REPORTAGE
A small economic miracle. Formerly the Mecca of textile and shoe-making, then economically stricken region faced with competition in the 1990s of Asian production, the territory of Mauges (Maine-et-Loire), came back to life. With a population of 121,000, it has no less than 9,000 businesses. The secret of the extraordinary vitality of this territory? "The human factor", answer the heads of companies at the microphone of Europe 1.
"Solidarity and mutual aid"
"We are very close, there is a lot of solidarity, a lot of support, a lot of communication between the old and the young," says Romain Bidet, manager of the company of the same name, one of the French leaders of the INTERior fitting. This structure of 50 employees works for luxury brands around the world. "There is pride, a real desire to do well," he continues.
Before building its team spirit, the Mauges region had a dark period, factory closures and massive unemployment. The Mauges have been forced to reconvert and diversify their activities. His favorite sectors, varied, are luxury, high technology, construction, and the food industry. 30 years later, the results are there: the unemployment rate is below 5%, against 8.5% for the national average.
Need manpower
At 20 kilometers from Romain Bidet, Lacroix Electronics (450 employees) manufactures parts for Rafale, Airbus and Boeing. "We have people who are very committed, very voluntary, very loyal, it is a culture of humility and a job well done, I think that's what characterizes the region," says Emmanuelle Landru, site manager. In full growth and demanding of manpower, 84 companies of the Mauges open their doors to the potential candidates until the end of the month.