Editing Angers (section)

== Economy ==

[[File:Liqueur cointreau.jpg|thumb|left|150px|A bottle of [[Cointreau]], a liqueur produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, near Angers, since 1849]]
The early prosperity of the town was largely due to the nearby [[quarry|quarries]] of [[slate]], whose abundant use for the roofs of Angers led to its sobriquet as the "Black City". In the mid-19th century, the principal manufactures were goods for [[sailing ship]]s ([[sailcloth]] and [[rope]]), [[linen]] and [[hosiery|hose]], [[sugar]], [[leather]], [[wax]], and [[oil]], as well as agricultural products (mainly [[wheat]], [[wine]], and [[fruit]]).{{sfnp|EB|1878}} By the time of the [[First World War]], [[Cointreau]] had developed the distillation of [[liqueur]]s from the area's fruit to an industrial level. The work for sailing ships was still carried on but [[steamship]]s had greatly reduced demand. Instead, local companies produced [[Electrical cable|cable]]s, [[wire]]s, and [[thread (yarn)|thread]] and increased production of [[footwear]], [[umbrella]]s, and [[parasol]]s. The area's vineyards focused on [[sparkling wine]] and fruit was increasingly [[preserved fruit|preserved]] for sale elsewhere. The area had also developed a small-scale [[textile industry]] and begun producing machines, as well as commercial-scale production of [[hemp]] and [[flower]]s.{{sfnp|EB|1911}}

Present-day Angers provides 45.7% of the [[Maine-et-Loire]] job positions. It is the 22nd-largest national job provider and the 3rd-largest one in northwestern France after [[Nantes]] and [[Rennes]]. Its unemployment rate (13.5% in 2017) is above the national rate. 20.7% of the people working in Angers have graduate or post-graduate qualifications.<ref name=complet/>

Cointreau continues to produce its orange triple-sec liqueur in nearby [[Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou]], but many of the other industries have since vanished. Modern Angers produces [[Scania (company)|Scania]] [[truck]]s at [[Écouflant]] and computers by [[Groupe Bull|Bull]], [[Packard Bell]], and [[NEC]]. It also supports research labs investigating horticulture and biotechnology. Thanks to its several higher education schools, laboratories, and various offices, Angers is the largest horticultural center in [[Europe]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Website of the école Supérieure d'Agriculture d'Angers. |url=http://www.groupe-esa.com/article436.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902130341/http://www.groupe-esa.com/article436.html |archive-date=2 September 2011 |access-date=2 August 2012}}</ref> and, as the home of the [[Community Plant Variety Office]], Angers is the hub of the [[plant breeders' rights]] system in the [[European Community]]. For example, Angers is the leading hydrangeas producer in Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vidéos : Angers.fr |url=http://www.angers.fr/actualites/videos/index.html?tx_angersvideos_pi1%5Bvideo_id%5D=1380&cHash=8fe4019e2ff9623588d8179d0c89422b |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923172236/http://www.angers.fr/actualites/videos/index.html?tx_angersvideos_pi1%5Bvideo_id%5D=1380&cHash=8fe4019e2ff9623588d8179d0c89422b |archive-date=23 September 2015 |access-date=1 December 2018}}</ref> The local economy also relies on the presence of many administrative, educational, and health institutions. There are also many small firms, chiefly focused on the agricultural tradition of [[Maine-et-Loire]]. Angers also serves as a regional financial center, with many banks and insurance companies (including [[Afone]], [[CNP Assurances]], [[Crédit Agricole]], Fiducial, and [[Groupama]]) maintaining their regional offices there.

Angers is an important convention center, with a present convention trade of around €8,000,000. The new convention center slated for 2016 has been cancelled in 2013.<ref>[http://www.courrierdelouest.fr/actualite/angers-abandon-du-nouveau-centre-des-congres-un-reniement-de-plus-05-07-2013-113446 Angers. Abandon du nouveau Centre des congrès : "Un reniement de plus !"]</ref> The renovation of the previous convention center and the addition of a 400 conference room at the back by the garden should be finished in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Le projet de rénovation du centre de congrès est lancé : Angers.fr |url=http://www.angers.fr/actualites/detail/article/12217-le-projet-de-renovation-du-centre-de-congres-est-lance/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923172200/http://www.angers.fr/actualites/detail/article/12217-le-projet-de-renovation-du-centre-de-congres-est-lance/index.html |archive-date=23 September 2015 |access-date=2015-08-09}}</ref> The ''Parc des Expositions'', where fairs are currently held, welcomes 600,000 visitors and more than 300 events each year. With its {{convert|27000|m2|0|sp=us|abbr=on}}, it is the biggest structure of its type in northwestern France.<ref name="plan">{{Cite web |title=Map of the Parc des Expositions |url=http://www.angers-expo-congres.com/pdf_infos/salons.pdf}}{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>