According to the industrial barometer of the State unveiled Thursday, March 13, the reindustrialisation of France was clearly fell in 2024, in particular in terms of net creations of factories. This is a first since 2022, the year of implementation of this tool. “Other indicators of state services” provide for 2025 “A continuation of this trend” At the slowdown, specifies the barometer.
The industrial barometer, drawn up by the Ministry of the Economy, identified last year 114 openings of new factories in France, while 119 factories closed, a net balance of – 5 factories. If we add the significant transformations of existing industrial sites (152 “Significant extensions” and 58 “Significant reductions”), the total balance reaches + 89 sites, half less ( – 53 %) than in 2023.
Among the promising sectors in 2024, we find the green industry and the energy and circular economy sectors, as well as health and the food industry, according to the office of the Minister of Industry, Marc Ferracci. Conversely, unsurprisingly, the automobile has suffered, as did the energy -energy sectors that are plastics and mechanics.
“Reindustrialisation continues but experiences a slowdown”said the ministry in a statement. Mr. Ferracci’s office explains this slowdown by “A situation that remains gloomy in France, but also at European, even global level” and geopolitical instability, which “Generates uncertainty” for economic actors, likely to “Slow down structuring investment decisions”.
This brake stroke is confirmed by another barometer, that of the Trendeo cabinet, for whom the net balance of job creations in the industry remained positive but fell by more than 60 % in 2024, to 31,223 jobs, against 81,637 the previous year. “This results from a double movement of the rise in job cuts (+ 77 %, or 28,000 jobs removed in addition) and decrease in creations (– – 18 %, or 22,000 less creations) “specifies this study, published Tuesday.
Reset of France
France thus experienced in 2024 a “Increase in the level of business failures in all sectors combined (+ 13 %)”due to a post-Cavid catch-up and then the energy crisis, as a study by the General Directorate of Business (DGE) underlines, which depends on Bercy.
The leader of rebellious France, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, denounced the “Baratin on sovereignty” of the government and its “People contempt”during a visit to the Vancorex chemical factory, which has been able to be in liquidation for months.
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The country has also experienced an acceleration of the number of employment safeguarding plans (+ 34.8 %) and a drop in foreign direct investment ( – 7 %). A reason for hope, however, remains: industrial activity remains “The first investment decisions position” And represents 28 % of the total, recalls the ministry.
Emmanuel Macron had asked in his television speech on March 5 to the government of“Be mobilized” So that the reset of European countries, encouraged by the rapprochement between the United States and Russia, “Strengthen our armies as quickly as possible” And “Accelerates reindustrialisation in all our regions”.
The Prime Minister, François Bayrou, goes to this effect late Thursday at the end of the day at the bedside of the tricolor factories, at the Global Industrie, in Lyon, accompanied by Mr. Ferracci, and the Minister of Labor, Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet. Mr. Bayrou will defend the “Industrial sovereignty” of France as sovereignty “European”before visiting an Alstom TGV site in La Rochelle on Friday, according to those around him.
In addition, the Head of State will bring together on Friday French defense manufacturers, called to increase their cadence since the start of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and who must prepare for a potential influx of new orders.