Business in France

Every country has its own food specialties, some sweet and some savoury. They are usually the things that migrants miss most when they move to another country for work. In the case of the Italian migrants who settled in Romans-sur-Isère in France in the 19th century, it was their much-loved Italian jam-filled biscuits. However, just as the people adapt to their new home, so too do their imported food specialties. Today, Société Nouvelle des Douceurs de Jacquemart continues to bake the traditional Lunettes de Romans, created when two cultures met. European Business talked to Managing Director Jean-Christophe Radouan about the birth of a Dauphinoise tradition.

From the innovative business idea of two former school friends to a global concern: The trajectory of French women's clothing company ba&sh SAS has been phenomenal. European Business spoke with CEO Pierre-Arnaud Grenade to find out more.

The first implantable cardiac pacemaker was invented in 1958. The technology has advanced considerably since then and the result is that millions of lives have been saved and lengthened. Further medical and technological advancements are continuously being invented and perfected, turning conditions that used to be death sentences into conditions that can be managed through proper care. MicroPort CRM, whose operating headquarters are in France, is a company which specializes in finding solutions for the management of cardiac rhythm disorders and heart failure.

Effective human health solutions: A continual quest and one for which there are many different strategies. Molecule vitalization, which turns existing molecules into new treatments is one approach. French concern Provepharm Life Solutions SAS, headquartered in Marseille, is one of the world’s leading players in molecule vitalization. European Business spoke with Founder and Managing Director Michel Féraud to find out what the term means in practice and how the world benefits from the company’s activities.

Often the foundation of a company leads to a thriving success when it involves a personal story and the founder himself is driven by passion for his well-aimed vision. This is truly the case with Cair LGL whose founder survived serious illness and knew from his own experience which medical products would best meet patients’ and healthcare professionals’ needs in the fields of infusion, chemotherapy, nutrition and suction. Georges Gaston Lopez, the founder of Cair LGL, experienced from a patient’s point of view how to improve treatment of patients with kindey-failure and make life more liveable in the long run.

Technology has allowed mankind to advance to places previously believed impossible to reach. Among the amazing technologies that have grown common in the world, machines are by and large a chief contributor to progress. Isolfrance™ launched internationally in 2015, and has not looked back since. By specializing in the area of insulation (spraying, blowing, and insufflation), ISOL INTERNATIONAL has been able to emerge as the market leader within the sector in France, and a thought leader within the space globally. Through offering multiple products and product lines, ISOL INTERNATIONAL has created a recognized global standard.

Great Bordeaux wines and lovely sherries are loved by European wine connoisseurs, but they are equally in demand as far away as the USA, Japan or China. For Europvin S.A.S., it has always been an affair of the heart to export wines from the finest French and Spanish wineries to customers abroad. As a dedicated wine trader, the company uses its extensive knowledge on wines and on logistics and marketing to guarantee smooth shipping at any time.

‘Simpler, Safer’: The message is in the motto. It was in 1968 when François-Pierre Hauville created the first ductless fume hood and set up his own business for the design and manufacture of laboratory filtration products. In the meantime, Erlab DFS SAS with its main seat in Val de Reuil, France, has set new standards in its field and has become the global leader in safe and energy-efficient filtered fume hoods, ductless fume hoods and filtered storage solutions.

Professional chefs swear by gas burners when preparing top quality, gourmet food. Easy to control and clean, the heat is direct and instant. The same benefits can also be enjoyed on domestic gas hobs, the design of which means they complement even the most contemporary kitchen design. Sourdillon in France specializes in the production of burners, safety valves, tubing and ignition systems for many of the biggest manufacturers of professional and domestic gas cooking appliances and sees its markets growing on the back of several innovative new products.

Brexit: A word which generally strikes fear and frustration into the hearts of businesses across the European continent and for many companies in the UK too. Danish ferry services provider DFDS Seaways, however, which services numerous routes from mainland Europe and Scandinavia to the UK for passengers, cars and heavy goods vehicles, is prepared. In particular, its French subsidiary, DFDS Seaways SASU has the challenging theme of post-Brexit customs arrangements well under control.