Elkem Silicones builds new R+D centre in France

Elkem Silicones announced that it will invest EUR 25 million to build a new Research and Development (R+D) centre at its Saint-Fons site in France for the development of high value-added silicone specialities. Construction is scheduled to start in March 2019. The facility, which is expected to be operational at the end of 2020, will bring together 130 European researchers and will be at the heart of the Chemistry Valley and the Lyon Metropolis.

According to the company, the silicones industry is experiencing strong growth of more than 5 % per year, driven by urbanisation, the electrification of transport means, renewable energies and the growing needs for care and quality of life.

With this project, Elkem Silicones will double the space dedicated to research on its Saint-Fons site, bringing the floor space of its research centre to 6,000 m², with the aim of reinforcing collaborative research within Silicones teams, but also within its open innovation network in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Thus, several workspaces of the site of Saint-Fons South will be grouped, allowing the R+D teams to work together at a single loction. Every year, more than ten patents come from the current R+D centre, which already holds more than 1,200 patent titles.

Frédéric Jacquin, General Manager of the Elkem Silicones Division, said: “Innovation is an essential strategic issue for our industry and our company. Being able to invest in this field in France, thanks to a favourable local eco-system, high-quality teams and the competitiveness of research in France for many years, is a sign of confidence in our ambition to grow within a global project.”

Elkem is a leading provider of silicones and silicon solutions. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, the company has annual revenues of NOK 21 billion (~ USD 2.6 billion), employs 6,000 people and operates 27 production sites around the globe.

www.elkem.com