Slowdown in the reindustrialization dynamic of France in the first half of the year

The dynamic is “slowing down but continuing with 36 net openings of industrial sites”, according to the second edition of the Bercy industrial barometer.

France's reindustrialization dynamic remains “positive” in the first half of 2024 with a balance of 36 net openings of industrial sites, but we observe a “slowdown”, according to the industrial barometer published Thursday by Bercy. The dynamic is “slowing down but continuing with 36 net openings of industrial sites”, according to the second edition of this barometer whose objective is to measure the evolution of reindustrialization in France on a biannual basis.

“This moderate increase compared to the last two years is explained by post-covid normalization and an economic situation degraded by geopolitical uncertainties having slowed down investment forecasts,” he specifies.

For the years 2022 and 2023, this barometer recorded 176 and 189 net openings respectively, also taking into account significant extensions and reductions, that is to say “when the impact of these for the territory is comparable to the opening or closing of a new site.

The automotive sector is struggling unlike the green industry

During the first half of 2024, the “green industry” comes out on top with 17 net openings, while “the automotive sector is experiencing a significant number of closures,” notes the report. “The automobile sector, faced with structural transformations and tested by successive crises, is seeing numerous factories – mainly equipment manufacturers – close” under the effect of the repercussions of the energy crisis and the drop in sales of new vehicles in the last two years which “inevitably leads to a slowdown in production”. The consumer goods (+8) and health (+5) sectors continue their momentum “with numerous openings of high value-added sites”, according to the document.

At the territorial level, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is the most “driving” region (+20) followed by Nouvelle-Aquitaine (+13). Occitanie (+5) remains a dynamic region. In contrast, the Hauts-de-France region (-3) records a greater number of closures than openings “despite the opening of industrial sites with high added value”.