Express Trailers has set up a new depot in the Lille region to service growing demand.

The Malta French Chamber of Commerce hosted a social networking event at the Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa where Chamber members had the opportunity to network and explore potential new business collaborations.

Thanking members and guests for their continued support, Malta French Chamber of Commerce president Joseph Bugeja explained how the chamber was established 26 years ago to promote and develop commercial, industrial, financial and tourist exchanges between Malta and France. He also referred to a number of initiatives undertaken by the MFCC, particularly the forthcoming publication of a Focus France 2016 supplement in June, together with plans for a medical conference in November.

France remains one of the main trading partners of Malta. From the statistics of the French customs and Economy Ministry, French exports to Malta increased 16 per cent between 2014 and 2015 (€358.7 million) and French imports from Malta increased by two per cent (€172.8 million).

French Ambassador Beatrice le Fraper du Hellen spoke on the active role being taken by the French Embassy in Malta to promote initiatives leading to investment and further businesses between the two countries. She referred to the various French businesses that have started working in or with Malta, such as Avene cosmetics, Angenieux precision cameras, Click and Boats Rentals, and Meludia – a music learning web application that will be offered free to Maltese citizens.

Express Trailers, which supported the organisation of the event, is one of the companies that has been operating to and from France since 1978 with a scheduled weekly service from Paris and Lyon.

Express Trailers head of sales and business development David Fleri Soler said: “We are one of the companies that have been experiencing an increase in trade between Malta and France and this increased demand for our service has led us to add a new depot in Lille to be able to service our customers doing business with the region.”

He said: “We are delighted to have an active role in the growth of more business between the two countries. Indeed, Express Trailers has always worked closely with local and international companies doing business to and from France and we have always been very close to their requirements and responsive to their demands. We are set up in a way that we can offer a total logistics solution and therefore, we can easily adapt to how the client’s requirements evolve. A case in point is this growing need for better connections through Lille and this is what spurred Express Trailers to establish a new depot in this region.”

The most dynamic sectors contributing to the growth of bilateral trade between Malta and France include the boating sector, ICT and electronic goods, optical instruments, pharmaceutical products, automotive and food and beverage sectors.