ESI Group wins the "Grand Prix ASMEP-ETI / Bpifrance 2014" award in the "Innovation and Industrial Strategy" category

 ESI Group wins the "Grand Prix ASMEP-ETI / Bpifrance 2014"
award in the "Innovation and Industrial Strategy" category

This rewards the implementation of conditions for
the sustainable growth of an innovative company

Paris, France - March 11, 2014: ESI Group, leader and pioneer in Virtual Prototyping solutions, announces that it has won the "Grand Prix ASMEP-ETI / Bpifrance" award in the "Innovation and Industrial Strategy" category.

This award recognises and rewards family businesses and medium-sized companies that, within the framework of a coherent and sustainable strategy, have shown the ability to stand out by putting in place the conditions for sustainable growth through innovation.

This award is the result of a selection process notably based on criteria for which ESI has been able to excel:

   The ability to innovate, a strategic priority of the Group for the last 40 years thanks to a dedicated investment policy representing some 30% of total sales and to a large technological partner network. 
 

   The ability to succeed abroad, illustrated by the Group's presence in more than 40 countries including BRIC and achievement of close to 90% of total sales overseas.  
 

   Irreproachable quality management that, has resulted in ISO 9001 certification for its edition and distribution activities in France and in most of overseas subsidiaries that ensures total client satisfaction by providing them with high-quality products and services.  
 

Retaining the loyalty of clients and employees, reflected by the Group's collaboration with the VOLKSWAGEN group, initiated since the first crash test carried out in 1985, and with the AREVA group around nuclear safety, and by the various employee savings plans available to ESI Group's staff.  

Alain de Rouvray, ESI Group's Chairman and CEO, says: "This award brings high recognition to ESI Group for the relevance of a strategy based on technological innovation and the quality of execution over the four decades of its existence. It lays witness to the exceptional and sustainable value of the industrial and social innovation we provide for our clients' products through scientific computing's exponential progress. It also rewards the determination and the original contributions of our staff all over the world; enabling us to build a unique virtual prototyping offer with ambition to support the development of a more efficient and socially responsible economy. It is a great honour for ESI Group to join the prestigious list of former winners, key players in their sectors of activity, including JCDECAUX and Groupe SEB."  

About ASMEP-ETI
Founded in 1995, ASMEP-ETI is the association for medium-sized and family businesses.
The association, which currently has more than 600 member businesses that it brings together and represents, has a threefold mission:
· To make known and promote in the public debate the 4,600 French midcaps that are the real backbone of our economy;
· To be the spokesperson of French midcaps amongst public authorities and institutional players;
· To recommend concrete measures to ensure the sustainability of midcaps (especially family businesses) and promote an ecosystem that is conducive to their development.
www.asmep-eti.fr

About Bpifrance
Bpifrance (banque publique d'investissement, i.e. public investment bank), a trusted partner of entrepreneurs, supports businesses from their creation through to their stock market listing, with loans, guarantees and shareholders' equity. Bpifrance also provides substantial support and help for innovation and for exports, in partnership with Ubifrance and Coface.
A result of the merger of OSEO, CDC Entreprises, FSI and FSI Régions, Bpifrance provides companies with a continuum of funding through each key stage of their development and an offer adapted to regional specificities. With 37 regional sites (90% of decisions are made at regional level), Bpifrance represents an economic competitiveness tool for entrepreneurs. Bpifrance supports public policies implemented at central and regional government level in order to meet three objectives:
· To encourage regional economic development;
· To participate in the industrial regeneration of France;
· To help tomorrow's champions emerge.
Through Bpifrance, businesses are able to benefit from a powerful, close and efficient ally to meet all of their funding, innovation and investment needs.
www.bpifrance.fr

About ESI
ESI is a pioneer and world-leading provider in Virtual Prototyping that takes into account the physics of materials. ESI boasts a unique know-how in Virtual Product Engineering, based on an integrated suite of coherent, industry-oriented applications. Addressing manufacturing industries, Virtual Product Engineering aims to replace physical prototypes by realistically simulating a product's behaviour during testing, to fine-tune fabrication and assembly processes in accordance with desired product performance, and to evaluate the impact on product use under normal or accidental conditions. ESI's solutions fit into a single collaborative and open environment for End-to-End Virtual Prototyping. These solutions are delivered using the latest technologies, including immersive Virtual Reality, to bring products to life in 3D; helping customers make the right decisions throughout product development. The company employs about 1,000 high-level specialists worldwide covering more than 40 countries. ESI Group is a French company listed in compartment C of NYSE Euronext Paris.   
For further information, visit www.esi-group.com.

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