Powering French industry at Choose France 2026

At the ninth edition of the Choose France summit on 1 June 2026 in Paris, leading international companies gathered to discuss France’s role as an industrial powerhouse in Europe. Alfa Laval, which celebrates over 120 years of industrial presence in France, was present to highlight both the country’s attractiveness and its own longstanding history in France.

Since establishing operations in 1907, Alfa Laval has been a driving force in French industry, with seven production sites and nearly 1,400 employees. As the first Swedish industrial group to set up in France, Alfa Laval has continuously contributed to strengthening France’s position as a center for industrial excellence. 

The Choose France event is a platform where companies, policymakers, and industry leaders meet to discuss the future of industry, energy transition, and Europe’s competitiveness as well as announcing investments into the country for the coming years. Alfa Laval’s participation through Tom Erixon, President and CEO of Alfa Laval and Julien Gennetier, EVP, underscores the company’s belief in France’s potential – not just as an investment destination, but as a partner in the global transition towards a more sustainable and resilient industry. 

“Europe must be a hub of innovation and industrial excellence. Our decision to invest in France reflects our confidence in the quality of its expertise, the strength of its industrial ecosystem and infrastructure, and the availability of competitive, abundant and decarbonized energy,” says Tom Erixon, President and CEO of Alfa Laval. 

An evening dedicated to the future of industry  

In connection with the Choose France summit, Jean-Jerome Semat, MD Alfa Laval France, and Julien Gennetier, EVP GSS, participated in an exclusive dinner with France’s Minister for Industry and leaders of international companies. The goal: to discuss France’s strengths and challenges as an industrial destination, and to celebrate the country’s role as an industrial hub. 

During the dinner, France’s strengths were highlighted: access to clean energy, robust infrastructure, and a dynamic ecosystem for industrial development and engineering expertise. One key takeaway revolved around the importance of speed and Alfa Laval emphasized its commitment to supporting the pace and scale of the transformation of French industry and to remain a long-term partner. 

“Decarbonizing industry and strengthening competitiveness go hand in hand. We strongly believe that France has the key assets and capabilities to become a model of decarbonized industry in Europe,” says Julien Gennetier.