History

Initiated  as early as 1999, NOGENTECH is a SME cluster, launched as a non-profit organization by the beginning of 2002.

At the time of its foundation, the association was gathering companies mostly located in the City of Nogent and in the surrounding communities (Sarrey, Mandres la CÎte, Biesles, Luzy sur Marne, Is en Bassigny, Lanques sur Rognon, Vitry les Nogent). These companies, for most of them, were coming from the traditional making of cutlery and chiselry,  a pre-dominant specialty of the Nogent industrial area. They had been smart enough, over the time, to diversify their production towards other industrial sectors like : automotive parts and tooling, aerospace components, agriculture equipment parts and medical devices (surgical instruments and implants)

The majority of local companies specializing in all aspects of the 2nd transformation of metals, (forge, machining, surface treatment, heat treatment, polishing and finishing) they decided the addition of their skills to offer common actions aimed to improve their efficiency, competitiveness and develop the industriel network of Nogent and Haute-Marne .

3 Commissions are then created to address the following subjects : “Environment & Regulatory Affairs”, “Communication (external & internal)”, “Industry, Education and training”.

Commission « Industry, Education & Training » is aimed at developing competences by different means :

  • Technical and Technological actions/projects
  • Actions to improve competences within the enterprise (HR & Competence Management, Lean Manufacturing, etc
)
  • Research, Development & Innovation projects, with optimized private-public funding together with national and european partnership.

Commission « Environment & Regulatory Affairs »

This team of professionals helps the enterprises to understand and apply environment regulations, industrial waste management, as well as health & safety requirements.

Regulation and Technology watch is also a permanent concern and action.

Commission « Communication »

It is aimed to the promotion of enterprises, by communication actions, both internal and external . ( seminar organization, participation in trade shows, internal magazine, mutual recruitment,  
.)

The actions of these Commissions being quite successful, and following the decision from Conseil Général (local government) to create a Techno Center in Nogent (PÎle Technologique de Haute-Champagne) , NOGENTECH will gradually expand its network. First locally, South Haute-Marne, (Chaumont, Langres, Charmoilles, Rolampont, Auberive ), and further beyond, to the whole county ( Bologne, Froncles, Montier en Der). Further actions have triggered the membership to NOGENTECH of enterprises located in the neighbouring territories (Aube, Meurthe et Moselle, Moselle) . By the same token, the original network faced a diversification, on both geographic locations and competences (Technology Competence Centers, Computer Technology, B to B Services, Trading, Research & Development)

A full time position for the cluster management and coordination, was created in 2002, with the financial support of RĂ©gion Champagne Ardenne,  DREAL and DDTEFP;  Ever since, it has been a means to reinforce the projects leadership and widen the scope of each action, while targeting them in the medium-long range. As of today, NOGENTECH has more than 50 member companies, employing more than 3,000 people,  with a total sales of > 300 M€

In 2009, after the consolidation of the number of enterprises and employees, NOGENTECH initiate the foundation of a new cluster,« Pro+MeD » (Prosthesis and Medical Devices) gathering all companies located in the industrial area, and specializing in Medical Devices, whether or not being already part of NOGENTECH, of which 4 multinational corporations.

Impulsed by Luc Chatel, French Minister of Education and Mayor of Chaumont, Pro+MeD has a mission to communicate around the geographic triangle Chaumont-Nogent-Langres as being a territory of excellence, in the design and fabrication of Medical Devices. It counts 35 member companies, for a total turn over of > 200 M€.

Pro+MeD ‘s commitment, is to develop and improve competitiveness of Haute-Marne industry of implants, ancillary tools and surgical instrumentation, while exploring ways of development, through technological research, innovation and education.

Pro+MeD road map main strategy:

  • Consolidate some of the Medical Industry leaders located in the area (Marle, Landanger, LDR, Aesculap – B-Braun, Greatbatch Medical)
  • Reinforce local sub-contracting by helping SME’s to develop their Quality Insurance Level, stimulating their R&D efforts and valuing their know-how.
  • Encourage creation-continuation of enterprises, as well as spin-off initiatives
  • Install specific trainings, upstream and downstream the medical sector
  • Build in Chaumont, a Show Room dedicated to local know-how, that will be called Maison EuropĂ©enne de la ProthĂšse et de l’Instrumentation Chirurgicale ( European House of Implant and Surgical Instrument)
NOGENTECH