The local authority of Nantes Métropole has awarded NOVAE a public service delegation contract to build and operate a new heating network across its territory.
NOVAE aims to develop innovative and connected solutions for this network, in order to optimise its way of operating at different levels:
Economically: control of consumption, investments and operating costs,
Environmentally: integrating energy from renewable sources,
Societally: offering users new services and making the network more reliable.
Afin de mettre en œuvre ces solutions innovantes et de déployer un véritable Smart Grid thermique, depuis 2020, NOVAE s’appuie sur les équipes d’Axione Nantes pour le déploiement d’un réseau fibre optique pour ce nouveau réseau intelligent.
Le tirage de câble est effectué en portage à l’air ou à l’eau d’une sous-station à une autre dans les conduites PEHD (polyéthylène haute densité) posées en parallèle des conduites de chauffage.
Ce projet illustre notre savoir-faire : nous avons su mettre nos compétences techniques au service du client pour l’accompagner sur toute les phases Etudes et Travaux, en étant force de proposition. Il a également fallu faire preuve d’adaptation pour respecter les délais impartis.
Stéphane Clavier, Chef de projet télécom à l’agence Ouest (Rezé).
L’objectif : interconnecter l’ensemble des automates des sous-stations et des chaufferies permettant de superviser en temps réel le réseau de chaleur de 55 km. Au total, plus de 10 000 logements, bâtiments tertiaires et publics seront connectés sur le réseau.
Le Smart Grid Thermique au service des villes connectées
Une innovation pour les grandes villes puisque la consommation énergétique dans les communes est optimisée, permettant une réduction de la facture pour les usagers et la collectivité. Un véritable cercle vertueux pour une utilisation plus efficiente de l’énergie.
A travers ce projet, nos collaborateurs participent à la mise en œuvre d’une énergie plus locale et à 80% renouvelable.
Digital has assumed an essential role in our everyday lives, in sectors ranging from health, to education, to economics and mobility and even public services. And, because a growing number of services, both public and private are now more easily accessible by internet, it is essential to provide relevant answers so that all regions have access to digital services. This is precisely what Axione offers, as a global player in digital infrastructures. Eric Jammaron, Chairman of Axione comments.
Discover the interview of Eric Jammaron
Our local branches, located throughout France, carry Axione’s values and commitments. This is why our employees have opportunities to get involved in various causes that are close to their hearts in line with our commitments.
On Friday 20 May, our Toussieux branch in Lyon offered its employees the chance to donate blood.
The employees were offered this action a few weeks beforehand with the possibility of registering in order to go as a group to the establishment that received the donors.
Ten brave employees found time to go and agreed to volunteer for this good deed.👏
Thanks to the network deployed by our subsidiary Lotim Télécom, the operator DSTNY provides access to connectivity services to its client, the Mutualité française de la Loire, a public health organisation based in Saint-Etienne.
Interview with DSTNY and Mutualité Loire Haute-Loire Puy De Dôme
Franck Dunière, Head of major accounts for operator DSTNY France (formerly IP Line)
Nadine Favier, Head of IT and organisation Mutualité Française Loire – Haute-Loire – Puy-de-Dôme
1 – Present your respective companies and their background
IP Line was founded in 2004. We provide various services for our customers: publishing cloud communication solutions, BtoB operator, hosting sensitive data, and protecting the digital assets of medium-sized and large companies. In its early days as a start-up with ten or so employees, the company was awarded the Pépites de la Métropole de Lyon label in 2012 and began to ramp up in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, with the headcount rising from 20 to 40 to meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and intermediate companies seeking 24/7 access to technical support. Destiny France has 180 staff in Paris, Lyon, Nantes and Tours, with revenue of €48 million in 2021, generated by Destiny France companies and Destiny France partners. When we joined DSTNY Group in 2021, we had 80 employees.
In 2022, we are now part of a European group with 750 staff across 7 countries. The group aims to become the European leader in cloud-based unified communications.
Franck Dunière, Head of major accounts for operator DSTNY France (formerly IP Line)
La Mutualité française Loire – Haute Loire – Puy-de-Dôme Services de Soins et d’Accompagnement Mutualistes (SSAM – Mutual Care and Support Services) is a French social welfare player. With more than 90 locations in the Loire, Haute Loire and Puy-de-Dôme regions, our private, not-for-profit organisation offers a range of care and services
Nadine Favier, Head of IT and organisation Mutualité Française Loire – Haute-Loire – Puy-de-Dôme
The services deployed by the Mutualité de la Loire :
Medical and surgical clinic
Aftercare and rehabilitation
Medical imaging
Health centres
Assisted accommodation for elderly people and retirement homes
Home hospital care and services
Residential and support services for the disabled
Nurseries
Pharmacies and medical equipment
2- How long have you been working with Axione? How could it be said that you are partners?
We have been working with Axione for about 10 years in the Loire region.
Axione provides dependable infrastructure so that service operators can deliver a seamless, high-quality network to customers. This gives us a modern network supplier, operating throughout France, yet still with a local presence.
Franck Dunière – DSTNY France
3-What is the role and mission of the operator? How do Axione’s services affect your offering?
An operator’s mission is to provide its clients with a reliable, high-quality network by assisting them from the consulting phase right through to operating their network. Depending on the client’s needs, we can offer solutions to technically develop this network. The different regions where we deploy our connectivity services need to be interconnected, powerful and readily available to ensure the service levels expected by customers.
“Bifurcation” is the theme of the 12th Saint-Etienne Design Biennial from 6 April to 31 July 2022, a major cultural event in France and Europe since 1998. March 2020 saw a major shift in the way we live, work and function. Since then, we have undergone a radical bifurcation. Designers, researchers, economic players, intellectuals, students, art lovers and anyone interested are expected to take part in a large-scale artistic event (7 exhibitions spanning 4,000 m²) aimed at questioning how design is practiced and experimenting with its methods. As major players in the digital bifurcation in France, Adista and Axione are digital partners of the event.
Synergy between infrastructure operators and service operators supporting the digital “Bifurcation”
“Our lives are a series of forks in the road, or “bifurcations” constantly influenced by events that take us in different directions. “Whether sought or endured, expected or unforeseen, these forks in the road set the pace for our activities and shape our societies”. [12th International Design Biennial].
While there is an undeniable and noticeable bifurcation at the professional and personal levels, the digital one was imposed by the pandemic lockdowns and restrictions. A new direction had to be explored: that of new uses, new tools, new modes of communication, with one of the most notable features being the mass adoption of telework. Contemplating digital divergence is the very essence of Adista’s and Axione’s business, which is why the two companies have partnered with the 12th International Design Biennial.
Axione has established itself as a leading player in the deployment of digital infrastructure as part of the France Très Haut Débit plan. The company designs, builds and operates the infrastructure essential to the development of digital uses by supporting the regions in their Public Initiative Network projects.
The confidence shown in Axione by local authorities and service operators has already resulted in the deployment of 2.8 million FttH connections throughout France. Its fibre optic networks now cover more than 6,500 districts and 2,500 business parks
Patrick Pedron, Corporate Sales Director at Axione
Adista has been a major user of Axione’s networks since 2006. This partnership has been strengthened as technology has evolved. “The deployment of Axione’s BLOM (Mutualised Local Optical Loop) enabled Adista to broaden its range of services in 2019 with FttH (Fiber to the Home) and FttE (Fiber to the Enterprise), thereby extending fibre optic connectivity to a very large number of businesses (large, medium-sized and the smallest),” explains Amine Gasmi, Head of Telecoms Connectivity Offers.
As with every Biennial, Adista is partnering with Axione to provide very high-speed access to enable this event to be in direct contact with the whole world thanks to a 100% guaranteed and secure 1Gb fibre. This year Adista is also providing the WiFi network to guarantee the security and speed that this event needs with 6 WiFi terminals deployed.
Mathieu Denarié, Adista Business Engineer
We are a long-standing partner of this event, which highlights the city of Saint-Etienne. For LOTIM Télécom and Axione, it is essential to combine our expertise and technical skills with the Adista operator to serve a major cultural event in our region.
David Daroussin, Director of LOTIM Télécom
Designing a digital environment that addresses sustainable development issues
Another bifurcation to which society must commit itself today is to develop in tune with environmental and societal issues. The very nature of Adista and Axione’s activities directly impacts the vibrancy and vitality of the regions, the narrowing of the digital divide and social inclusion.
Axione was created in 2003 in response to the digital development of the regions following the French Digital Confidence Act. Its business plan is based on its ability to design, build and operate infrastructure to promote the widest possible access to and use of digital services. Axione is constantly innovating for the regions, their inhabitants and their businesses.
The company is committed to pursuing digital deployment while encouraging initiatives to optimise its energy consumption (e.g. supplying green electricity to 90 of its branches in France) and recycling equipment and materials (e.g. donating wooden reels for fibre optic cables). In 2020, its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts were awarded a Platinum label by EcoVadis (the leading organisation for rating social and environmental performance) with a score of 74/100.
Meanwhile, Adista is experiencing strong growth that it strives to make as environmentally friendly as possible and respectful of its eco-system. The Adista Group, which is now the leading competitor to the incumbent operators, is determined to become the benchmark in terms of CSR. It has embarked on an ambitious action plan in collaboration with its staff and partners. Adista aims to establish itself as a socially responsible company that listens to its workforce, by getting involved in social and environmental initiatives in the regions following the consultation (currently underway) of its employees as part of collaborative projects. These same staff have also been made aware of the challenges of sustainable development.
Aware of its responsibility as a major player in the digital sector, the company, which has been awarded the Responsible Digital Enterprise label several times, is taking several steps to reduce its carbon footprint and that of its customers, such as reusing equipment and extending its lifespan. Adista has also announced the implementation of a datacentre powered solely by renewable energy from the conversion of agricultural bio-waste, a first in the datacentre world.
The 12th International Design Biennial: a connected event
The event’s connectivity and digital support needs are colossal and depend on the match between Axione’s design and deployment of telecommunications infrastructures, and Adista as a national operator of hosted services. For the 2022 event, Axione’s subsidiary LOTIM Télécom is installing a dedicated fibre link which will be secured by the internet service provider Adista. Axione’s teams also monitor the network in real time to ensure a speed of one Gigabit per second throughout the event, with no interruptions or network failures.
Access to very high speed broadband will allow the press to provide real-time media coverage of the inauguration on 6 April by relaying articles, photos and videos at the press conference. For around 4 months, attendees will also benefit from an optimal connection, and make the most of the fibre that is being specially installed for this 12th International Design Biennial.
More information about the Biennial
Since 1998, the École Régionale des Beaux-arts de Saint-Étienne has been hosting the International Design Biennial in Saint-Étienne. This event has become a fixture in the design calendar. Supported by the city of Saint-Étienne and the Saint-Étienne region, it is attended by designers, researchers, economic players, intellectuals, students, art lovers and curious people from all over the world. With the backing of its public and private partners, the biennials, produced and managed by the Cité du Design, encourage confrontation between the innovations generated by schools, major studios, independent designers, broadcasters, companies and a wide variety of audiences. This 12th event on the theme of the “Bifurcation” will run for 4 months, from April 6 to July 31, 2022, with 7 exhibitions spread over 4,000m² and with over 200,000 visitors expected.
The Cap Fibre project is a typical example of efficient digital infrastructures, opening up access to digital technology while taking into consideration the societal and environmental challenges of their ecosystem.
DEPLOYMENT OF OPTICAL FIBRE: A FIRST CHALLENGE MET
The deployment of digital infrastructures to support the digital revolution has been a European and national priority for overten years.
Fibre to the home has been identified as the most efficient technology for bringing very high speed broadband to the population while limiting energy consumption – if compared to copper networks – and with lower maintenance costs than alternative technologies.
Numerous technological, human and financial challenges had to be overcome to transform a strategic and political will into a reality on the ground, and enable the deployment of infrastructure, particularly in rural areas.
With the Plan France Très Haut Débit, France has put in place a legal and regulatory framework, involving both public and private players, which enables it to achieve its ambitious objective of connecting all its citizens.
The Cap Fibre project is a typical example of efficient digital infrastructure, opening up access to digital technology while taking into account the societal and environmental challenges of their ecosystem.
CAP FIBRE AN EXAMPLE OF A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS
The Hauts-de-France Regional Council and the Nord and Pas-de-Calais departments have decided to implement a proactive policy for the deployment of very high-speed broadband (VHS) via optical fibre in areas not covered by operators.
THE IMPACT OF THE USE OF FIBRE MUST BE CONSIDERED NOT ONLY FROM AN ECONOMIC BUT ALSO FROM A SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL POINT OF VIEW
In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, digitalisation is seen as an essential tool and a lever for innovation, but also as potentially amplifying the social divide and increasing energy consumption. The role of the public authority and private actors is to ensure that, once deployed, connectivity will have positive long-term effects, contributing to improving the lives of citizens and the competitiveness of businesses, and supporting the fight against climate change.
These are the objectives that CAP Fibre, the Hauts-de-France Region and the Nord and Pas-de-Calais Departments have set themselves.
THE IMPACT OF THE USE OF FIBRE OPTICS MUST BE CONSIDERED NOT ONLY FROM AN ECONOMIC BUT ALSO FROM A SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL POINT OF VIEW
The urgency of climate change has been described by a number of scientific reports and research (including the latest IPCC report). Around 70% of greenhouse gas emissions are directly related to the construction and operation of infrastructure such as buildings and transport networks. This figure cannot be ignored by public authorities, industry and investors, who are committed to playing their part in moving towards sustainable solutions. Infrastructure is defined as sustainable when it meets the needs of the population for essential services, based on principles centred on six key objectives.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the Paris Agreement.
Contribute to the transition to a low-carbon economy and the decarbonisation of energy supply.
Promote high standards of energy efficiency.
Be resilient and help protect against extreme weather events and natural disasters.
Consider climate change risks in its design, maintenance and operation.
Reduce vulnerability to the risks and impacts of climate change
PRESS RELEASE
For the 4th consecutive year, we have been certified by the Top Employers Institute as “Top Employer Europe” and for the 6th year as “Top Employer France”! This certification has also been renewed for our entities in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Poland and the Czech Republic.
“Top Employer” certification recognises Bouygues Construction’s initiatives, deployed for many years within its organisation, which ensure the best possible working environment for employees via innovative HR practices. The group is the only one from the construction industry present in this survey.
The Top Employers Institute programme assessed Bouygues Construction’s HR policy, using the “HR Best Practices Survey” that covers 5 main areas, split into 20 themes such as talent management strategy, working environment, Talent Acquisition, training and skills development, well-being at work and diversity and inclusion.
In 2021, two new features were highlighted by Bouygues Construction:
The new annual review meeting which encourages quality preparation and richer discussions.
The Chance to Meet programme, which provides opportunities for meetings between top management and talents identified within the company. Younger people can learn from inspirational stories and get advice, and top managers can get ideas from the leaders of tomorrow.
For 2022, two priority themes will be completed and enriched following the feedback from the Top Employer survey:
The attractiveness and richness of our career paths, through a new training offering and better promotion of professional mobility as well as inter-professional bridges.
The second area will strengthen our diversity ambition, with a desire to promote the diversity of careers and cultures within the Group even more strongly, especially via our gender diversity programmes and by bringing more internationalism to our management and talent.
Become an ambassador for our Top Employer 2022 certification!To communicate on our certification, feel free to download the new email signature here and the logo here.pr_topemployer2022_01-02-22-002
This article reviews our tailor-made integration programme.
By implementing the social clause* of France’s labour law, we recruit and train the long-term unemployed in the fibre optics business.
As part of France’s nationwide fibre optics deployment, Axione’s subsidiaries – the public service delegations – united to recruit and train jobseekers as fibre optic technicians, covering the processes of staking, drawing and connecting. We work closely with employment professionals to develop an action plan that addresses the issues of the affected regions. In triggering social clauses specific to French labour laws, we help to increase appeal by boosting the local jobs market.
*Social clause: “The purpose of integration through economic activity is to enable unemployed individuals experiencing specific social and occupational difficulties to benefit from employment contracts with a view to facilitating their social and professional integration”. (Article L.5132-1 of the French Labour Code “code du travail”).
At Axione, we firmly believe that such an approach must be adopted across regions on as local a basis as possible. To achieve this, we leverage the expertise of our Axione Academy business university and partner training organisations. As such, we deliver courses combining theory and practice. The recruits who sit our courses are given an opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice as they work on Axione projects. In doing so, they quickly become operational and develop into skilled fibre professionals.
The NÉOPOLIS RÉSEAUX CCI DROME training centre delivers expertise for the fibre optics and copper trades in an endeavour to cater to the region’s needs. We are in the process of creating a “fibre optic installer-connector” training scheme, in collaboration with AXIONE. Our trainers are seasoned professionals and we successfully obtained the “Objectif Fibre” (“Fibre Goal”) certification through our unwavering commitment to telecoms players. Parallel to this, we assist these players in their recruitment. Working alongside agents, we make sure to include professional integration individuals in our training courses.
Danièle Mialon-Reginato, FTTH Training Consultant based at Neopolis Réseaux (Neopolis Network) at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) for the Drôme Department
These individuals are supported by a mentor throughout their business training.
What’s more, the success of the course depends almost entirely on these mentors. Mentors are recognised site supervisors with a proven track record in managing novices to the fibre optics business. To guarantee the best possible integration and support for new employees, mentors sit a “Tutorat” (“Mentoring”) course. This helps them to hone their approach to training as well as structuring the stages of learning and validating experiential knowledge.
At Axione, we prepare every last detail to support course participants’ training and professional reintegration. On balance, the special relationship between our participant beneficiaries and mentors is what makes us stand out from the competition.
Benjamine d’Humières, HR Development Manager
The gradual upskilling of technicians who enrol on the integration course also contributes to employability. In more cases than not, this is achieved through a professional training contract, which in turn, secures a job position.
Recruiting for the long term: meet Jamal Amazian
As for my relationship with Axione, there’s a sense of mutual trust. They taught me everything, and prepared me for this role
Jamal Amazian, Axione Site Manager, STeF (FTTH Technical Support) at the Vedène branch, located in the Vaucluse department.
Discover Jamal Amazian’s 2-minute video testimonial.
Did you know ?
Programme beneficiaries
Minimum income benefit recipients
Jobseekers aged over 50
Individuals qualifying for an integration scheme through economic activity
Unqualified young persons with no prior professional experience
Workers with disabilities
Minimum social benefit recipients
Long-term jobseekers
Gallery
Since its connection in 2018 to the ADN fibre optic network deployed by ADTIM, a subsidiary of Axione, the company has not only been able to improve its service to businesses, but has also been able to improve the response time and proximity.
For Print07, it is “day and night”
Specialised in printing solutions and document management software, Print07 lacked the necessary internet bandwidth to carry out necessary operations at its businesses and client communities. Following its connection in 2018 to the ADN fibre optic network by the public service delegate ADTIM via the Internet access provider Kyxar, the company has not only been able to improve its service to businesses, but has also improved in response time and proximity.
For Joël Bosc, Managing Director of Print07, “it is day and night” for Print07 as well as its clients after its connection to the fibre optic network in 2018.
OPTIMISATION OF PREPARATIONS AND INTERVENTIONS
Before the advent of fibre, Print07 had to proliferate the number of “boxes” in order to set up several computer stations at the same time. “We were compelled to wait for the software to download at the ADSL rate”.
Since its connection, Print07 has not only been able to optimise its download times, but also provide its intervention teams with tools (pads) to relay information in real time, improve responsiveness by relocating its business software which had been outsourced owing to insufficient bandwidth, and reduced intervention times thanks to the remote control of client computers.
The economies of relocation and instant repair have permitted an increase in the volume of interventions, which as a result feeds customer satisfaction and the profitability of the company.
Joël Bosc, Managing Director of Print07
A WELL-CALIBRATED BANDWIDTH
Thanks to optic fibre, the company today envisages providing an in-house data hosting solution “But in order to be fully effective, the bandwidth must be sufficient at our end – which we guarantee- but also at the customer end in order to cover all the IP telephony and IT system needs”, underlined the manager.
About ADTIM
ADTIM was mandated by the Ardèche Drôme Numérique joint syndicate for a duration of 25 years in order to conceive, build, and operate the High and Very High bandwidth network of the department of Ardèche and Drôme. This public service delegation created by Axione is also in charge of marketing the FTTH network without discrimination to all national as well as local telecommunications operators.
Our company is committed to continuing the deployment of digital technology while encouraging initiatives to optimise our energy consumption and give a second life to equipment.
