At the start of the school year, the CCI carried out a study with several business leaders in the department. What did it reveal?
We carry out a survey every 6 months with a panel of 350 business leaders from different sectors of activity in Lot-et-Garonne in order to have a more precise vision of the economy of the department. We see that we are in an economy that has been slowing down since the end of 2023 after the post-Covid dynamic.
How to explain this situation?
This post-Covid effect generated inflation linked to the rise in energy prices, then its corollary the rise in interest rates, which slowed down consumption and investment. Not all sectors are affected. The most affected is primarily city center and suburban commerce. There is also a real problem with competition from websites which only bear logistical costs, without having the physical rents of a city center business. Here we have a model which has reached its limits and which affects all of France, even the metropolises. We will have to reinvent ourselves.
Did the rise in rates have an immediate effect on the entire construction sector?
Indeed, the situation is difficult with declining order books. Let us cite the industrial and transport sectors which are suffering, with the general drop in consumption. We can therefore see that all sectors have suffered a compression of their margins, leading to a drop in profitability, even though we are in the middle of the repayment period for Covid PGE (State Guaranteed Loans).
Despite everything, there are sectors that have progressed in Lot-et-Garonne?
The agri-food industry and the energy sector remain on good momentum. We can also cite the good health of UPSA which alone represents 20% of the department's exports, alongside agriculture and animal products with the presence of Ultra Premium or Deuerer.
In this context, what predictions can we make for 2025?
The survey shows us that although business leaders are quite confident in the future of their companies, there remains concern about the political and fiscal instability of the country. Beyond that, administrative simplification remains another concern, particularly since the State has transferred certain obligations (tax, electronic invoice, etc.). It was therefore necessary to invest in human resources, but without compensation. These are therefore residual costs for businesses.
What are your objectives in 2025 with the CCI?
Our role is to be the accelerator of businesses and the region serving economic development. We are focused on well-targeted sectors, namely individual support with a training program on digital and marketing which are essential today. We also list the aid available for companies with expansion and growth projects or to welcome project leaders. We also work a lot on cybersecurity with 2 employees who support companies' IT departments to secure their networks. We also work on CSR (carbon footprint, waste management, occupational safety and health, energy transformation, structuring of a CSR approach going as far as labeling, etc.). One of the major events of 2025 will be the move of the CCI of Lot-et-Garonne to the new TAG zone, alongside Sud Management, at the heart of an ecosystem which will include an incubator, businesses and students. .
