From Bourges to Bergerac: the arms industry on the warpath
Julien Malizard, Deputy Chairholder, was the guest on the «Les Enjeux territoriaux» programme broadcast live on 2 March 2023 on France Culture.Hosted by Baptiste Muckensturm, The discussions focused on the role of the Defence Technological and Industrial Base (DTIB) in the territories, while the effects of war in Ukraine have an impact on production rates at defence industry sites. Julien Malizard based its analysis on the cases of Bourges, Saint-Étienne and Bergerac.
Is relocating the arms industry the Armed Forces Ministry's new mantra?
There have been recent announcements about the relocation of a number of activities which, for economic and strategic reasons, had been judged to be of little relevance in France. We are talking here mainly about the munitions sector, such as shells. The aim is to bring part of the production back into France. On 22 February, Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that Eurenco would be repatriating its production of powdered shells from Sweden to Bergerac in the Dordogne.
Choosing the Dordogne
Historically, a powder factory was located in Bergerac during the First World War because of its distance from the front line. The region has specialised in these issues for over a hundred years. The industrialist Eurenco already had a factory on site, and the idea was to take advantage of this pre-existing eco-system to enable France to produce the shells and ammunition needed for the Caesar guns, which we've heard a lot about in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
»An additional plant will be operational in Bergerac in the first half of 2025. 1,200 tonnes of propellant powders will enable Eurenco to manufacture 500,000 modular charges, i.e. 95,000 complete costs. «
The César cannon is the focus of national attention. This product was developed and commissioned in France in the 1990s. It has been widely used by France in external operations, and the equipment has also been exported to customers. This has enabled Nexter, the manufacturer of the Caesar tanks, to continue to control its production line at a relatively low level, but to maintain its industrial expertise in the field. And with the donations that France has made to the Ukrainian army, massive deliveries of these same tanks have been ensured; around thirty out of the seventy-two existing in the French fleet.
A geography of the French defence industry...
Selles-Saint-Denis, the Dordogne, the Loir-et-Cher and the Loire are just some of the areas that have suffered. The dependence of French industry on exports has subjected these plants to intense competition. Today, a new geography is taking shape.
»These are regions that have historically been heavily influenced by the defence industry. The steel industry has been present in the Saint-Etienne region for several centuries, which is one of the reasons why the royal factories were set up in Saint-Etienne in the 18th century. The region has built its identity around the steel and arms industries. Today, defence continues to be a major magnet for jobs. «
