A "heavy truck" twinning between Angers and Södertäjle

Södertälje (Credit Picture Wikipedia)

A new orientation is at work in the twinning policy of Angers city. The future twinnings must be... useful. In order to be sure of that, twinnings must be based, at least for a part, on the economic interest of the Angers city. That was one the caractacterics of the agreement signed by Angers with Austin, the capital of Texas. And that is also, one of the caracteristics of the project of twinning between Angers and Södertälje, the Angers mayor, Frédéric Béatse, announced a few days ago. Södertälje is the city where is located the headquarter of Scania, the Swedish trucks manufacturer which set up in Angers almost twenty years ago a factory.

"Scania is an emblematic company of Angers city and an important employer", said Mr Béatse when he made public the project. "Scania attracts towards Angers clients coming from France and from Europe", pointed out a Scania representative, adding that "Angers is our front side". So, Angers town hall probably want to build on Scania a supplementary attractiveness and to be part of that front side.

Credit Picture Scania

Södertäjle should be the 7th city Angers is twinned with. Haarlem, Onasbrück, Pisa, Wigan, Bamako didn't, until now, brought a lot of economic advantages to Angers. Those were more considered with Austing because Angers hosts some companies dedicated to the music industry, the Austin twinning could strenghen. In the competition with the other territories of Western France to get new companies (and new jobs), Angers is using the twinning way. Twinning usefulness with pleasure : why not?.