CERDATO (Centre de Recherche, Développement et Assistance Technique de l’Ouest) in the Eure area (27) is one of the Arkema group’s biggest R&D labs. 250 researchers work here, researching and developing high-performance materials that are mainly bio-based and recyclable.
Making history in Normandy
What do the carpet on the SS France ocean liner, shoes worn by elite athletes, washing machine drums and EV cold plates have in common? Serquigny in Eure! This is where CERDATO (Western France Research, Development and Technical Support Centre in English) by Arkema creates mainly plant-based polymers that are used in all kinds of things…
The French group originally founded the lab to have all its material research departments on one site. The group chose to base it in Serquigny in 1979 as it’s close to Paris and its factory, meaning innovations trialled by researchers can go straight onto the production lines.
Our geographical location in Normandy is still an asset. The easy-to-reach site means we have at least one visit every two days (clients, academic partners etc.) and attract employees who want to live here.
Creating Sustainable Materials
Serquigny is also a landmark site for the brand. Polyamide 11 was created here in 1947. It was called Rilsan®, a nod to nearby Risle and the castor oil it comes from (“ricin” is the French word for “castor”), and this plant-based plastic is still one of Arkema’s biggest products. The French group is the only one to know how it’s made, make it in France, America, China and Singapore and export it all over the world.
CERDATO is now the only one of Arkema’s 17 R&D centres to focus exclusively on high-performance polymers. Day in, day out, 250 researchers work on developing new materials from Arkema’s major product groups: Rilsan® polyamide 11, Pebax® elastomer, Orgasol® polyamide powders, Oleris® vegetable oil chemicals, Kynar® PVDF and Kepstan® PEKK.
“Arkema wants to develop materials with a positive impact through CERDATO, whether they’re made from bio-based raw materials, they’re 100% recyclable or both. Our aim is for all our products to stand out from those currently on the market for their sustainability and lower carbon footprint by 2030.”
Anne Christmann
Decarbonising with CERDATO: Reducing Footprints While Innovating
The group has put in place a hard-hitting decarbonisation policy at its sites: improving manufacturing processes to consume less energy and using renewable energy. Arkema signed one of the biggest renewable gas supply contracts in France with Engie (300 GWh/year) in January 2023. It supplies several of its manufacturing sites to help produce polyamide 11. CERDATO itself is part of an energy saving plan to reduce its water and energy use. These measures should help lower the carbon footprint of its bio-based material ranges even more, despite them already having a lower carbon footprint than their fossil-based counterparts.
The world will always need materials: as a manufacturer, our responsibility is to provide solutions that fulfil current requirements with products that take care of the environment and people.
Countless fields of application
CERDATO researchers design these materials of the future to meet customer requirements (softer, lighter, heavier duty) or new markets. That means they apply to countless sectors: construction, consumer goods (electronics, shoes), transport, water treatment, energy etc. “CERDATO’s markets are in line with certain projects and industries in Normandy such as hydrogen, automotive and 3D printing“, the research centre director notes.
CERDATO launched a lab in 2019 devoted to powder bed fusion 3D printing with 3 hi-tech “printers”. A 4 million Euro investment with up to 1 million from the Normandy Region as part of the FAN (Fabrication Additive Normandie) campaign launched by NAE. It brings together manufacturers and academics in the region to develop technology in Normandy companies. The pow(d)er of innovation
Key facts about Arkema in Serquigny
- Specialising in high-performance materials (adhesives, coatings, advanced materials), Arkema has over 21,000 staff working at 148 manufacturing sites in 55 countries worldwide.
- Its Serquigny site in Eure has a factory (400 employees) specialising in making Rilsan® polyamide 11 and CERDATO (250 employees). It’s one of the biggest employers in the Bernay area.
- Arkema invested 30 million Euros in February 2024 in the Serquigny site to launch a new Pebax® elastomer production line. The idea is to increase its manufacturing capacity by 40% to meet constantly growing international demand.
Thematics
