AEPI Magazine No3 : Grenoble-Isère’s vibrant chemical industry - June 2012

Rhône-Alpes is France’s largest chemical-producing region and is home to 20% of the country’s jobs and 25% of its R&D spending. According to the French Chemical Industry Association, France is tied with South Korea and Brazil as the world’s fifth-largest chemical producer. It is Europe’s second-largest chemical producer behind Germany. Some 5,000 people work in Grenoble-Isère’s chemical industry in fields spanning organic, inorganic, and specialty chemicals, drawing on the region’s long history of chlorine and caustic soda production. The region’s chemical parks were built in the early 20th century and have since developed solid expertise in safety and risk management.

Part 1: Jean-Jacques Gillot, Rhône-Alpes Regional Representative, French Chemical Industry Association

An oil refinery and petrochemical plant feed crucial raw materials to the region’s chemical parks, creating strong industry-wide ties. The region recently set up a Chemical Industry Strategy Committee to implement national initiatives and to outline measures for making plants more competitive and obtaining secure access to raw materials. The Committee also works closely with the nearby Axelera environmental chemistry competitive cluster and the French National Institute for Ecotechnology and Carbon-Free Energy.

Part 2: Patrick Pouchot, Head of Communications at Vencorex

The Pont-de-Claix chemical park is home to seven companies and 800 employees, including 550 at Vencorex, a producer of the isocyanate used to fabricate polyurethane. The park’s companies all work together to create a supportive network backed by a system of shared services provided by Vencorex.

Part 3: Frédéric Fructus, Director of Osiris

The Roches-Roussillon chemical park was built in 1915 and extends over 150 hectares. It has been home to several chemical producers since the 1990s and today counts 16 firms. The park is owned by Osiris, a French Economic Interest Group that provides support to companies operating at the site and supplies a range of shared services like power and wastewater treatment.

Part 4: Erick Gervaux, Adisséo’s Roussillon Site Manager

Adisséo develops, manufactures, and markets additives like methionine, vitamins, and enzymes for livestock feed. Its products are designed primarily for poultry, pigs, and ruminants

Part 5:Gilles Grenier, CEO of Novacyl

Novacyl, a Novacap company, is the world’s leading producer of salicylic acid and one of its main derivatives—aspirin. The company was created after Novacap bought Rhodia’s salicylic acid business in November 2011. Novacyl has two sites in Rhône-Alpes, and one site each in China, Thailand, and Brazil.