Nuclear industry: double recognition for SPIE

Cergy, November 14^th 2018 – SPIE Nucléaire has recently joined both the Executive Committee of the Groupement des Industriels Fournisseurs des Exploitants (French Operator Supplier Industry Group, or GIFE) and the Board of the Groupement des Industriels Français de l’Energie Nucléaire (French Nuclear Energy Industry Group, or GIFEN) following elections held on the past 26 of September and 11 of October. These appointments are a double recognition for SPIE Nucléaire, confirming its position as a key player in an industry in the midst of a major transformation.

As France's third largest industrial sector with nearly 2,600 companies and 220,000 jobs, the nuclear industry has recently embarked on a major restructuring. It is against this background that the Groupement des Industriels Français de l’Energie Nucléaire (GIFEN) was set up in June 2018 ahead of the World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE), and brought together the major buyers (EDF, ORANO, Framatome, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, or CEA, and the French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency, or ANDRA), 4 industry associations and 24 major industry players. The role of GIFEN is to represent all of the companies operating in the industry in dealing with the authorities and stakeholders within the nuclear industry in France, Europe and internationally, enabling them to adopt a strong common position. Sitting within GIFEN, the Groupement des Industriels Fournisseurs des Exploitants (or GIFE), of which SPIE Nucléaire is a part, has now been set up.

With its track record of over 40 years working with the major buyers, SPIE Nucléaire has supported the nuclear industry through profound changes. Present in all steps of the nuclear fuel life cycle, its expertise and operational excellence are recognised by both its peers and all the stakeholders in the French nuclear industry – a position further reinforced by the dual mandate given to David Guillon, the Managing Director of SPIE Nucléaire, who now represents the company on the Executive Committee of GIFE and on the Board of Directors of GIFEN.

“The two appointments will give me the opportunity to work every day towards making our sector safer and more competitive while remaining robust and attractive to new generations of talent”, says David Guillon. “Relying By building on the significant acquisitions that have shaped SPIE Nucléaire, I am particularly keen to support GIFEN in its efforts to ensure the long-term viability of the nuclear estate in France, but also abroad”.

As an engineer graduated from Polytech Nantes, David Guillon has worked in the nuclear industry for more than 25 years. He joined SPIE Nucléaire in 1999 as a Branch Manager, holding several positions until his appointment as Managing Director of SPIE Nucléaire and Chairman of its subsidiaries (ATMN, MMC and FLUIGETEC) in 2017.

To manage the major projects, GIFEN is looking to set up around ten committees. SPIE Nucléaire will be involved in the committees responsible for digital technology and communication and will contribute to current thinking in the area of skills and training.