Invest Languedoc-Roussillon
Key Competitive Attractions
Invest Languedoc-Roussillon (ILR) is the internal investment agency for the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It aims to help all businesses interested in relocating to the region and to encourage and assist foreign direct investment in industry, technology and logistics.
Languedoc-Roussillon key figures:
- 27,376 km2 area
- 2.6 million inhabitants (2009)
- Workforce in 2009: 820,000
- Exports (2009): € 4.634 billion
- Imports (2009): € 7.062 billion
- 4th highest rate of company creation in France
- GDP : €60.523 billion (2009) representing 3.23% of French GDP (ranked 10th nationally)
ILR boasts a strategic geographic location at the heart of Southern Europe, with access to over 260 million consumers. The area acts as a gateway to the Mediterranean markets, which maximises the use of its excellent communications infrastructure.
The region is the fourth in France for company creation, and is first for job creation in relation to population, with these jobs strongly oriented towards innovation. Ranking third in France for the growth of GDP, the Languedoc-Roussillon also has the highest population growth in continental France, which is predicted to reach 3.3 million inhabitants by the year 2030. The region is ready for intensive work output.
The Languedoc-Roussillon has an exceptional concentration of research and development centres, ranking fourth in the country for public research. The region’s education institutions provide specialised training for all of the region’s core activities, such as biotechnology, food processing, I.T., logistics and renewable industries.
Assistance and Support For New Business Investors
Invest Languedoc-Roussillon employs 9 permanent staff and has a strong network of partners: the French Government (DATAR), the Regional Council, county councils, regional institutions, chambers of commerce, companies and other financial institutions. Together with these partners and 90 members, ILR develops incentives to meet investors' expectations. Invest LR is also a member of the global "Invest in France Agency".
Our core activities are:
- Finding the site and premises that suit a company's needs
- Finding skilled and professional employees
- Finding technological partners
- Assisting in the obtainment of financial grants and incentives
Our services are free of charge and fully confidential.
Existing Business Base
According to Invest in France Agency (IFA)'s last annual survey, Languedoc-Roussillon is among the ten French regions which have attracted the most new foreign investments during 2009, with 21 projects and 1,017 jobs created or maintained in the year.
There are over 160 foreign companies, from 20 different countries, operating in the Languedoc-Roussillon, including Arjo Wiggins, Asics, Bausch & Lomb, Cameron, Dell, Haribo, Horiba Medical, IBM, Kawneer, Kraft Foods, Le Boat, Mars, Monsanto, Nestlé, Novartis, Owens Corning, Owens Illinois, Siblu, Syngenta, Vestas, Zuegg. The foreign companies in region employ over 16,100 people.
|
Country |
Number of Comapnies in the Languedoc-Roussillon |
| United States | 40 |
| Germany | 28 |
| UK & Ireland | 22 |
| Spain | 17 |
| Italy | 16 |
| Netherlands | 13 |
| Belgium | 11 |
| Switzerland | 6 |
| Japan | 6 |
| China | 3 |
| Bahamas | 2 |
| Denmark | 2 |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 |
| India | 1 |
| Iceland | 1 |
| Israel | 1 |
| Kuwait | 1 |
| Norway | 1 |
| Romania | 1 |
The Region focuses its work in particular around the following:
- Creation of new industrial production units and assembly units
- Establishment of distribution platforms, value-added logistics centres and post-sales service centres
- Installation of laboratories, research and development units
- Interaction of specialist consultancy firms
- Innovation of new products, especially in the leisure and tourist industries
