On the one hand, human, technical and logistic resources; on the other hand, projects. Alizé Manche(1) gets small and major companies working together, to boost the region’s vitality. A paying policy.

Alizé’s figures from 2003 to 2008 | In Granville since 1999

Alizé’s figures from 2003 to 2008
62 applications effectively received coaching. Alizé Manche can provide reimbursable 0% advances over a maximum of three years, exclusively within the framework of a specific study or investment. This support cannot, however, complete funding awarded by regional authorities (Departmental and Regional Councils). - 219 jobs created and a further 70 expected - 465 days of skilled advice mobilised by major companies to serve SMEs. - 205,000€ of reimbursable advances. - 17 major partner companies: Acome, BPO, Areva NC, Compagnie Laitière Européenne, Crédit Agricole de Normandie, DCNS, EDF CNPE Flamanville, EDF GDF Distribution Manche, Elvia PCB, Euriware, Fouchard, France Telecom, Jean Chéreau SAS, La Poste, Soléco, Sturno, Tricots Saint James.

In Granville since 1999
This initiative, which has also been deployed in other French areas (a total of 20 throughout France, two of which are located in Upper Normandy, in Le Havre and Rouen), emerged in Granville as early as 1999. “The aim was to mobilise resources within a vulnerable territory,” explains Vincent Laguette. Granville was a pilot zone. A zone which, following the success of the operation, was to be extended in 2003 to cover the Centre and South Manche, before reaching the North Cotentin in 2005.

Alizé Manche relies on a simple principle: inter-enterprise solidarity. First of all, VSEs and SMEs present their project or their problem before a panel of experienced business leaders, reunited in the form of a consent committee and presided over by Daniel Cauchon, director of DCNS.
“Confronting experience during this initial encounter is often a wealthy source of exchange from which many lessons can be drawn,” notes Vincent Laguette, director of the Centre and South Manche Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Business Support department. “It offers VSE/SME directors the opportunity, among others, to speak before a group and to clearly present their projects, an exercise that they generally have little experience in.”  Major partner companies then offer support and advice from their executives and technicians, based on their specific skills. The system involves neither cost nor administrative burden for benefiting companies.

Technical assistance

Alizé Manche covers a wide range of fields of intervention. From recruitment to production organisation, via the validation of processes resulting from R&D efforts. Alizé Manche’s consent committee comprises professionals from a wide range of backgrounds.
There are as many financial experts as industrial specialists, all from varying sectors. “I was pleasantly surprised to note that they had fully grasped that by conducing R&D, I wasn’t working like a traditional business,” highlights Frédéric Naga, director of Technodoc. After having presented his project before the consent committee in 2005, he benefited from skilled advice. “I asked for advice from four experts from EDF, Areva NC, Acome and Elvia PCB, on an innovative regulatory watch system. They all validated the project. I was then able to pursue the product’s development” explains the winner of the Anvar 2003 competition, who was also granted a reimbursable advance from Alizé Manche in 2006.
“We were awarded 20,000€, a sum that helped us through a difficult period during the product’s development. We had successfully demonstrated to the partner companies that were aware of our product that it actually worked. Today, we have tripled our turnover.” Indeed, Alizé Manche can provide reimbursable 0% advances over a maximum of three years, support that is awarded exclusively within the framework of a specific study or investment.

A dynamic territory

“The businesses involved in this mutual aid network have fully grasped the social role they can fulfil throughout the territory,” explains Daniel Cauchon. And for a very good reason. “We need an efficient industrial fabric,” he adds.
It’s the best way to maintain qualified local manpower. Member companies also consider the network as an internal tool for communicating with their personnel. For executives and technicians, it’s an opportunity to observe how medium-sized businesses solve problems similar to their own, but with different resources. “For example, most large companies operate on particularly long timescales, whereas smaller companies adopt a far more short-term view.” explains Vincent Laguette. VSE/SME support can take on a number of forms. Hence, within the framework of Alizé, DCNS decided to support the Cogito (2) project, by producing a component free of charge. “We produced a circular steel component, using techniques that we apply to certain submarine parts,” explains Daniel Cauchon. “It was an interesting experience for the staff that had the opportunity to participate.” A truly beneficial exchange for all.

(1) Alizé Manche is a territorial programme based on a partnership agreement between private companies and public institutions (State, Lower Normandy Regional Council, Manche Departmental Council, Deposit and Consignment Office, local initiative platforms, Centre and South Manche Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Cherbourg-Cotentin Chamber of Commerce and Industry).

(2) This project consists in producing a boat that lists as little as possible with a mobile keel and mast. Captions The Technodoc team was offered advice from four experts from EDF, Areva NC, Acome and Elvia PCB Daniel Cauchon, director of DCNS and Vincent Laguette, director of the Centre and South Manche Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Business Support department.

Vincent Laguette
Centre and South Manche Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Tél. : 02 33 91 33 89

Daniel Cauchon
Director of DCNS and president of Alizé’s consent committee
Site : DCNS Group

Frédéric Naga
Director of Technodoc
29 rue la Pérouse
Bâtiment “le Dauphin”
50130 Cherbourg-Octeville
Tél. : 02 33 02 01 65
Site : Technodoc

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