals.

The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region: a favourable environment for the growth of agri-food businesses

With its dynamic regional ecosystem in the agri-food sector, the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region is positioning itself as a pioneer in the agri-food sector. Through its infrastructure, partners and unrivalled expertise, it is committed to fostering growth in this sector and supporting agri-food businesses in their development.

Key figures:

• France’s leading region for wine production and mustard paste manufacturing
• 2nd region for cheese production
• 53% of the land is devoted to agriculture
• 1 dedicated international cluster: Vitagora
• Targeted training programmes

Key partners driving the growth of the agri-food industry

In the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, businesses can turn to AgrOnov, an agricultural innovation accelerator that brings together partners to support innovation projects by agriculture-related companies.  FoodTech Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, meanwhile, is an ecosystem bringing together start-ups, SMEs, manufacturers, distributors, investors and other stakeholders involved in the food transition and the digital transformation of the food sector in France. Finally, you can count on support from GPPR (Gastronomy and Promotion of Regional Products), a network dedicated to promoting the region’s agri-food assets.

Dedicated infrastructure 

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté stands out thanks to Vitagora, a leading agri-food innovation hub in Europe, with over 450 members, including 42 multinationals and large companies. It coordinates a network of 12,500 scientists and engineers specialising in food and health sciences. Thanks to its specialised industries, the region offers an ideal environment for testing agri-technologies to address agricultural challenges. The agri-food industry and agriculture, renowned for their high-quality, locally sourced produce, collaborate closely within a well-structured network that encompasses experimental platforms, sensory analyses, technical laboratories and much more.

The region also boasts significant potential for action thanks to its cutting-edge scientific and technical environment.  Laboratories at the University and the INRAE centre in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, AgroSup Dijon and the CNRS are working on the interactions between microorganisms and the soil, as well as agro-ecological processes.  UMR* PAM, UMR* CSGA, UMR* Agroecology, as well as the French Institute of Vine and Wine, are among the scientific and technical facilities conducting research in the agri-food sector.

Support for the development of agri-food businesses 

A pool of talent & specialist training institutions

The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region is implementing a proactive education strategy by offering training programmes tailored to the needs of the local market. To this end, it relies on renowned educational institutions to train a highly qualified workforce.  The Institut Agro in Dijon is the leading institution for agriculture, food and the environment, offering specialised training to future industry leaders and professionals. The national schools of dairy, biotechnology and water industries (ENIL) in Mamirolle and ENILBIO in Poligny offer courses ranging from CAP qualifications to vocational bachelor’s degrees in the fields of agriculture, agri-food and the environment.  VESOUL AGROCAMPUS also offers school-based, apprenticeship and continuing education programmes in the agricultural sector.

Quick and easy to set up in the region

The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region offers a wide range of locations for established or start-up agri-food businesses wishing to expand their operations there. Several thousand square metres of agri-food facilities and processing laboratories are available across the region to provide the infrastructure needed for development and innovation in the agri-food sector.

Agri-food companies based in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté 

Many leading companies are based in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, such as Amora-Maille/Unilever Group, André Bazin, Boudier, Daunat, Dijon Céréales, Ets Bobard Jeune, Eurogerm, Fallot, Fromageries Bel, Granini, the Bigard Group, Henri Maire, Innoplant, Jacquet, John Deere, Lactalis, LDC Bourgogne, Lejay Lagoute, Mondelez, Mulot and Petitjean, Nestlé, Plukon, Yoplait, etc.

Young, growing local start-ups have also benefited from the region’s support, such as Agrodoubs and Miss Cookies Factory.

The Digital and Information and Communication Technologies Sectors in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté: A Hub for Growth and Innovation

The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region plays a leading role in the digital and information and communication technologies (ICT) sectors. With over 900 organisations specialising in digital technology and a training offering comprising more than 130 programmes, the region is constantly evolving to meet the growing needs of these sectors. Bourgogne-Franche-Comté is home to no fewer than 110 organisations specialising in customer relations, ranging from in-house to outsourced call centres. These centres continue to invest and recruit, which demonstrates the vitality of this sector and its commitment to innovation.

The growth of these sectors in the region is evident, with 9,400 employees directly involved in the digital sector and 7,800 working in customer relations. In just two years, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté has seen a 14% increase in its digital workforce, a success that was crowned in 2019 by the award of the “FrenchTech Community” label. This label recognises the dynamism and quality of the regional ecosystem’s structure.

The region’s strength lies in its diversity, with renowned universities, prestigious colleges, cutting-edge research laboratories and innovative companies. All these elements contribute to creating an attractive and thriving digital ecosystem. Furthermore, the region offers high-quality infrastructure, such as ultra-fast broadband, business incubators and business centres, as well as data centres, to meet the specific needs of companies in the digital sector.

The Network of Partners Supporting the Digital and Tertiary Sectors in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté has succeeded in building a strong and diverse network of partners to support the digital and service sectors in the region. Thanks to these partnerships, businesses and professionals can thrive within an ecosystem that fosters innovation, competitiveness and excellence in their respective fields. This active collaboration helps to consolidate the position of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region as a major player in the constantly evolving fields of digital technologies and customer relations. Among these partners, you will find:

• BFC Numérique, the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté digital cluster, has played a central role since 2017 in bringing together and supporting more than 200 key players in the region. It brings unique expertise to stimulating the growth of the digital economy by structuring and developing this ecosystem.
• ‘French Tech’ embodies the innovation movement in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, bringing together entrepreneurs, start-ups and technology players, as well as support organisations, investors, public bodies, large companies, research centres and many others. Its mission is to make Bourgogne-Franche-Comté an attractive region, conducive to launching start-ups, tapping into international markets and building a meaningful future.
• L’Usinerie Partners meets the needs of local economic stakeholders by informing, supporting, networking and training industrial companies in the adoption of Industry 4.0 digital technologies. Its aim is to strengthen the competitiveness of businesses whilst enhancing the region’s appeal.
• Numerica is dedicated to developing the use of digital technology within businesses and local authorities in the region, thereby promoting the adoption of digital technologies to remain at the forefront of innovation and improve the efficiency of digital processes.
• The regional Customer Relations Club facilitates meetings, networking and the sharing of experiences between external service providers and in-house customer relations teams. Members discuss cross-cutting topics such as recruitment, training and developments in customer relations roles, playing a vital role in fostering excellence in this field.
• The National Institute for Customer Relations anticipates developments in customer relations roles and skills. Its aim is to optimise this relationship, rethink human resources and take into account the challenges of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), including employer branding, in order to improve the quality of interactions between businesses and their customers.

The Dynamic Ecosystem of the Digital and Customer Relations Sectors in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté stands out for its thriving ecosystem in the digital and customer relations sectors, with a myriad of cutting-edge companies in these fields. Here is an overview of some of the leading digital and customer relationship companies that are helping to make the region a hub of innovation and excellence:

Leading Digital Companies: Abeye, Access Code School, Archimen, Aldaria, Atol Conseils et Développements, Atsuké, Aucotec, Aurea Technology, B4 Road, Cy.EM, DAVI, Da Viking Code, Digit Prime, Elabor, EtOH, Fingertips, Four Data, Foxar, Gamméo, Genario, GEOIDE, Kwikwink, Logomotion, Morphée+, Online Formapro, Odalid, On Situ, Overview Immersive Technology, PageUp, Réseau Concept, Shine Research, Sweepin, Ubitransports, Virtuel City, Webdrone, WebForce3, Weezevent, Wittym, Yumain, and many more.

Leaders in Customer Relations: Armatis, Banque Populaire BFC, Berner, Caisse d’Épargne, Comdata Group, CRC, Davi, EDF, Groupama, Leboncoin.fr, Leroy Merlin, Nutrisens, Qualicontact, SUEZ, Téléperformance, Teletech, Webhelp, amongst others.

By combining the efforts of digital companies and leaders in customer relations, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté benefits from a dynamic and thriving ecosystem. This collaboration between various stakeholders enables the region to position itself as a centre for innovation and economic growth, whilst offering unprecedented professional and development opportunities.

Why set up your business in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté? 

As a key hub for French industry, the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region currently plays a vital role in the energy sector. Key areas of activity include engineering and the manufacture of equipment for conventional energy sources, including fossil fuels and nuclear power, as well as renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro and wind power. Furthermore, the region excels in the field of wood-based energy and is actively exploring the use of hydrogen as a means of energy storage.

Burgundy-Franche-Comté, with its exceptional heritage in terms of biodiversity and natural resources, is ‘naturally’ committed to environmental conservation and the energy transition. It has set itself the goal of becoming a ‘Positive Energy’ region by 2050.

Key figures: 

• Leading region for the manufacture of energy-generation equipment

• 20% of the world’s steam and gas turbines are manufactured by General Electric in BFC

• 1 competitiveness cluster dedicated to nuclear energy. An energy cluster and a wind energy cluster.

• A region recognised for its hydrogen expertise.

Growth hubs for businesses in the renewable energy sector in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

In its quest for continuous improvement and to attract more players to the green transition sector, the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region is home to numerous partners, competitiveness clusters and industry clusters. Among them is the Vallée de l’Énergie Cluster. At the heart of a vibrant and dynamic environment, the Vallée de l’Énergie brings together key players in its ecosystem to strengthen synergies and act as a strategic bridge for businesses in the energy sector, research laboratories and the academic world. It comprises 50 companies, generates 1,400 direct jobs and contributes to the creation of 35,000 indirect jobs. The Nuclear Valley Cluster is the only competitiveness cluster in France exclusively dedicated to civil nuclear energy and recognised by the French government. Nuclear Valley promotes the development of innovative and competitive solutions for the civil nuclear industry by mobilising all available resources in the region, particularly industrial, institutional, academic and scientific ones. It has 270 members. Finally, the Wind for Future (W4F) Cluster is an association of wind energy companies whose expertise ranges from research to maintenance and operations.

There are numerous R&D facilities in the BFC region:

The Femto-St Institute, one of the largest research laboratories affiliated with the CNRS; the Lispen Laboratory on the Arts et Métiers campus in Cluny; and the ICB Laboratory, specialising in metallurgical processes, sustainability and materials.

The region is training the professionals of tomorrow in the renewable energy sector

At the forefront of the renewable energy sector, the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region can draw on a leading university network to support the development of entrepreneurs working in wind power, photovoltaics and energy storage.

Among the most renowned educational institutions in the field of renewable energy are:

• UNIVERSITY OF FRANCHE-COMTÉ

From the DUT to the Master’s degree, the UFC offers courses in renewable energy and energy efficiency. › Master’s programme in Hydrogen-Energy Engineering and Energy Efficiency.

• ENSMM (Besançon), a general engineering school specialising in mechanics and microtechnology

• ESIREM (Dijon): a higher education institution specialising in materials engineering

•  LYCÉE LOUIS ARAGON (Héricourt): Vocational school for energy and sustainable development – vocational baccalaureate, BTS, apprenticeships

Companies in the sector based in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

Nearly 200 companies and over 1,400 employees have chosen the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region to develop their energy-related activities:

• 2 world-leading manufacturers: GENERAL ELECTRIC, FRAMATOME

• Conventional energy: 2D DOMECA, AE2I, ALLYN INTERNATIONAL, ASSYSTEM, CITELE INDUSTRIE SA

• Nuclear: APERAM, FRAMATOME, INDUSTEEL, VALLOUREC

• Hydrogen: DEPHIS, FAURECIA, H2SYS, JUSTY

• Wind and solar power: ELEC ENR, ENERCON, ENGIE EOLE, RES, H2ION, INNERGEX