The Basque Country: a land of industrial production
For years, the basque country has been an important industrial territory for the Nouvelle Aquitaine region : wether its expertise in the textile sector, the agri-food sector, or the aeronautics industry or the health and medical industry, our region has real assets.
The main industrial production companies in the basque country
Industry is the third most important economic sector in the Basque Country in terms of number of jobs – 13,519 jobs out of a total of 150,212 jobs (CCI Bayonne). Industrial production companies account for 4% of companies in the area – around 2000 establishments, out of a total of around 50,000 companies.
With four ports – Bayonne, Anglet, Hendaye and Saint-Jean-de-Luz – the Basque Country benefits from skilled human resources and infrastructure supported by local authorities. Industry is one of the region’s strongest traditions, with agri-food, aeronautics and boardsports being the mainstays. Internationally-renowned companies have been created or established around these three major areas of expertise, making the Basque Country today a strong economic and industrial region.
Some originate from the Basque Country, others are European or international groups with their French headquarters in the area. All of them help raise the profile of the Basque region’s industrial potential :
- Celsa France – Based in Boucau/Tarnos, this subsidiary of the Spanish Celsa Group and formerly Aciérie de l’Atlantique, is an electric steel mill specializing in the production of steel billets. Established in the port of Bayonne since the 1990s, this strategic location was chosen to facilitate the routing of raw materials or products sold, by sea, road or rail. With 201 employees at this site, Celsa France is a major player in industrial production in our region, and a fine example of the cross-border economy between Spain and the French Basque Country.
- The LAUAK Group – Based in Hasparren since 1975 and historically a supplier to Dassault Aviation, The LAUAK Group is now a major subcontractor of parts for the aerospace industry, as well as for the medical, naval and electronics sectors. Over the years, The LAUAK Group has established itself as a benchmark partner for the world’s leading aerospace companies. BMS Circuits (All Circuits) – Based in Mouguerre, this company specializes in the manufacture of assembled electronic boards. With its own expertise and production flexibility, BMS Circuits is delighted to have been able to relocate the production of certain French companies to the Basque Country, such as Lunii “la boîte à histoires” in 2020.
- Epta France – Based in Hendaye and employing 550 people with annual sales of 200 million euros, Epta France is the market leader in air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment for industrial and retail customers. They design, manufacture, market and install refrigerated units in hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores and hard discount outlets. The industrial site in Hendaye groups together the R&D, training, human resources, pre-sales and after-sales divisions, but above all benefits from ultra-automation of the production lines and a 400-square-meter showroom.
- Technoflex. Based in Bidart, this company manufactures plastic packaging, more specifically flexible pouches for the medical and pharmaceutical industries.
- Braun – Based in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, B.Braun produces medical, surgical and dental equipment.
For more specific information, we invite you to read this page which provides further details about Technoflex and B. Braun, and the health and well-being sector in the Basque Country.
- Sokoa – Based in Hendaye, Sokoa specializes in the production of office chairs, and also has its own production plant on site. 27,000 square meters of production space are used to produce around 435,000 office chairs each year, which are then shipped all over the world. Thanks to its skilled local teams, all stages of design, production and marketing are carried out on the premises. Sokoa works with a team of designers to offer innovative products with the utmost respect for eco-design in favor of the circular economy.
Why set up an industrial production company in the basque country?
These examples of industrial production companies in the Basque Country show the diversity of production sectors and know-how that we have in our region. Thanks to the strong synergies and the support of local authorities, we can harness the experience of the various key economic players in this sector to help newcomers. The “Pays Basque Industrie” association (PBI – Euskal Industriak) was created with this very objective in mind, improving members’ competitiveness and capacity for innovation as a result. Eight industrial production companies have already joined forces: All Circuits, Akira, Groupe Lopitz, Epta France, Somocap, Sokoa, Agour and Lauak Groupe.
The interest in synergies between industrial sectors is real and growing. Thanks to its local knowledge, its links with local authorities and its experience of setting up industrial companies in the Basque Country, BASQUE INVEST can advise you on best practices and the right location strategy to take advantage of the area’s know-how for your industrial production company.
