Ethel Bruce
22.12.2023
The main activity of industrial companies is the production of goods for sale or consumption. Many French industrial companies have managed to take a place at the top of the ranking of large companies on a national and even global level. In this article, we will focus on the 6 largest French industrial companies.
What is an industrial manufacturing company
An industrial company is a secondary sector company that produces goods, that is, specific products that it then sells on the market to consumers. It produces goods by transforming raw materials or materials that have already been transformed. All available sources of energy are used to produce items that we use every day.
Industrial companies may also offer services such as training or maintenance of machines and tools. Their role is not limited to mass production. In fact, industrial activity encompasses several elements:
- Product and commodity design
- Logistics and maintenance management
- Realization of commercial strategy
- Distribution and sale of finished products
Industrial sectors
An industrial company can be represented in 8 main sectors:
- Automotive
- Aeronautics, space and defense: aircraft, drones, electronics for defense or space missions
- Shipbuilding: aircraft carriers, submarines, ocean liners
- Mechanical equipment: parts, machines, tools
- Railroads: equipment, signaling, trains
- Metallurgy: foundries, non-ferrous metals, ferrous metallurgy
- Energy equipment: production and transportation of energy
- Electrical engineering, electronics, information technology and digital technolog
Top 6 industrial companies in France
1. PSA automobiles SA or Stellantis
This leading French industrial company specializes in the production of automobiles. Originally known as PSA Peugeot-Citroën, the PSA group owns automobile brands such as Peugeot, Citroën, Vauxhall, DS and Opel. In 2021, the company merged with the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group and became known as Stellantis. Despite a downturn in business due to the health crisis, the company remains in good financial health, with 5.95 million vehicles sold worldwide and sales of €50,192,306,000.
2. Électricité De France (EDF)
With sales of €44,315,000,000,000, this French industrial company occupies a perfect 2nd place in the ranking. It is the leading producer and supplier of electricity in France and Europe, and the second largest electricity company in the world. The main shareholder of the company is the French state with a stake of more than 83%.
3. Airbus
This aeronautics giant specializes in the creation of airliners, military aircraft and helicopters. The concern also deals with space rockets, missiles and artificial satellites. It has a share capital of €3,576,769 and sales of €39,036,834,000. As of 2019, the CEO of the company, which has more than 130,000 employees, is Guillaume Faury.
4. Renault SAS
Renault SAS, a company specialized in the production of automobiles, has been in business for 50 years. It has 170,000 employees worldwide, has sold 2.95 million cars and has 5 brands: Renault, Dacia, Renault Samsung Motors, Alpine and LADA. This French industrial company, chaired by Luca De Meo, had a turnover of 37,715,000,000,000 euros in 2020.
5. TOTAL ENERGIES MARKETING France
A leader in the fuel distribution market in France, Total Marketing France has grown significantly in recent years. The company is a SASU, a simplified joint stock company. It has sales of €23,963,726,000 with a capital of €390,553,839. This French industrial company is headed by Guillaume Larroque.
6. Orange
This public company with a board of directors, founded in 1991, is a major player in the telecommunications sector. It is the leading or second largest operator in 75% of European countries and 83% of countries in Africa and the Middle East. The company is headed by Stéphane Richard and has a 21-member board of directors. With a capital of €10,640,226,396, sales amounted to €22,602,000,000,000 in 2020. The company is gradually expanding its activities to include the sale of content such as music, movies and e-commerce.
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