A day to explore sustainable and collaborative industry in Nantes
From aerospace to the maritime sector, including composites, robotics, and the circular economy, this in-depth look highlighted an ecosystem in which major corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises, research centers, and educational institutions are working together to accelerate the sector’s transformation.
An ecosystem designed to enable stakeholders to work collaboratively
The first highlight of the day was a tour of the Airbus plant in Nantes. “This is where airplanes are born,” as Damien Guillon, director of Airbus Atlantic in Nantes, likes to say. Indeed, the central fuselage sections and radomes for the A320 are built in Nantes.
This collaborative spirit is also evident across the street at the IRT Jules Verne, where 140 engineers and researchers are developing next-generation manufacturing processes. Robotics, composite and metallic materials, monitoring, and automation are at the heart of the projects carried out in partnership with industry.
Visitors were introduced to Happy1, a program that cuts the assembly time for certain aerospace components in half, as well as the Zebra Project, which recycles carbon fibers from end-of-life wind turbines to manufacture new structural parts for the aerospace industry.
For companies based on the site, this proximity is a real catalyst for innovation. “When we need expertise, we just have to cross the street,” says an SME executive, illustrating the strength of an ecosystem where large corporations, research labs, and subcontractors work in synergy.
At INODUS, land is available for industry players
Next, we’ll explore Inodus and the future Étoile du Sud neighborhood. Designed as a hub for networking and collaboration, this project will bring together businesses, subcontractors, coworking spaces, workshops, a business center, and social gathering spots. This model exemplifies the region’s ambition: to create the conditions for collective innovation that fosters industrial competitiveness.
“We have two goals: to create opportunities for companies to work together and to foster a welcoming atmosphere so that employees can socialize,” summarizes Florent Turck of Loire Océan Développement. Eventually, this new hub will also feature restaurants, a brasserie, and shared workspaces designed to foster interaction among the 14,000 employees working in the area.
Training, recruiting, and manufacturing in France’s leading industrial region
Through presentations by Airbus Atlantic, Naval Group, Loiretech, and Technocampus Océan, a common conviction emerged: the transition toward a more responsible industry depends not only on cooperation among stakeholders but also on the development of skills.
According to Damien Guillon, director of Airbus Atlantic Nantes, “We need an ecosystem to support the ramp-up, involving engineering schools, design, and innovation. It’s a dynamic region where we find common ground and work together.”
With 263,000 industrial jobs, the Pays de la Loire region ranks first in France in terms of the share of industrial employment.
From vocational training to engineering schools, including the Jules Verne Manufacturing Academy—a training facility unlike any other in France—the region boasts a comprehensive ecosystem for training the talent of tomorrow and supporting businesses in their growth, as outlined by Cyril Kouzoubachian, director of the JVMA.
A Shared Vision for a Sustainable Industry
For Alice Provendier of Nantes Métropole, the goal is clear: “It’s about supporting a sustainable and environmentally responsible industry by reducing carbon emissions while addressing the challenges of recruitment and competitiveness.”
Organized the day after the RIDE event, this tour allowed the fifty entrepreneurs and institutional representatives to appreciate the uniqueness of the Nantes model: a region where technological innovation, cooperation among stakeholders, and the ecological transition are advancing hand in hand. With the conviction that a high-performing industry can also be a more sustainable, more collaborative, and resolutely forward-looking industry.
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