Imerys opens extended European Technology Center, France

Imerys has opened a new facility at its European Technology Center for performance minerals. Over an area of some 2,500 metres squared, the new site will focus Imerys’ R&D resources on its key markets, whilst enabling knowledge to be shared with its laboratories elsewhere in Europe, the US and Asia.

Recognised in Europe by manufacturers as a leading laboratory engaged in optimising and developing new mineral-based solutions for plastics (virgin, recycled and biopolymer resins), elastomers and life sciences, the Toulouse Technology Center is also a world centre of excellence for polymer applications. With this new investment, it now boasts experts and equipment for the ceramic, building materials, filtration, health and food and feed markets.

The Toulouse laboratory expanded its capacity at the end of 2020 and now employs more than 50 French and international technicians and scientists. Its location in Toulouse means that Imerys will now have access to major university and scientific resources throughout a region that is home to major R&D initiatives.

Imerys’ areas of expertise include polymers for the automotive, electronics and recycling markets; agriculture, cosmetics, human food and animal feed and pharmaceutical products; ceramics for the tile and sanitary ware markets, for tableware and kiln furniture; innovative building materials, such as mineral insulation and geopolymers; filtration for industrial and food applications; and paints and coatings for industrial applications.

Guillaume Delacroix, Imerys' Vice President in charge of Performance Minerals for EMEA, said: “Focusing our R&D resources at our Toulouse Technology Center of excellence will help us achieve the critical size required to speed up the launch of new mineral solutions which our clients need in their own quest for innovation and performance. We will be able to use this center to simulate the way in which our mineral solutions can be used in our clients' production processes. The focus will also be on the lifecycle of our new products – an increasingly important criterion in the ecological transition that industry in Europe is currently undergoing."