Leading companies and world-class production sites in

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2013
Leading companies and
world-class production sites
in Grenoble-Isère
As Europe’s second-largest chemical producer —behind Germany—,
France boasts a robust chemical industry with a prominent position on the
global stage. France’s chemical industry, which transforms energy and raw
materials into a wide range of useful compounds and materials, plays a key
role in the country’s economy: Chemical industry is France’s leading export
sector and France’s third sector in terms of revenue, with some €90 billion of
revenue a year.
Rhône-Alpes is France’s top region for chemical manufacturing,
home to numerous production facilities as well as 20% of the country’s
researchers and 25% of its R&D investments. Major industry players like
Arkema, Total, and the French Petroleum Institute have set up R&D centers
employing a total of 1,000 people near their production sites in and around
Lyon. Some 5,000 more chemical-industry professionals work in the
Grenoble-Isère area. In fact, Grenoble-Isère boasts a long history of
chemical production spanning from commodities through to fine chemicals,
with an excellent track record of efficient operations and successful risk
management. The area’s three major chemical parks (at Pont-de-Claix, Jarrie,
and Roches-Roussillon) are home to several plants fully compliant with the
Seveso Directive, since safety is—of course—their top priority.
In addition to the chemical industry heavyweights, many innovative, fastgrowing SMEs have also set up shop in Grenoble-Isère. And most of the
area’s chemical companies have one thing in common: European or even
global leadership positions in their markets. This is true for products ranging
from acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide to lubricants for underground
operations and zirconium sponges. While the Grenoble region boasts solid,
long-standing expertise in chlorine compounds, phosgene, and isocyanate, a
wide variety of other chemicals—like sulfur, phosphate, silicone, and
phenols—are produced in the Rhône river valley and the northern part of
Isère.
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A STRATEGIC LOCATION IN EUROPE
OFFERING NUMEROUS ADVANTAGES FOR BUSINESSES
Ideally located to serve European markets
Grenoble-Isère is situated in the center of France’s Rhône-Alpes region
and at the crossroads of northern and southern Europe. This strategic
location gives companies direct access to markets in Switzerland,
Germany, and Italy. The Rhône-Alpes region boasts one of Europe’s
most vibrant economies. Home to 6.34 million residents and a GDP of
€182 billion (10% of France’s total GDP), the Rhône-Alpes region is the
country’s second-largest regional economy behind Paris-Ile-de-France.
Robust infrastructure
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Three international airports: Lyon-Saint Exupéry, GenevaCointrin, and Grenoble-Saint Geoirs
Linked to the European high-speed train network
Modern highways throughout the region
Two large labor pools
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Lyon (1,400,000 inhabitants) in the north
Grenoble (750,000 inhabitants) in the south
Advanced R&D backed by international companies in
several industries
R&D is a key driver of Grenoble-Isère’s economy. Most of the region’s
R&D work is carried out in Grenoble, in close collaboration with the
city’s world-caliber businesses and universities.
• 25,000 R&D jobs (second in France only to Paris)
• 5 international and 9 national research centers
• Numerous R&D partnerships with local businesses
Axelera, the Rhône-Alpes competitive cluster for
environmental chemistry
Axelera is the only competitive cluster in the world bringing together
both chemical and environmental industry know-how. It was created to
accelerate the development of next-generation chemical
compounds that can help meet tomorrow’s environmental
challenges.
The cluster is currently coordinating 19 collaborative R&D projects
bringing together research centers, businesses, and end customers
along the entire environmental and chemical value chains. Its work
focuses on five key pillars:
Environmental chemistry applications
Environmental protection
Materials recycling and recyclability
Plant-based chemicals
Next-generation production plants
The cluster was founded jointly by Arkema, Rhodia, Suez, the French
Petroleum Institute, and the French National Center for Scientific
Research (CNRS).
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MAJOR CHEMICAL COMPANIES IN GRENOBLE-ISÈRE
Arkema, the world’s third-largest H202 producer
Arkema’s plant in Jarrie, just outside Grenoble, specializes in
chlorine and chlorine derivatives and houses one of the world’s
largest hydrogen peroxide units. The plant counts 350 employees
and produces hydrogen peroxide, chlorine, soda, bleach, and methyl
chloride.
Vencorex, a leading supplier of isocyanate
Vencorex is the new joint venture between Sweden-based Perstorp
and Thailand-based PTT Global Chemical—majority shareholder—.
Vencorex’s plant is one of France’s only isocyanate manufacturer
(including TDI, HDI, and derivatives); these compounds are used to
make high-end, low-solvent paints and coatings and polyurethane
foam for automotive and furniture applications. The company’s HDI
business, which mainly serves the growing automotive and aerospace
markets, relies heavily on innovation. Vencorex’s operations at Pontde-Claix are fully integrated along the entire production chain,
spanning from salt extraction and electrolysis to make chlorine,
caustic soda, and hydrogen, to the production of phosgene and
isocyanate.
Solvay
Chemical giant Solvay has plants at both Pont-de-Claix and RochesRoussillon.
At Roches-Roussillon, Solvay boasts a world-leading cellulose
acetate plant—cellulose acetate is an important intermediate for
making cigarette filters.
Isochem, the specialist in phosgene fine chemicals
At Pont-de-Claix, Isochem makes products for the agricultural and
landscaping industries. Isochem produces herbicides used to protect
grains and other plants. Isochem has 80 employees.
Air Liquide, the global leader in industrial and medical
gases
Air Liquide provides end-to-end systems including industrial and
medical gases, gas distribution equipment, and installation and
maintenance services. In Isère the company employs 700 people for
the production of process gases such as nitrogen, oxygen,
hydrogen, and carbon oxides.
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Bluestar Silicones, experts in silicone products
Bluestar Silicones, which operates a plant at Roches-Roussillon, is a
subsidiary of China National BlueStar (Group) Co., Ltd., a large stateowned enterprise owned by ChinaChem Group Corporation. The
company employs 150 people in its silicones business, which makes
methyl chlorosilane for glue, sealants, and plastics.
Areva-Cezus, a global leader in nuclear zirconium
Cezus, an Areva company, manufactures zirconium-alloy components.
Its Jarrie plant uses zircon to make zirconium sponges—a market
in which Cezus boasts a 55% share worldwide. 95% of its sponges
are used in the nuclear industry, making the Jarrie plant a key player
in the production of nuclear fuel. The company also transforms
zirconium production byproducts into other marketable compounds
like hafnium and magnesium chloride. Hafnium is a key component
in super-alloys capable of withstanding very high temperatures and is
designed for use in applications like aircraft engines. Cezus employs
240 people at its Jarrie plant.
Adisseo, one of the world’s top three methionine
producers
Adisseo develops and manufactures nutritional additives (vitamins,
methionine, and enzymes) for livestock feed. An animal nutrition
expert, Adisseo employs 300 people at two sites in Isère: Saint-Clairdu-Rhône, which manufactures AMTP, an intermediate used in
methionine production; and Roches-Roussillon, which makes
methionine. Adisseo is a subsidiary of Bluestar, which is owned by
ChinaChem Group Corporation.
Finorga-Novasep, a leading fine chemical company
At its site in Chasse-sur-Rhône, Finorga, a Novasep company,
produces active ingredients and advanced intermediates for
all of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. FinorgaNovasep possesses expertise in the manufacturing of synthetic fine
chemicals for production runs of all sizes. The company has a 50person R&D center and delivers value at all stages of the production
process: reaction, decantation, distillation, filtering, drying, and
atomization. Finorga-Novasep also serves other industries such as
cosmetics and fragrances. The company has 220 employees.
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Stepan Europe, supplier of a quarter of Europe’s fabric
softeners
Stepan Europe, the European branch of US-based Stepan Company,
makes biodegradable fabric softeners for industrial and
household use, oil field additives, and industrial and household
detergents at its plant in Voreppe (in Isère). Voreppe is also home
to Stepan Europe’s headquarters; the company has 120 employees.
Condat , the leading global supplier of lubricants for
underground mining, drilling, and digging
Condat, headquartered at Chasse-sur-Rhône, makes specialty
lubricants for industrial processes like drilling, metal working, and
wire drawing, and for industrial maintenance. The company is the
leading global supplier of lubricants for underground operations and
for cold heading (with its Vicafil range). 40 of Condat’s 425
employees work in R&D.
RSA le Rubis, designer of innovative materials
RSA le Rubis, located in Jarrie, manufactures synthetic sapphire
and ruby monocrystals made by crystallizing pure or doped
alumina powder. These products are used in jewelry and timepieces.
The company also produces large sapphires (more than 100 mm in
diameter) for the microelectronics and optoelectronics industries (the
sapphires are used to make LEDs, increasingly used in new lighting
applications) and sapphire microbeads (made using plasma torches)
targeting surface treatments for demanding applications in the
aerospace, medical, and electronics industries.
Novacyl, a key player recognized amongst the largest
pharmaceutical companies
The Novacap subsidiary is a worldwide leader on acetylsalicylic acid
and intermediates (salicylic acid, esters). The company also produces
methyl salicylate in Grenoble-Isere. Its plants gathers 52 employees.
Novapex, an intermediate supplier
Novapex is a Novacap subsidiary. Novapex produces phenol and
acetone, basic chemical products which, after several processes, are
used for daily use goods and products: mobile phone, computer, car,
carpet, aspirin, paracetamol, etc… Novapex has 120 employees on its
Grenoble-Isere’s site.
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ADVANCED CHEMICAL INDUSTRY RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
University programs targeting chemical-industry needs
Grenoble-Isère boasts world-caliber universities offering a wide range
of chemistry and chemical engineering degrees. The area also offers
numerous vocational programs for specialized technical degrees in
fields like industrial processes, plastics, and paints, coatings, and
adhesives. Every year some 800 chemistry students graduate from
Université Joseph Fourier (UJF), the science, technology, and
healthcare school of Grenoble University, including a handful of PhD
students from its Doctoral School of Chemistry and Life Sciences. The
area’s top engineering school, Grenoble Institute of TechnologyPhelma, trains 110 engineers a year in fields like electrochemistry,
physical chemistry, materials science and engineering, and process
engineering.
Leading-edge research centers
Grenoble-Isère is No.1 in France for R&D (as a % of total jobs).
Some 600 scientists work in chemistry-related R&D in the region, in
fields ranging from molecular chemistry and physical chemistry to
electrochemistry and process engineering. A great deal of research is
also done in biochemistry, for applications in pharmaceuticals, biometals, and other promising areas. Materials science and engineering
at the crossroads with physics are also growing focus areas.
Grenoble-Isère is also home to large international scientific
instruments like the Synchrotron (ESRF), the European Molecular
Biology Laboratory (EMBL), and the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL).
A dedicated Molecular Chemistry Department at UJF
Université Joseph Fourier (UJF), in conjunction with the French
National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), opened a Molecular
Chemistry Department on January 1, 2007. The Department’s 150
researchers work on applications for healthcare and nanoscience,
focusing on five key areas:
• Organic chemistry (reactions and synthesis)
• Biomolecular engineering and interactions
• Inorganic chemistry (oxidation and reduction)
• Theoretical chemistry
• Electrochemical and analytical biosystems
A vast chemical inventory
The molecular chemistry research center has a vast inventory of over
1,400 chemical compounds available for use by both companies
and laboratories. These compounds not only showcase the research
center’s know-how, but also enable scientists to perform biological
screening tests to develop new diagnostic and/or therapeutic
applications.
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THREE WORLD-CLASS CHEMICAL PARKS
Grenoble Chemical Park at Pont-de-Claix
The Pont-de-Claix chemical park, located just south of Grenoble,
focuses primarily on chlorine production using state-of-the art
processes. The companies operating at the park are some of Europe’s
leading suppliers of isocyanate (used to make polyurethane).
Key figures
800 direct and 2,400 indirect jobs
120 hectares
30 ha available
1 million tons of materials used
Assets: €1 billion
€100 million invested in safety and
improvements in 2011
2 high-pressure phosgenation vessels
environmental
Main companies present
Air Liquide, Isochem, Novacid, Solvay Energy Services, Sita
REKEM (a Suez Environnement subsidiary), Vencorex (JV
between PTT and Perstorp)
Shared services
Industrial-zoned land suitable for Seveso high threshold
plants and industrial-zoned land divided into 80 m x 80 m
lots
Process fluid lines: steam, nitrogen, compressed air,
chlorine, hydrogen, and phosgene
An incineration unit for liquid and gaseous chlorine residue
A cogeneration plant, operated by Solvay Energy
Services, that generates the power for the park
Safety and environmental facilities including:
- A 40,000 m3 reservoir basin
- An on-site fire station with a dozen trucks and access to a
high-pressure water system
Industrial services: engineering, DCS conception &
implementation, external supplier for maintenance,
production laboratories, logistics and supply chain,
customs, warehouses…
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Jarrie
The Jarrie chemical park is located in a beautiful area just 15 km
south of Grenoble. The many companies at the park play a key role
in supporting and developing the local chemical industry and the
broader economy.
Key figures
1,000 direct jobs
100 hectares, 75 of which house industrial facilities
Over €90 million invested in safety and environmental
improvements in 2011
Main companies present
Arkema, Areva-Cezus, RSA le Rubis, Air Liquide
Shared services
A train station on France’s major railway network (Jarrie
station)
Process fluid lines: nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, natural
gas, water, and chlorine
Pooled occupational health, fire-fighting, and emergency
services
Joint service providers serving both the Jarrie and Pont-deClaix chemical parks:
Solvay Energy Services for energy optimization
Sita REKEM (a Suez Environnement subsidiary) for
industrial waste incineration (liquids and gases)
Omega Concept for the design and construction of
clean rooms
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Roches-Roussillon
Located between Lyon and Valence in France’s “chemical belt”, the
Roches-Roussillon chemical park is ideally positioned to serve markets
in both northern and southern Europe. This rapidly-growing chemical
park produces a wide variety of products, such as phenol, sulfur,
phosphate, methionine, and silicone intermediates, and boasts
modern multimodal shipping facilities with interconnected highway,
railway, and river infrastructures.
Key figures
1,400 direct and 4,000 indirect jobs
€93 million invested in 2012, 40% of which on health, safety,
and environmental improvements
16 companies present
150 hectares
50 hectares available
Main companies present
Adisseo, Air Liquide, Bluestar Silicones, Celanese, Cofely (a GDF
Suez company) Dalkia Industries, Evonik, Gambro, Gesip,
Novacyl, Novapex, Solvay, Sita Rekem, Prayon and Thor
Centralized support services via Osiris
Industrial-zoned land suited for the construction of Seveso
plants (or plants subject to similar legislation), complete
with utility and process gas hookups and wastewater
treatment facilities
Technical support for obtaining building and operating
permits
Reliable, low-cost process fluids, electricity and gases
(nitrogen, compressed air, hydrogen, acetylene, natural
gas, propylene, and water) and shared services for
occupational health and safety, environmental protection,
maintenance, logistics, research, IT systems, inspections,
and laboratory analyses
A Health, Safety, and Environmental Code of Conduct for
all plants operating at the site, in order to ensure
regulatory compliance and optimal performance in these
areas
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Grenoble-Isère
Leading companies
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Grenoble-Isère: the smart move
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Grenoble is top 5 in Forbes’ World’s 15 Most Inventive Cities (July 2013)
No.1 in France for R&D (as a % of total jobs)
International dimension: 7 out of 10 of top employers are foreign-owned companies; US,
Germany and UK are top investors in Grenoble-Isère
AEPI, the Grenoble-Isère economic development agency
AEPI promotes Grenoble-Isère as a prime location for business and investment. With offices in the
United States and China and a network of consultants spanning Germany, and the United Kingdom,
AEPI is well-placed to attract foreign companies to Grenoble-Isère and assist them in development.
Over the past fifteen years, the agency has provided 400 French and foreign firms with the support
they need to make their move to Grenoble-Isère a success—creating some 9,000 jobs in the process.
Drawing on our extensive knowledge of local industrial, research and government networks, and
building upon international connections to the most advanced industrial & technological clusters and
regions worldwide, AEPI is skilled in helping international and local investors achieve their business
development goals.
Grenoble-Isère’s strategic positioning at the crossroads of research, higher education, and industry
makes it the perfect place to start a new business or expand an existing one.
AEPI - Agence d’Etudes et de promotion de l’Isère
1, place Firmin Gautier – 38027 Grenoble Cedex 1 – France
Tél : +33 476 709 718 – Fax : +33 476 709 719 – Email : AEPI@grenoble-isere.com
AEPI 2013 – Photos: DR, AEPI-Pierre Jayet, STMicroelectronics, Jazz à Vienne, Jean-Luc Rigaud, Plateforme chimique de Pont-de-Claix, Osiris, Arkema – Usine de Jarrie