François de Canson: 'Naval Group means 550 jobs in 2027'
Naval Group launches the reindustrialisation of the Les Bormettes site with a new centre of excellence that will bring together 550 employees.
On September 29, the foundation stone of the future Naval Group site was laid on the former Les Bormettes industrial wasteland, in La Londe-les-Maures.
François de Canson, mayor of the municipality and vice-president of the Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, highlighted the strategic scope of this industrial rebirth, nearly thirty years after the site's closure.
"After nearly 30 years of closure, Les Bormettes will regain their industrial vocation. With this project, Naval Group is returning to a site that marked the industrial history of the territory. The Région Sud is supporting this reindustrialisation, which is a major project for industry and employment in the Var," declared François de Canson, vice-president of the Region in charge of economic development.
A new centre of excellence
The project marks the return of Naval Group to a 22-hectare property acquired in the 1990s. In total, 17,000 m² of modern buildings will be constructed to accommodate 550 employees.
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This site will make it possible to group together teams currently spread across the Saint-Tropez, Lagoubran, and Toulon sites, thus optimising synergy and operational efficiency. The project will also generate new jobs for the Var basin, with 100 to 200 recruitments expected by 2028.
The integration of drones, a priority
For Naval Group, the European leader in naval defence, the integration of drones has become an absolute priority. This new Var site will be at the heart of this ambition, aiming to make these autonomous vehicles an essential component of tomorrow's naval combat systems, alongside frigates, aircraft carriers, and submarines.
"It is a milestone in a strategy that consists of making drones an essential component of tomorrow's naval combat in collaboration with surface ships. The investment of €140 million concerns all of the group's activities in the department, also including developments at the Ollioules site for combat systems. This strategy, initiated in 2022, aims to concentrate skills in collaborative combat and drone systems in the Var," explained Pierre-Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group.
Major public support for reindustrialisation
The realisation of this project was made possible by a strong commitment from public authorities. Registered as a strategic operation within the framework of the Opération d’Intérêt Régional (OIR) 'Défense et Sécurité', the reindustrialisation of Les Bormettes benefits from significant financial support.
The Région Sud has thus allocated a budget of €3.5 million, through its 'Nos territoires d'abord' programme, to support the development of the site. In total, €5 million has been mobilised by the State and the Region, on an equal basis, to ensure the development of this industrial site of the future.
The event took place in the presence of Simon Babre, prefect of the Var, and Jean-Louis Masson, president of the Department.
The Région Sud, a strategic territory for Defence
The establishment of this centre of excellence reinforces the position of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur as a pillar of national Defence. The territory already concentrates leading military infrastructures, including Toulon, Europe's leading naval base and home port of the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle and the six nuclear attack submarines.
The Defence industry represents a powerful economic ecosystem, already generating 26,000 direct and indirect jobs. Naval Group's project in Les Bormettes is therefore part of a dynamic of consolidation and development of this sector of excellence.
Article from the paper edition of La Gazette du Var