On September 6, Arkema celebrated the 25th anniversary of Changshu Site and the 10th anniversary of Changshu R&D Center. As one of the Group's largest industrial platforms in the world and the largest R&D center in Asia, Changshu Site and Changshu R&D Center have adopted the principles of open innovation and localization since inception. This has greatly contributed to the Group's business growth alongside bolstering the development of cutting-edge technologies in China and Asia.
The double anniversary was joined by Mr. Zhou Qindi, Party secretary of the Changshu Municipal Committee, Mr. Qin Meng, Mayor of Changshu, Mr. Joan Valadou, Consul General of France in Shanghai, Mr. Erwoan Pezron, Senior Vice President of Arkema’s High Performance Polymers, Mr. Laurent Tellier, Senior Vice President of Arkema’s Performance Additives, Mr. Armand Ajdari, Arkema’s Chief Technology Officer, and Ms. Julie Xiaoyu Zhang, President of Arkema Greater China. Arkema's key customers and partners as well as media and employees were also present.
Mr. Zhou Qindi, Party secretary of the Changshu Municipal Committee, congratulated Arkema’s Changshu Site and R&D Center for their progress and achievements over the years.
As development in innovative materials accelerates, he hopes Changshu’s partnership with the Group will continue to flourish so they can together capture even greater opportunities in the field.
Mr. Joan Valadou, Consul General of France in Shanghai, acknowledged that China and France have established a long history of extensive and long-term cooperation in the advanced materials field. He believes Arkema's development in China over the past decades offers a blueprint that could encourage further exchanges and interactions across innovation and sustainability between the two countries.
“Chinese market is one of the most dynamic economies in the world and occupies a crucial position in the Group's growth strategy and Arkema China generates 15% of the Group’s sales in 2022. We are confident about the market’s prospects and remain steadfast in realizing our local ambitions.” Ms. Julie Xiaoyu Zhang, President of Arkema Greater China, said at the ceremony,
“The way Changshu Site and Changshu R&D Center developed over the years truly reflect Arkema's 40-years of history and commitment to the Chinese market. Sitting at the heart of this from the beginning is the Group’s sustainable development strategy. With the collective support and efforts of the local government, clients, partners, and China team, we have grown from strength to strength. As we look ahead, our aim is to continue taking big strides forward and facilitating the development of high-quality, sustainability, and innovation.”
Deepening Localized Development, Increasing Investment in China
Located in the Jiangsu Province’s Changshu Advanced Materials Industrial Park, Changshu Site integrates production, R&D, and a regional shared service center, with around €600 million capex invested.
Since its construction in 1998, Changshu Site has been investing and upgrading, as well as encouraging talent development. It has approximately 1,000 employees and is today recognized across a number of high-growth potential areas, including lithium batteries, clean energy, more environmentally friendly coatings, building energy efficiency, sports and consumer electronics. This has played a critical role in realizing the Group’s ambitious goal of providing a robust, regional supply of quality products for customers across Asia.
In recent years, Changshu Site has served as a bridge connecting the Arkema Group with the China market and continues to accompany local industries through a number of areas including value creation, talent cultivation, and social responsibility.
Last year, Changshu Site’s Arkema (Changshu) Fluorochemicals Co., Ltd. and Changshu Gaotai Auxiliaries Co., Ltd. were given the “Special Contribution Award of the Year” for their positive contributions to Suzhou’s economic development.
To support accelerating local market needs, Changshu Site has also continued increasing production. Early this year, Changshu Site has increased PVDF fluoropolymer production capacity by 50%, providing high-performance, sustainable solutions for the local and Asian markets. In the second quarter of this year, a new polyamide 11 powders plant was established, which will further support Asia’s growing demands for recyclable, high-performance bio-based materials.
Open Innovation for Sustainable Development
Established in 2013, Changshu R&D Center has since become Arkema's largest R&D center in Asia. It is a hub that brings together and cultivates a well-established technical team.
For 10 years, its strong drive for innovation has created a number of new products and solutions capable of meeting local industry and customers’ expectations and needs. This was achieved through three key principles: embracing local needs, leveraging local-led development as the starting point, and facilitating cross-regional global collaboration.
This year, the R&D Center's laboratory has successfully obtained the Laboratory Accreditation Certificate issued by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS), further confirming its professional capabilities.
As China's 1+N policy and the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality policies become increasingly established, clean energy, such as lithium battery, wind power, photovoltaic and hydrogen energy, will continue to develop and accelerate.
Innovative business models and technologies will emerge alongside. Clean energy is one of the key innovation areas at the Center. As Arkema’s flagship product, Rilsan® PA11 is the ideal material for hydrogen barriers thanks to its 100% renewable origin and exceptional physical characteristics.
Luperox® organic peroxides are used as “mission critical” niche additives optimizing our customers’ processes in multiple applications including in the field of solar area.
Kynar® fluoropolymers is a key component in lithium battery for improving energy density, performance at elevated temperatures, and binder adhesion of the battery, as well as enhancing the processing safety of battery manufacturing.
Following 25 years of achievements and a decade of innovation and research, we are set to open a new chapter. Arkema's productivity and creative accomplishments in Changshu mirrors China's economic ascent.
As a specialty materials enterprise, Arkema will continue to bolster its strength and push forward the industry’s environmental and innovation transformation.