Indeff launches in Hauts-de-France

Indeff is expanding globally and is starting from Lille

As part of its international growth strategy, the Belgian group Indeff is locating to the Regus in the Château Rouge Business Park within the Lille European Metropolis (MEL) in Hauts-de-France.

The company, which specialises in industry 4.0 automation, has 11 sites worldwide, in Europe, the United States, the Middle East and South-east Asia.

From this new European base, Indeff plans to grow in the French and local markets, including Wallonia, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

The French office opened its doors in September 2020, and already has clients in the region, such as GSK and Plastic Omnium, and in neighbouring countries, such as Bivit in Belgium.

20 engineers and senior technicians should be recruited over the next two years.

Indeff Lille, the group’s nerve centre in France

The group will use its base in the Hauts-de-France region as a launch pad for national growth.

Industrial digitalisation is booming in France. The country offers a myriad of opportunities, working with both in large groups and medium-sized companies.

Further branches are expected to be created near the large French industrial basins such as Lyon, Paris and the Grand-Est region.

They will all be attached to the Lille headquarters.

Rémy Sagot, Regional Director France at Indeff, explains why they chose Hauts-de-France and the MEL for this first location:

“The Hauts-de-France region and, more particularly Marcq-en-Baroeul in the MEL, is a strategic choice for the group”

The location offers numerous advantages:

• Its cross-border location allows it to reach several markets and provides quick and easy access to the Group’s HQ in Antwerp (just an hour’s drive from Marcq-en-Barooul).
• The Hauts-de-France has a strong industrial history with a highly developed market of potential customers and service providers.
• The number of top-level engineering schools in Lille enables easy recruitment of key skills locally.
• Developed transport infrastructure makes it easy to visit customers’ premises.
• Attractive salary costs.

Post set-up support from the Hauts-de-France’s economic players

The role of an economic promotion agency does not stop as soon as a company has set up.

In this case, Nord France Invest and Lille’s agency are working together to assist Indeff to:

• recruit the talent and skills required for its development: connecting with local engineering schools to recruit for junior and apprentice roles, and highlighting subsidies available
• integrate quickly into the local ecosystem by engaging with key partners
• implement an export strategy, working with Team France Export

Indeff: unique sector focus and in-depth expertise

Indeff is a Belgian family company, founded in 2003.

Its work ranges from PLC (programmable logic controller) programming to production optimisation and is based on 5 key cornerstones:

• Industrial automation
• Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
• Asset performance management: managing manufacturing tools and predictive maintenance give Indeff the leading edge. It’s rarely offered by the competition but will develop with industry 4.0
• Systems architecture
• Managed services

Implementing real-time robotics solutions saves companies significant time and money, as well as optimising production.

To provide its customers with focused expertise, Indeff has chosen:

• a single-product strategy, concentrated solely on solutions and products from the French brand, Schneider
• a narrow sector focus: agrifood, infrastructure (ports, airports, roads, tunnels), oil and gas, manufacturing, life sciences (cosmetics and pharmacy) and chemicals
• high-level, endorsed certifications