Lyon-Turin: With Alte, contracts do not end before SMEs
The digital platform Appui Lyon-Turin Entreprises (Alte) wants to facilitate the participation of local companies in the construction site.
For ten years, some 8.6 billion euros (€ billion) will be spent on the drilling and development of the major international tunnel of the Lyon-Turin railway line, between Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and Suse, in Italy. Those responsible for the Grand Chantier approach have estimated that nearly 20,000 companies will benefit in this way, directly or indirectly.
How many of them will be from the Auralpines, and how many from Maurienne? ” The most possible ! », exclaims the deputy and regional leader, Émilie Bonnivard (LR), presenting the new digital platform of the Appui Lyon-Turin Entreprises (Alte) system, created in 2019 to support regional consulting companies in accessing the markets of this (very) large project.
The site is aimed at both contractors and regional SMEs. The former produce and file their calls for tenders, the latter present themselves there and promote their know-how. “Clients announce what they are going to do, provide a schedule,” explains Emilie Bonnivard. “Sy can metrically public works companies make their skills known, have the time to organize themselves, to create groups for example, with the help of the staff of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Entreprises agency [ndlr : qui dispose d’une antenne en Maurienne]. »
All in compliance with the law. On this international site, there is a great demand for transparency, in particular to fight against money laundering attempts. Thus, the platform, if it is clearly cut for regional companies, cannot exclude others: discrimination prohibited!
A hundred companies and all the principals are already registered on the site. Results : ” On 250 million euros [M€]of subcontracting work in the broad sense (including suppliers, service providers, etc.) marketed over the past five years, 190 million went to companies in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, including 83 million to companies in Maurienne. », emphasizes Xavier Darmendrail, director of the France territory for the Euralpin Lyon-Turin Tunnel (Telt, which is in charge of the site).
For the drilling of the SMP4 reconnaissance gallery (Saint-Martin-la-Porte), it is even 45 M€ out of 55 which were captured by Auralpins.
However, it is unlikely that three-quarters of subcontracting will continue to be carried out by SMEs in the region: underground work will become increasingly specialized. So, of the €3 billion already allocated, how much for local subcontracting? It’s up to companies to play…
“Do not sacrifice the valley” …
On the sidelines of the meeting to present the digital platform, the subject of the choice of French accesses surfaced in all the speeches. With a marked preference for the “Large gauge” route, “the one with the most tunnels, summed up MNA and Regional Councilor Émilie Bonnivard, so that Maurienne residents do not suffer four to five convoys in the open air per hour”.
“The expectation is high to finally see the goods move from trucks to rail”, assures Yves Durbet, president of the Syndicate of the Pays de Maurienne. “It would be silly if the base tunnel didn’t have access worthy of the name!” »
“The site will benefit the valley”, tries to positive the sub-prefect of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, Kevin Poveda. “Yes, finally, it will benefit others more than us”, grumbled Emilie Bonnivard.“But we accept it, provided the valley is not sacrificed. »