Economy

The greater Chalon urban area is Burgundy's main industrial centre. It is characterised by a economic fabric that is highly diversified, both in the nature of the activities and in the size of its businesses, ranging from production units belonging to large industrial groups (Areva, Saint-Gobain, Philips, General Electric, ...) to small companies. Taking advantage of its favourable geographical location, the market and non-market services sectors, in particular in the logistics and transport and the information and communication fields, are progressively being added to the manufacturing industries (chemicals, agro-food, glassmaking, packaging, plastics, metalworking, engineering and electronics). The small business fabric includes a thousand or so companies in the manufacturing or building sectors, spread evenly between the rural areas and the urban areas. With 47,550 people in employment and an employment rate (number of jobs over total population) of the order of 45.8 %, the Chalon-sur-Saône labour market area constitutes the main centre of employment and business in Saône-et-Loire and the second biggest in Burgundy. It is the area in the region that saw the biggest increase in jobs between the two last population censuses.

The greater Chalon authority represents 39 towns and villages that make up the largest urban area in the Departement of Saône-et-Loire (71), the 2nd largest economic centre in Burgundy...

• 1st industrial centre and 2nd economic centre in Burgundy
• Largest urban area in the Departement.
• 39 towns and villages were members on 1 January 2008
• 85 elected members of the authority
• 268 people working directly for the greater Chalon authority
• 430 km² surface
• 109 656 inhabitants
• 255 inhabitants per km²
• 19% of the population of Saône-et-Loire
• 7% of the population of Burgundy
• 47 552 people in employment
• 48 206 housing units
• More than 3 400 companies
• 300 000 visitors a year to the Greater Chalon swimming pool and leisure complex