ACHEMA 2018 starts today, and among the wide range of exhibitors from across the global process industry will be a strong French contingent.
A total of 31 French companies and organisation will present their expertise and innovations. The figures below provided by Business France, the national agency for the international development of the French economy, given an overview of the chemical industry in France:
- €70 billion in turnover
- 2nd in Europe behind Germany, 7th worldwide
- One of the main sectors contributing to France’s positive trade balance of +€8.6bn
- Leader in the industrial export sector (€58.7bn)
- 3,335 businesses, 94% of which are micro-enterprises/SMEs
- €1.8bn spent on R&D
- €3.1bn in investments

Innovation
In the engineering hall (9.2), Axelera, the regional Rhônes-Alpes innovation cluster for the chemical and environmental sectors will be exhibiting with SMEs and the Institut Carnot Chimie Balard Cirimat.
For investors…
Representatives from several French chemical parks will also be demonstrating how their sites are attractive destinations for foreign investors’ European development projects in the chemical and environmental sectors. 10 chemical parks will be exhibiting on a shared stand (hall 9.2, stand D12) with the aim of attracting new investments from major players or start-ups wishing to industrialise their innovations.
…and the chemical and biochemical industry
The French suppliers are highly diverse and work across many sectors: chemicals, petrochemicals, nuclear, energy, water, agri-food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and more. They supply equipment compliant with stringent environmental, health and safety standards and produce custom-made added-value equipment.
Meet the French exhibitors in halls:
- 8.0 – stand J4 - (Industrial valves, pumps & fittings)
- Hall 9.2 - stand D12 - (Engineering & Rhône-Alpes innovation cluster)
- Hall 11.1 - stand G3 - (Instrumentation, control and automation techniques)