Transport and logistics: what opportunities are there in Atlantic France?

Logistics, or “the art and manner of making a given product available at the right time, in the right place, at the lowest cost and with the best quality”* is the backbone of the Atlantic France industry. With a total of 74,700 jobs in 2,658 establishments, transport and logistics represent 7% of salaried employment in our region. Discover more about this sector and the opportunities you can seize in Atlantic France!

 *definition by the French Association for Logistics

Numerous future projects related to logistics

• The FM Logistic group, a logistics specialist, will have built a new 45,000 sqm platform in La Gravelle (near Laval in Mayenne) by 2023. The company is also building a second construction in Saint-Hilaire-de-Loulay (Vendée) which will be operational in 2024.
• The Lyon-based group APCR, specialising in business real estate, has announced the creation of a 20,000 sqm logistics platform in Cholet (Maine-et-Loire).
• CEPL (a subsidiary of the ID Logistics group), specialising in packaging, is going to expand its warehouse in Les Herbiers (Vendée).
• Virtuo Industrial Property, a company specialising in the development of logistics platforms, will also add 200 to 500 jobs to the logistics sector in the Vendée region.
• The creation of a 43,500 sqm logistics site at La Milesse (near Le Mans) has been announced. By 2024, this industrial and logistics park will be available to rent for industrial players.

The needs and challenges of logistics players

The Atlantic France region is home to a large number of players in the marine renewables, shipbuilding, agrifood, aeronautics, automotive and e-commerce sectors, who are constantly looking for new logistics solutions to become more efficient in various areas:

• Last-mile logistics, with the increase in online shopping and home deliveries and the development of urban micro-warehouses.
• Ecological transition: the transport sector now accounts for nearly 30% of CO₂ emissions and will therefore be forced to adapt to new environmental standards and drastically reduce its carbon footprint. For example, logistics buildings will have to meet the requirements of labels and certifications such as HQE (High Environmental Quality), LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), and BREEAM. Among the solutions to make logistics greener is also the use of hydrogen or the installation of photovoltaic panels. This is, for example, the case of a Lidl near Nantes and of FM Logistic which will cover the roof of its future 44,200 sqm building with solar panels, making it “the largest solar power plant in the Vendée region“.
• The digitisation and the digital transition of logistics, in order to optimise transport flows and the transparency of the supply chain.
• The adoption of new technologies to considerably transform warehousing activities. The automation and robotisation of an activity can, for example, reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) with the use of exoskeletons.