EDEN defense cluster

EDEN (European Defense Economic Network), the first Defense and Security Cluster, founded on November 27th 2008, created on the initiative of the Lyon CCI and 5 companies, includes 41 defense and security SMEs in Rhône-Alpes, and aims to strengthen their position in the highly competitive global marketplace, which is dominated by large corporations.

Defense: a strong sector in Rhône-Alpes

After completing a comprehensive survey of the entire industrial fabric and, in particular, of innovative defense-sector SMEs in Rhône-Alpes, at the end of 2007, the Lyon CCI presented an action plan for 2008 - 2009, aiming to keep the momentum going strong and to respond to the concerns voiced during this study by small- and medium-sized enterprises. The four areas of focus developed in this action plan consist of supporting, organizing and promoting defense-sector companies in Rhône-Alpes, with their national and international projects, making this action plan the foundation for the Defense and Security Cluster that has now been launched.

EDEN: Uniting and innovating for economic development on an international scale

As the next logical step of the process started over a year ago with the defense sector's companies in Rhône-Alpes, the Lyon CCI, at the request of the state authorities, initiated the creation of the EDEN Cluster, in partnership with five SMEs: 01Db-Metravib, Centralp Automatismes, Environne'tech, Ouvry SAS and Sorhea.

The Lyon CCI now coordinates the leadership and governance of EDEN, which is structured around 37 SMEs, highly motivated to work together to achieve international development, to set up joint R&D projects and develop economic intelligence.

EDEN, which is the first French regional association of small businesses in the defense sector, has a unique cross-cutting approach to the industries involved in defense and security.

The chairman of EDEN, Jean-Luc LOGEL, who is also CEO of Centralp Automatismes, was elected on November 27th 2008, when the EDEN Cluster was founded. LOGEL explained that “the idea is to develop a system of mutual aid in which each SME benefits from the experience of the others, for instance, to apply for an R&D program or to file for export authorization. We may even consider cooperating in our trade efforts.”

The objective for the SMEs is to achieve economies of scale and benefit from greater leverage in order to be more competitive, in particular by concentrating on four markets in which their potential synergies of expertise is fundamental. The four sectors are:

• detection and surveillance
• personal protective equipment
• equipment for vehicles, aircraft and ships
• qualification and services

It is important to note that, true to the spirit of European defense policy, SMEs from other parts of Europe will be joining the EDEN cluster soon.

Staff managment

President	Financial Director	Secretary	General Manager
Jean-Luc LOGEL Centralp Automatismes Equipments for aircraft, ships and vehicles	Thierry REGOND Sunaero	Fabrice LENOIR Cabinet Lenoir & associés	Jean-Philippe BALLAZ CCI LYON
Vice-president	Vice-preident	Vice-president	Vice-president
Yves MONNERET Sorhea Detection and Surveillance	Fabrice PARODI 01 DB Metravib Detection and Surveillance	Ludovic OUVRY Ouvry SAS Personal protective equipment	Thierry ERNOULT Environne'Tech Qualification and services