Jean-Luc Boujon, edited by Yanis Darras 08:29, February 23, 2023

What if the geopolitical context was a gold mine for Saint-Etienne?

The city, nicknamed "Armeville" for a time, is seeing a rebound in its arms industry.

In the factories of the city, the production lines are running at full speed.

“We expect a growth of 40% in 2023”, notes the company NBC-Sys.

What if Saint-Etienne became "Armeville" again?

This is indeed how the prefecture of the Loire was renamed during the Revolution, because of its many arms manufacturing activities.

An activity that had gradually declined after the Second World War to become very marginal in the 2000s.

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With the war in Ukraine, and the gradual return of the countries' armaments policies, a wind of change is blowing through the city's armaments industry.

So, in the NBC-Sys factory, the production lines are running at full speed.

Here, gas masks are made to protect soldiers against chemical or nuclear attacks. 

Record-breaking growth

"For 2023, we expect a 40% growth in turnover. It's really a lot, we have never experienced such growth", explains Jean-Marie Mathelin, director of the company.

This success "is explained by a geopolitical context which has placed the NRBC threat (nuclear, radiological, biological, chemical) at a very high level. This dates from before the war in Ukraine, even if this conflict effectively confirms the level of CBRN threat", that people feel, he continues at the microphone of Europe 1. A statement supported by Cédric, an employee hired very recently.

"We clearly feel that activity is picking up very strongly. The proof is that we will soon be extending it to a second site", explains the employee. 

National sovereignty

A new production unit will open in two months on the site of the city's former arms factory.

Because in fact, it is the whole armament industry of Saint-Etienne which is in full revival.

"In 2014, we had 10 companies for 300 jobs. Today, it's 50 companies for 1,300 jobs. And this industry has a very recognized expertise, in particular by the French Army but also elsewhere, in Germany and Belgium for example" , notes Hervé Reynaud, First Vice-President of Saint-Etienne Métropole.

A way also for the city, with this renewed activity, to participate again in "national sovereignty".