Chevillotte specialises in the design, creation and restoration of high-end tables for cue sports (including billiards and snooker tables). Since 1860, the company has built up and preserved its reputation for providing top-quality modern and antique tables to individuals and cue-sport competitions alike. Founded in 1860, Chevillotte is a leading manufacturer of quality, high-end tables, which are suited to a wide range of cue games, such as carom billiards, pool, snooker and Russian pyramid. Over the years, the company has established its reputation in the design and fabrication of contemporary tables for both private individuals and tournaments. Additionally, the company restores antique cue-sport tables. Each item of Chevillotte’s large collection is unique, from the classic tables to those with a very contemporary style. Chevillotte uses more than 50 species and shades of solid timber and wood veneers, among which there are 13 species of precious woods. A choice of finishes is provided, including 150 colours of satin-finished hues and paint (the latter being available in matt, gloss or metallic in the RAL CLASSIC European colour system). The company offers full-grain leather sheathing, finishes in an antique or decorative patina, along with the reproduction of hues or sheens based on a sample. Chevillotte also uses a range of other materials, such as steel, anodised aluminium and carbon fibre. The Configurator, on Chevillotte’s website, enables the company’s clients to design bespoke snooker tables that suit their tastes.   In order to give each table a unique touch, many options are proposed, including coloured felts, escutcheons and customised rosettes or marquetry. Furthermore, Chevillotte can design or reproduce bespoke projects on the basis of a simple sketch. The company has recently established the Entertainment Room concept, thanks to which customers can design the comprehensive layout of games rooms. Chevillotte will design and produce the games room using its client’s specific requests concerning everything from the carpets and the woodwork to the cue-sport tables, bar or jukebox. Initially, Chevillotte made its reputation in providing cue-sport tables for the competition market. Today, the company’s models are frequently chosen for major international competitions, but the individual-consumer market represents the mainstay of Chevillotte’s business. CHEVILLOTTE values innovation and boldness, while maintaining a high level of craftsmanship and aesthetic quality. All manufacturing of Chevillotte’s products takes place in France and includes a rigorous selection of the luxury materials used. About Chevillotte A specialist in the fabrication and restoration of snooker tables, Chevillotte was founded in 1860. Since then, the company’s know-how has been passed down the generations, from father to son, within the Chevillotte family. The company produces tables in contemporary and traditional style for cue sports, as well as restoring old tables, replicating those that already exist, or creating complete Entertainment Rooms. To access Chevillotte’s Configurator, please go to: http://www.chevillotte.com/en/xml/configurateur/configurateur_fr.php     For further information about the company, please go to: www.chevillotte.com  

The French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London will present six innovative manufacturers of design-led gifts and stationery items on the French pavilion at Spring Fair International. The trade show will take place at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), in Birmingham (England), from 5 to 9 February 2012. Five of these French companies are looking to establish partnerships with agents in order to distribute their products on the British market. The companies taking part in the French Pavilion are as follows. Further details can be provided on request.   BANDIT MA NCHOT (on stand M35)   BANDIT MANCHOT uses leather that is left over from manufacturing processes at the most reputable fashion houses. Only leather with a perfect finish, texture and colour is selected for the cards, bookmarks, bracelets and other gifts that the company makes. Each card produced is a de-luxe, unique, and often humorous way of conveying words and thoughts.   http://banditmanchot.net/en/     COLLEGIEN (on stand M33)   COLLEGIEN is made up of a team of designers who have had their own workshops in the département of Tarn (in southern France) for four generations, making innovative and fashionable collections. COLLEGIEN’s key product is a slipper sock that has a shaped, ergonomic sole, which has punched holes for aeration and is attached to a knitted sock. The sole is treated by relying on advanced anti-allergy technology. Besides, only natural materials such as cashmere, wool and cotton are used, making COLLEGIEN’s sock perfect for everyone, including babies. The sock comes in a range of colours and styles.   www.collegien-shop.com     GOBILAB (on stand M4)   Created in June 2010, GOBILAB is an independent business run by three entrepreneurs. It will be presenting Gobi, the first eco-designed, French-produced and Bisphenol A (BPA)-free reusable bottle at Spring Fair International. Gobi was specifically designed to be easily integrated into an office or urban environment and to offer an appealing alternative to disposable cups and bottles. Portable and fun, this product has been thoughtfully designed to be easily filled, carried, cleaned, re-used and customised.   www.gobilab.com      INCIDENCE (on stand M39)   For the last 20 years, INCIDENCE has been redesigning everyday objects in order to make them more aesthetic, fun and functional. The company will present its original, tongue-in-cheek range of gifts and home accessories at the trade show; they include products that are suitable for the bathroom, for the kitchen, and for children.   www.incidence.fr     LAMALI (on stand M43)   For 20 Years, LAMALI has been collaborating with one fair-trade-certified organisation in Nepal. The company’s collections are designed in Paris and then created in Nepal, using the local artisans’ traditional knowledge and materials. LAMALI will present its selection of handmade colourful lokta paper garlands, mobiles and bunting, as well as its woollen accessories, at the trade show.   www.lamali.com     LIB EDITEUR D’IDEES (on stand M37)   LIB EDITEUR D’IDEES, which was founded in 2009, produces top-quality items that are made in France and have been designed to high ecological standards. The first item produced by the company was its innovative cocktail stirrer which, in the shape of a dragonfly or bird, balances on the side of the glass. LIB EDITEUR D’IDEES works with high-quality partners and manufactures items of excellence at an optimal production cost.   www.lib-editeurdidees.com     About The French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE   The French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London facilitates trade development between France and the UK. UBIFRANCE offers a wide range of services to French-based companies, so as to assist them in their business activities within the UK. As such, it organises B2B events in the form of conferences and networking opportunities, mainly in London.   The French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London is organising a French pavilion at Spring Fair International, which will take place at the NEC, in Birmingham (England), from 5 to 9 February 2012. The pavilion will display the latest in gifts and home accessories coming out of France.   Journalists wishing to attend should contact Ms Katherine Woods, Press Officer of the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London.   For further information about the Spring Fair, please go to:   http://www.springfair.com/

In 2010, the French cinema industry generated €330 million of revenues, with exports accounting for €137 million of this figure. Eleven films recorded higher admission numbers outside France than within the country, taking all genres into account. In animation, French developers have acquired a worldwide reputation regarding special effects and their 3D expertise, through companies such as Mac Guff, Buf and Mikros.  “The French cinema industry is unrivalled in Europe and continues to go from strength to strength. The Tax Rebate for International Productions [TRIP] shot in France has strengthened the country’s position in the sector since its introduction in 2009. The number of foreign feature-length shooting days has doubled in two years. Every film represents an opportunity to make large foreign audiences more aware of the rich, diverse and attractive heritage of France,” says David Appia, Chairman and CEO of the Invest in France Agency (IFA).   Productions from around the world are showcased in France, in particular during the Cannes Film Festival and Deauville American Film Festival. As a location, France provides significant support for cinema and audiovisual productions. As a major film producer — with about 200 feature-length movies made in the country each year — France boasts a pool of expert technicians trained by FEMIS (Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Métiers de l’Image et du Son, the country’s national élite film school), which has a widely recognised reputation for excellence around the world.    The presence of film studios in Ile-de-France (i.e. Paris and its region) and in Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur (in the south-east of the country), together with the recent completion of facilities in Lille and Lyons, among other developments, has resulted in the fact that France can accommodate productions destined for global audiences. For location shooting, the natural, historical and cultural heritage of France is a major draw.    France also has outstanding film restoration and archiving resources. The museum of the  Cinémathèque Française houses the world’s largest database on the Seventh Art, while the National Audiovisual Institute (Institut National de l’Audiovisuel, or INA) is a recognised leader in R&D, training and production activities, across all areas of picture and sound.     France’s attractiveness as a location for foreign film productions was further strengthened in 2009 by the introduction of the Tax Rebate for International Productions (or TRIP), which was specifically designed for non-French companies making part (or all) of a film in France. Since it was introduced, 31 foreign productions (encompassing on-location filming, animation and digital visual effects) have been granted a TRIP rebate, amounting to 20% of eligible expenditure. Twelve of these productions were shot entirely or partially in Paris and the others in the regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur, Picardie (in the north of the country), Brittany (in the west), Rhône-Alpes (in the south-east) and Guadeloupe (in the French West Indies).     Foreign production expenditure in France has increased fivefold in recent years, from €10 million in 2008 to €50 million in 2009. In 2010 again, the figure that was reached was of €50 million. The BBC, for example, decided to shoot a series of films on Merlin in France, while several US-based film-makers have taken advantage of the scheme, including internationally acclaimed directors such as Clint Eastwood (with Hereafter), Martin Scorsese (The Invention of Hugo Cabret) and Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris).    The number of shooting days determines the knock-on benefits for the local economy, in terms of jobs for artists and technicians, post-production, equipment hire, accommodation, transport, catering, and so on. Total foreign feature-length shooting days rose from 92 days in 2008 to 210 days in 2010 — an increase of over 100%. Meanwhile, the average number of shooting days per foreign feature-length film went up from six to 14 days over the same period.    In 2010, the French cinema industry generated revenues totalling €330 million, with exports accounting for €137 million of the overall figure. Eleven films recorded higher admission numbers outside the country than in France itself, taking all genres into account, including art-house movies, movies on general release and animation films.    French developers have acquired a worldwide reputation in the field of animation, more particularly in relation to special effects and in terms of their 3D expertise. Dynamic companies in the animation sector, such as Mac Guff, Buf and Mikros, are respected and well known internationally.    The Tax Rebate for International Production (or TRIP) is administered by the National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC), with applications assessed by Film France.   Created in 1946, the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC) is a public-sector agency coming under France’s Ministry of Culture. Its role is to regulate the film industry in France; to support the film, broadcast, video and multimedia industries; to promote movies and TV productions; and, finally, to preserve the nation’s unique film heritage.    For further information on CNC, please go to: www.cnc.fr   Film France is the first stop for international production companies interested in filming in France. A network of 40 local film commissions throughout the country offers free information on locations, crews, labour rates and facilities. Film France provides assistance with contacting appropriate agencies regarding work permits and filming permits, as well as information regarding labour rates, studio facilities, post-production facilities and suppliers.   For further information on Film France, please go to: www.filmfrance.net   About the Invest in France Agency (IFA)  The Invest in France Agency (IFA) is the national agency responsible for promoting and facilitating international investment in France. It also co-ordinates initiatives in order to promote France’s economic attractiveness.   The IFA network operates worldwide, with offices within France as well as in North and South America, in Europe, in the Middle East, and in the rest of Asia. In France, IFA works in partnership with regional development agencies to offer international investors outstanding business opportunities and customized services.    For further information on IFA, please visit www.investinfrance.org