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Published on 21.03.2022 
“As a plant manager in the Hauts-de-France region, you quickly realize that the location is very export-friendly. We sit at the crossroads of Europe, with England, Germany and the Benelux countries as neighbors. Multi-modality is also a regional strong point in terms of waterway, road and rail cargo.“
Olivier Silva – Plant Manager – Renault
The Hauts-de-France region occupies a prime position at the heart of Europe. Located at the crossroads of France, Benelux, and the UK, it offers direct access to five European capitals Paris, Brussels, Luxembourg, London, and Amsterdam in under three hours of train.
From here, your company can tap into a market of 83 million consumers within a 300 km radius, covering six countries (France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the UK, and Germany). This centrality ensures not only unmatched market reach but also a quarter of Europe’s purchasing power at your doorstep.
This geographic advantage is reinforced by a robust multimodal logistics network:
Hauts-de-France doesn’t just give you a location, it gives you a gateway to Europe’s most dynamic markets and the infrastructure to serve them with speed, reliability, and efficiency.
Among the key criteria when choosing a site, operating costs remain decisive. Before committing, every investor compares real estate, labor, and land costs across potential regions.
Hauts-de-France stands out as one of the most cost-efficient regions in Europe, offering structural advantages that directly strengthen competitiveness :
Rent for industrial site of over 5,000m²
Annual salary for a qualified employee
These are not short-term fluctuations but structural advantages that directly improve bottom-line performance. For investors, it means you can optimize budgets without compromising quality or access to markets.
Would you like to compare several large European cities by yourself?
Financial criteria alone cannot guarantee the success of a site. Real estate and salary levels matter, but your decision should not rely on costs alone. What ultimately secures long-term performance is the availability and quality of talent.
Here, Hauts-de-France stands out as a significant employment area, offering both availability and productivity. The region counts:
This labor force is also among the most productive in Europe, with an average GDP of €55.15 per hour worked.
Beyond availability, Hauts-de-France invests heavily in skills and training. Since 2018, the region has run the “Training in Higher Education” scheme, an ambitious continuing education program in partnership with 11 local institutions to adapt skills to business needs.
With 230,000 students, 7 universities, and over 40 specialized higher education institutions, Hauts-de-France ranks as the second region in France for education. Nearly 20% of the population has completed higher education at Associate’s degree level or above (INSEE, 2025), ensuring companies can recruit engineers, technicians, and specialized profiles to support growth in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and green technologies.
I am amazed by the commitment of employees at the Saint-Amand site. At every level, from the operator to the maintenance technician, from the automation engineer, to executives.
This commitment and “can do attitude” that we think is often associated with the United States, I see it everyday here in the Region.Éric MOREAU, Site Director of Saint-Armand-Les-Eaux, GSK
When the decision is made, speed matters. Companies want to move from strategy to operations as quickly as possible and in France, that process is faster than ever.
At the national level, France has become a European leader in reducing administrative formalities, making company creation and industrial authorizations significantly simpler.
At the regional level, Hauts-de-France goes even further. With the support of Nord France Invest and its partners, international investors have consistently launched projects in record time:
“There is a negative view of how cumbersome the procedures are. Yet government departments, local authorities and development agencies are rolling up their sleeves so that investors can set up shop and operate with as few constraints as possible.”
Luciano Biondo, Former Chairman, Toyota Motor Manufacturing France
Nord France Invest is the economic development agency for Hauts-de-France. Our mission: to make your investment project faster, easier, and more secure.
We guide you through every stage of your set-up with personalized, confidential, and completely free support:
Our services are completely free and 100% confidential because your success is our mission.
The Hauts-de-France region already combines strategic location, competitive costs, and skilled workforce. With Nord France Invest at your side, you gain not just a location, but a trusted partner committed to turning your project into a long-term success.
Do you have plans to set up in Europe? Start your free, tailored support with Nord France Invest today.
Accessing support from expansion experts in Hauts-de-France starts here.
We’ll get back to you as soon as possible to answer any questions you may have about your development project.
Published on 26.06.2025 
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