The Arbois-Méditerranée environment Technopolis was created at the initiative of the Conseil Général (County Council) of Bouches-du-Rhône in 1991, for the purpose of hosting businesses, research units and academic departments specializing in environmental issues.
Set at the heart of the Arbois plateau’s 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres), the Technopolis covers an area of 4,500 hectares (11,000 acres) and is a real “green lung” in the metropolitan area.
Easily accessible by road and motorway, it is a few minutes away from the Marseille-Provence international airport and high speed train (TGV) station in Aix-en-Provence.
The Technopolis offers several types of structures to accommodate businesses:
- Domaine du Petit Arbois extends over 75 hectares (185 acres), with office space for rent in a structure dedicated to high technology activities;
- Domaine du Tourillon a 90 hectare- (220-acre) ZAC (planned development area) offering land for sale and office space for rent;
- Domaine de la Gare, an area of 40 hectares (100 acres) adjacent to the train station and dedicated to technopolitan activities and services associated with the train station.
Key figures for the Technopolis:
- 8 research laboratories,
- 25 start-up companies,
- 46 companies and various organizations,
- Nearly 600 people.
Several renowned organizations and institutes have located in the Technopolis, including:
- The Institut Fédératif de Recherche (Federative Research Institute), a group of public laboratories working together on the impact of waste on water and natural environments;
- CEREGE (European Center for Research and Education in Environmental Geoscience) ;
- The Centre de compétences sur la valorisation des déchets (Center of expertise on recycling waste), which combines INERIS, CEREGE and the Syndicat Mixte de l'Arbois;
- The Centre de compétences en formulation chimique (Center of expertise in chemical formulation) which combines the Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique de l’Environnement (Analytical Chemistry of the Environment Laboratory) and CRITT Chimie (regional center for innovation and technology transfer- chemistry) ;
- Éa-IMaGE, an association of SMEs and SMI’s in the field of environment and sustainable development, labeled Regional Cluster for Innovation and mutually Supportive Economic Development (PRIDES) Eco-businesses and Sustainable Development ;
- Environnement Innovation Méditerranée, with businesses, communities and research centers in the field of new technologies applied to renewable energy.
- The Collège de France Department of Environmental Science.
For more information : www.arbois-med.com
