The Interprofessional Committee of Laboratory Suppliers (CIFL) is, through a diverse body of members who are highly representative of the profession, a key player in the French laboratory business.
Uniting the companies that do business in public and private research, control and analysis, CIFL has become the industry's leading contact for government authorities and represents all members as it promotes and defends their interests.
Not only does CIFL bring industry players together at the Forum LABO & BIOTECH trade fair, France's premier laboratory-industry event, but it also plays the role of coordinator for the profession. The work of CIFL helps companies to stake out leading positions on their markets and supports them through periods of change. CIFL's operations favour the active involvement of its members through constructive and productive collaboration.
CIFL membership provides countless opportunities to interact with other industry professionals and to contribute to the work of our commissions in order to help our companies and their employees move forward together and to effectively deal with the profound changes currently affecting the sector. Membership is also a way of preparing our companies and partners for the challenges of tomorrow by enhancing competitiveness and constantly striving to better serve our clients.
Working Commissions
The operating principle of CIFL is the active involvement of its members as part of working commissions.
Each Commission is led by a Director from CIFL who acts as spokesperson for the Board of Directors.
Economy / Statistics Moderator : Olivier Chapeau
Goal: Keep track of market developments through trend indicators; carry out product statistical surveys. Actions: Implementing surveys on annual changes in commercial expenses, costs of services, and corporate social policies; conducting economic surveys on quarterly changes in turnover and staff in the Laboratory profession and specialised statistical surveys, under the supervision of a bailiff, on the market for chromatography, spectrometry, thermal analysis, and other areas according to the interests of the members concerned.
Export / Maghreb Moderator : Patrice Pasquier Goal: Inform our members about opportunities in foreign markets, especially North African countries: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia. Actions: Organised a trade fair in Algeria: Forum LABO Algiers in April 2007.
Vocational Training Moderator : Manuel Keller
Goal: Inform on the various collective agreements, training courses, training contracts and hiring needs in our profession; implement inter-company training for employees of member companies. Actions: Helping with recruitment and training in different schools training technical sales and service engineers, providing information and surveys of our members, etc.
Forum LABO & BIOTECH Moderator : C. Turci Objectif : définir les critères de la manifestation FORUM LABO pour en faire un grand rendez-vous incontournable de la profession du Laboratoire pour les industriels, les scientifiques et les utilisateurs... Actions : mise en place de la manifestation, choix des partenaires, participation au Comité d'Organisation, réalisation d'enquêtes de satisfaction, définition des actions de promotion et implication de tous les membres pour en assurer le succès !
Public Procurement Contracts Moderator : P. Pasquier
Goal: Develop the representation of the profession vis-à-vis the authorities and official agencies, government departments. Actions: Simplifying the administration of tendering, surveys on payment periods in public/private sectors, information on regulations regarding dual-use goods, the EU VAT, export licences, research tax credits, etc.
Promotion / Communication Moderator : Christiane TURCI
Goal: Maintain regular contact with the trade press, increase the promotion of the Laboratory profession internally and externally with its various partners; reflect on the developments in corporate communications. Actions: Producing information brochures and press releases, implementing surveys on communication developments and organising brainstorming sessions on the issue of new communication tools: trade shows, the press, conferences, CD-ROM catalogues, Internet, etc. as applied to the Laboratory community.
Customer Services Moderator :T. Barbier Goal: Think about new services to be implemented to meet customers’ expectations: safety charter, waste processing, etc.
Social Issues Moderator : M. Keller
Goal: Inform our members about social changes in France: establishment of the 35-hour working week for executives and salespeople, company savings schemes, pension funds, stock options, etc. Actions: Conducting surveys of CIFL member businesses, sharing the experience of precursors, requesting information from official bodies and monitoring new arrangements.
Information and Communication
CIFL puts communication first and has implemented many tools designed to inform its members: all Laboratory industry news is processed and released on a regular basis and the changes that have occurred in our profession are analysed to assist companies in making decisions.
The CIFL NEWSLETTER :This newsletter is sent to all of our members. It summarises the works being carried out and gives information about the activities of the association and its members as well as about the Laboratory industry.
SURVEYS:They are monthly and cover an economic, organisational, social or strategic aspect of companies. Their analysis is published in the CIFL Newsletter.
THE CIFL CLUB :Two or three times a year, depending on current affairs and needs, the CLUB brings together all members around a major topic of general interest. The CLUB is run by specialists working on issues as diverse as: the management of sales staff working time, customer relationship, the new French Public Procurement Code or save-as-you-earn schemes.
TOOLABO :The essential tool of the Laboratory profession, Toolabo features an online directory of CIFL members and a nomenclature of 1,000 products, equipment and services intended for public or private laboratories: www.toolabo.com
LABORATORY MARKET SURVEY : Carried out in partnership with ALCIMED for the CIFL members, this major market survey lists the 15 major areas of business of clients (private or public) within our profession, takes stock of the opportunities and prospects for development, and assists suppliers in making decisions.
Forum LABO & BIOTECH : All technological innovations are showcased at this major biennial event for the laboratory community. Research, Analysis, Control – all these fields are represented in sectors ranging from Industry and Biotechnology, through to the Environment and Food Processing. This unique event is fully managed and controlled by the Laboratory profession. For more information: www.forumlabo.com
CIFL Unifies the Profession 
