Arttic

Investment from over the Channel created 2,765 jobs in 2008-9 and, according to UK Trade and Investment that is set to increase when figures are released this summer.

France is our top European investor and, at the Paris headquarters of UK Trade and Investment, there is a belief that there is a wealth of opportunity to develop Anglo-French commercial relations.

Andrew Holt is deputy director of trade and investment, based at the British Embassy in Paris, one of about 40 people working for UKTI in France to support UK businesses wanting to get a commercial foothold across the Channel and French firms investing in the UK.

He said: "The three key market opportunities in France are high-technology, healthcare and food and drink."

The Paris office of UKTI has already had some aerospace success in Derby, having helped international management consultancy ARTTIC set up an office at the iD Centre, off London Road, in 2008.

ARTTIC now manages a number of aerospace research and development projects for European consortia. Ian Eden is a senior consultant at ARTTIC in Derby. He said: "We are working on managing a number of projects designed to increase the efficiency of aero engines which are being led by Rolls-Royce."

The three major projects ARTTIC is working on have multi-million-pound budgets and are part-funded by the European Commission.

"It is our role to ensure that the work carried out by numerous different partners is done correctly and on time and then produce progress reports to the European Commission," said Mr Eden. […]