Symbiose, the electronic factory of the future in France

Symbiose, winner of the stimulus plan’s call for relocation projects

As part of the stimulus plan’s call for projects to support relocation, the first 31 winners, including Symbiose, have been named. The grant will support the modernization of the future factory with an “automated warehouse”.

Indeed, by investing in the modernization of production processes with the automation of handling and storage systems, Symbiose undeniably contributes to the sustainable development of electronic manufacturing activities on the national territory.

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First shovel blow

In the sun of Beaupréau (Pays de la Loire, France), construction of the new factory began this summer with leveling works.

View images of the start of the project:

Behind the scenes of a rich institutional and industrial ecosystem

To build the electronics factory of the future, Electronics activity and LACROIX are surrounded by a rich ecosystem that creates new partnership models.

• Symbiose, a new model for collaboration?
  Committed to this large-scale collective project, the Pays de la Loire region, Schneider Electric and Orange Business Services are working together towards a new model of collaboration.
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• Symbiose and BPI France: a new financing model for Industry 4.0 projects?
  To support the development of Symbiose, LACROIX and BPI France are investing in the creation of a joint venture, financing that illustrates industrial renewal in France.
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• Symbiose, an alliance of high technology and regional integration
  The future factory’s regional integration is an essential component of this project, as shown by the partnerships signed with local actors such as Mauges Communauté and the agencies PVA Architecture and Essor Ingénierie.
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Launch of employee working groups

In July 2019, an internal survey collected proposals from employees on the services expected in the new factory, the inclusion of environmental factors and the 4.0 solutions envisaged to improve quality of life at work.

Following the positive results regarding the social innovation axis of the Symbiose project (more than 1,800 opinions given), 3 working groups were set up:

• Food service
• Outdoor spaces
• Break and meeting rooms

By integrating cross-cutting themes of waste management and employee services, these different working groups are tasked with devising the outline of the future plant. This collaborative approach highlights the involvement and commitment of the teams in this project.

Bpifrance joins LACROIX’s Symbiose project

The SPI fund (managed by Bpifrance) and LACROIX are jointly investing €25 million to create a 4.0 industrial joint venture. Through this new unit, the various players aim to accelerate the transition from the current industrial site of the Electronics activity to the industry of the future.

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Choice of architectural firm PVA and Essor Engineering

After several months of studies, LACROIX has finally chosen the architecture firm PVA to build its new 4.0 factory planned for 2021. This is an exciting challenge for the architectural firm PVA and for the prime contractor supporting them, Essor Engineering.

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Official launch of Symbiose

With €25 million in projected investments and 19,000 m², the Symbiose project embodies strong convictions:

• by working with and opening up to cutting-edge and ambitious partners, we demonstrate that the French electronics industry still has a promising future
• by choosing Beaupréau as our base and partnering with Mauges Communauté, we show that our Pays de la Loire region is a source of wealth and innovation for businesses
• by putting teams back at the heart of change and integrating current environmental challenges, we ensure that the industry of tomorrow will be ecological and human-oriented.

Choice of the municipality of Beaupréau for the installation of Symbiose ​

On 26 June 2019, LACROIX and the representatives of Mauges Communauté announced to the teams of the current Saint-Pierre-Montlimart plant which location had been chosen for the future 4.0 electronics factory. The choice of Beaupréau is guided by the wealth of the Mauges region: attractiveness, competitiveness and skilled labour, while keeping the human dimension and proximity to the current teams at the heart of the project.

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LACROIX is part of a strategic co-innovation partnership with Orange to experiment with 5G

At the Orange Business Summit 2019, we announced the strategic co-innovation partnership with Orange to explore, as of today, the uses of 5G that could be deployed within Symbiose.

Two main cases of 5G usage will be tested:

• the secure universal data network
• the technical management of buildings

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LACROIX is joined by Microsoft, Inventy and PTC to deploy AI in its future electronics factory Symbiose ​

Cutting-edge partners are joining the Symbiose project. Microsoft, Inventy and PTC will bring their know-how in artificial intelligence (AI) to real-time production monitoring, predictive and error correction analysis, and production line efficiency benchmarking.

Launch of a feasibility study

To build an electronics factory of the future that integrates both the requirements of industry 4.0, environmental issues and our teams’ fulfillment, the company launched a feasibility study.

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