New research pole in the Lyon-St. Etienne area

Seven industrial groups and two research laboratories have come together to create a research pole in the Lyon-St Etienne area, with a view to becoming a recognised centre for the study of polymerisation and polymeric materials in France. The Lyon-Polymer Science and Engineering pole includes Arkema, Bluestar Silicones, Hutchinson, Nexans, Solvay, Toray and Total, all of which signed a special partnership-agreement with the CNRS, INSA-Lyon, the Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and the Université Jean Monnet in St. Etienne on 1 July 2015.

The research pole is built upon the skills and technical expertise of two laboratories, the laboratory for the Engineering of Polymeric Materials and the laboratory of Chemistry, Catalysis, Polymers and Processes, and is also associated with the mixed SOLVAY/CNRS unit of the laboratory for Polymers and Advanced Materials.

Key aims of the pole include: 

• To include the pole in other local laboratories, industrial groups and small to medium sized businesses. 
• To develop long-term partnerships in order to maintain and develop high-level research, reinforce innovative applied research and build upon this expertise to develop innovative disruptive technologies. 
• To build upon a broad skill set to aid with the training of both R&D scientists and technicians. 
• To pool specific equipment, resources and analytical techniques.

It is hoped that the pole will become one of the flagship projects for the creation of the Institute d’Excellence of the University of Lyon in the next few years.

Adapted from press release by Rebecca Bowden

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/05102015/new-research-pole-in-the-lyon-st-etienne-area-714/