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The cluster members have set for themselves 4 main objectives:

• Boost links between companies in the sector
• Encourage the manufacturing of value-added innovative textiles
• Solidify Techtera as a hub of European excellence for Technical and Functional Textiles
• Establish the Rhone-Alps region as the European magnet for the cluster’s target markets

Advantages

Rhone-Alps is the leading region for the technical textile industry, accounting for 65% of French production capacity and 12% of all European production.
•    Leading French textile and clothing region since 1987 with 37,500 direct jobs.
•    Biggest concentration of businesses in Europe (nearly 150) specializing in technical textiles providing 12% of all European output
•    With an output of 300,000 tonnes, businesses represent 65% of French production and 70% of turnover for the sector, or two billion euros.
•    Sole French location with a silk industry, silk twisters and texturers
•    Leading center for textile finishing (fabric treatment to render special characteristics to the finished product)
•    Leading center for textile designers, exporting 90% of their output

Members

More than 170 members as of mid-June 2008

Businesses: About 150 of which 120 are small and medium-size businesses 
•    French companies: Arjo-Wiggins, Thuasne, TDV Industries, Porcher Industries, Ferrari Textile, Gibaud.
•    International companies: Hexcel Reinforcement (United States), Ganzoni Group (Switzerland), BlueStar Silicones (China), etc.

Research and training centers
14 centers, including the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA), Centre Technique de la Teinture et du Nettoyage-Institut de Recherche sur l’entretien et le nettoyage (CTTN-IREN), Institut français du Textile et de l’Habillement (IFTH), Institut Textile et Chimie de Lyon (ITECH, Institut des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA), Ecole Centrale de Lyon, etc.
   
7 other organizations are also partners in the cluster, including the Conseil Général (county council) of the Loire, Grand Lyon, Rhone-Alps.

Current collaborative R&D projects (refer to appendix)

14 projects were certified and financed between 2005 and May 2008 with a total investment of nearly 30 million euros

Example of public funding:
•    More than one million euros granted by the National Research Agency (ANR) between 2005 and 2007
•    Nearly 5.5 million euros allocated by the Single Interministerial Fund (FUI) between 2005 and 2007

International partnerships

Currently:
Attendance at international exhibitions such as Techtextile, Frankfurt, Germany
Involvement in the European Eureka program for funding ventures between companies from different countries

Planned:
Partnerships in and management of innovation projects with Brazil
New textiles with India
Natural, environmentally friendly fibres with South Africa
Intellectual property with China

Appendix: Certified R&D Projects examples

• More information onTechtera