French know-how boosts the economy and exports

Exceptional crafts and know-how represent half a million jobs, including 280,000 employees, and represent 68 billion euros in turnover, including 9 billion in exports, according to a study made public on Tuesday. Exceptional craftsmanship and know-how bring together « production, creation or restoration activities whose heart is the mastery of gestures and techniques allowing the transformation of matter » : cabinetmaker, stonemason, ceramist, leatherworker, weaver…

« There are luxury companies in this area but also heritage companies, local crafts », explained Xavier Long, deputy director general of the Institute for French Know-How. According to the study, titled Les Éclaireurs: measuring the economic weight of French crafts and know-how companieswhose data relates to 2023, these companies represent 27% of the manufacturing industry, 11.5% of construction and building, 18.5% of arts, entertainment and recreational activities, 5.5% of scientific activities and technical and 2.5% of commerce. 96.8% of these are micro-enterprises (less than 10 people) and mainly based outside the Paris region, which only represents 20.5% of head offices.

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New Aquitaine specializes in the leather sector, Occitanie in the music market, Île-de-France and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes are specialists in precious metals and precious stones, Normandy and Center-Val-de-Loire are focused on heritage restoration and the PACA region on ceramics.

The study emphasizes the promotion of these professions and know-how, a priority of 51% of the managers of the companies surveyed. Business transfer is also an issue as 37% of managers are over 55 years old. « Behind the transfer of a business, there is also the transmission of know-how »emphasizes Xavier Long. « Due to the difficulties that small workshops face (lack of time, funding, administrative difficulty), the use of work-study programs is low. »underlines the report. Among employing companies, more capable of welcoming a work-study student than the self-employed, 63% do not have apprentices and 86% do not have a work-study student under a professionalization contract.

The study was carried out by the Institute for French Know-how in partnership with the Comité Colbert (which brings together the big French names in luxury), the Ministry of Culture, the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, and Terre & Fils, and carried out with the technical support of Xerfi Specific.