France: projects and investment
In 2022 France announced plans to build six new reactors, reversing a 2014 plan to reduce nuclear supply, which points to long-running construction and maintenance work.
France · industrial
Industrial Smartphone Distributor in France
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android handset designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, aimed at the refineries, chemical platforms and LNG terminals that make up the French Seveso estate. Le Havre is France's second-largest commercial port by tonnage and its largest for containers, managed since 2008 by the state agency Grand Port Maritime du Havre, a key entry point for imported equipment. Distribution partners for France are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicindustrial
DeviceSmartphone
RouteDistribution
WhereFrance
Short answer. France has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · industrial
Checklist: industrial smartphone for France
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ingress protection | IP rating for dust and water | IP68 design |
| Fleet management | EMM and MDM support | Android 16 with EMM and MDM |
| Explosion protection | A separate certificate and marking | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | France: Donges, Montoir-de-Bretagne, Feyzin and the Vallée de la Chimie | Classified by the site operator |
Product · France
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in France. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The market · France
Hazardous-area industry in France
The main operators, industrial areas and sites that the SAMS France market guide covers.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- TotalEnergies
- Normandy platform at Gonfreville plus Donges and Feyzin, and the Grandpuits zero-crude platform.
- North Atlantic
- Port-Jérôme-Gravenchon refinery and chemical plant in Normandy since 2025.
- Rhône Énergies
- Operates the Fos-sur-Mer refinery near Marseille since 2024.
- Petroineos
- Lavéra refinery and petrochemical site on the Étang de Berre.
- Arkema
- Specialty chemicals at Jarrie, Pierre-Bénite, Lacq and Carling.
- Air Liquide
- Industrial gas and hydrogen pipeline networks in Normandy and Fos.
Industrial areas and sites
- Gonfreville-l'Orcher
- Normandy refining and petrochemical platform beside Le Havre.
- Port-Jérôme
- Seine valley refinery and chemical site in Seine-Maritime.
- Donges
- Refinery and jetties on the Loire estuary near Saint-Nazaire.
- Montoir-de-Bretagne
- LNG import terminal on the same estuary.
- Feyzin and the Vallée de la Chimie
- Refinery and chemical plants along the Rhône south of Lyon.
- Roussillon and Salaise
- Chemical platform further down the Rhône corridor in Isère.
Field notes · France
More about France that matters for portable equipment
France: infrastructure
Nuclear power produces around 70% of France's electricity from 56 active reactors in 2023, so large plant outages bring many contractors to a small number of sites.
France: infrastructure
Hydropower has 20 GW of installed capacity and supplies around 10% of French electricity, and renewables provided 26% of national consumption in 2022.
France: background
The Lacq gas field in Nouvelle-Aquitaine was discovered in 1950 and began production in 1958; its sour gas comes from about 4,000 metres depth.
The term · industrial
What “industrial” means for a smartphone
“Industrial” describes a phone built for plant conditions: sealed, drop-resistant and manageable at fleet scale through Android Enterprise. It does not by itself mean the phone may enter a classified area. Only a device with a valid explosion-protection certificate and marking may do that.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to be both an industrial Android phone (IP68, 4,000 mAh battery, 50 MP camera, Android 16 with EMM and MDM support) and an intrinsically safe one. Its explosion-protection certificates are in progress and have not been issued.
In France. French platforms mix site staff with maintenance and turnaround contractors who arrive in numbers. The IS-04Z1 is designed for EMM or MDM enrolment, so a fleet can be provisioned per contract. Charging belongs in a safe area, and the language set-up should suit crews working in French.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in France
SAMS is appointing authorised distributors ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No territory has been granted for France yet and applications are reviewed company by company. Because a certified Ex device cannot be opened by an ordinary phone workshop without invalidating its certificate, SAMS looks for partners who can provide competent technical support and after-sales service locally.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in France.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · France
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an industrial smartphone in France today?
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
What does an industrial smartphone in France cost?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
Is the IS-04Z1 an industrial phone as well as an Ex phone?
Yes by design: IP68 sealing, a 4,000 mAh battery, a 50 MP camera and Android 16 with EMM and MDM support. The explosion-protection certificates are separate and still in progress.
Which sites in France does this cover?
The market guide for France covers Gonfreville-l'Orcher, Port-Jérôme, Donges, Montoir-de-Bretagne, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for France?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for France.
Should documentation be in French for French industrial sites?
French is generally expected for instructions and safety documentation at French sites, and ATEX user instructions are typically required in the language of the destination country. International operators may also accept English. Ask the site contact which language they require for contractor equipment files.
How do nuclear outages affect device planning in France?
Large reactor outages bring many contractors at once, so site access, induction and equipment registration can be tightly scheduled. Nuclear sites also have conventional hazardous areas, for example for hydrogen and fuel stores, so agree device approval early with the plant's safety office.
Can one device be used across a shared French platform?
Zones and rules are set by the site operator and can differ between units on the same platform. A device would need a marking suitable for each zone it enters. Check the zone plan and permit rules with the platform operator before carrying a handset in.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for France, other places in France, and the pages behind them.
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in FranceSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in FranceSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone in FranceSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in FranceSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in FranceSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in FranceSame place, different guide
France market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for FranceEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · France
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for France
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · France
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for France?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.