To strengthen the defense economy in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the PACA regional CCI has asked the CCI of Var to take the lead. This mission was entrusted to Basil Gertis by Daniel Margot, the new president of the PACA CCI. The goal is to capitalize on the approximately 6 billion euros in annual turnover generated around the defense industry in PACA.
The CCI of Var will focus on the defense economy
The head of the regional CCI, who is also an entrepreneur in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, aims to “pool the skills of the territorial CCIs, without regionalization,” as he explains in an interview with Nouvelles Publications. This means that certain CCIs in the territories will carry projects or assume missions based on their skills for all CCIs in the PACA network.
Therefore, the issue of defense will logically be led by the CCI of Var. “We hope that Basil Gertis, the president of the CCI of Var, will become the regional leader on this issue, given the importance of the military economy in his territory, with the Toulon naval base,” explains Daniel Margot.
The president of the regional CCI also intends for the consular network to help companies with the issue of retraining retiring military personnel for a new career.
The consular elected officials aim to benefit from the economic benefits announced by the military programming law. The CCI of Var is already active on this economic front, regularly organizing meetings between entrepreneurs and defense representatives.
The PACA region: a strong supporter of the defense economy
In Var, the army is an important player, especially from an economic perspective. The Toulon naval base remains the largest industrial site in Var. 24,000 people work there every day and 2,500 companies are under contract.
Significant investments are currently being made by the army, especially to accommodate the future French aircraft carrier, the Barracuda nuclear attack submarines, or to upgrade certain equipment. “The Toulon naval base is currently a huge construction site,” explained General Pierre-Jean Rondeau in an interview with our title, head of the Defense Infrastructure Service Establishment, discussing major projects at the Toulon base.
Beyond Var, the Air Force also has a presence in Bouches-du-Rhône, especially around Salon-de-Provence and Istres. Significant investments are also being made there. It is also strengthening its presence at the Orange air base. The Army is also present in Hautes-Alpes, with the Alpine hunters of Gap and will return to Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
The BITDE of PACA: an army of companies
In addition to the military presence, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region has a network of companies related to the European Defense Industrial and Technological Base (BITDE).
This BITDE represents 26,000 jobs in the defense industry in PACA. It includes major groups (Airbus Helicopters, Thales, Naval Group, MBDA, etc.), 230 innovative SMEs and intermediate-sized enterprises, and around 2,000 regional companies providing services to the Ministry of Armed Forces.
In Vaucluse, Eurenco, which manufactures ammunition, has raised 300 million to strengthen its production capacities at its four sites in France and Europe.
