Porcher Industries announce new Global Head of R&D and new technology plans

Following a successful 2-year period focused on expansion and investment in global plants, technologies and systems, 2019 will see Porcher Industries focus on innovation, delivering the latest textile and chemical solutions.

New Global Head of R&D and New Centres of Excellence

Porcher Industries has announced Jean-Marc Senecot as the new Global Head of R&D for the Porcher Industries group. 

Taking a global responsibility for innovation and new technology across the group, Jean-Marc will lead the successful delivery of all new product development and technology projects – typically managing more than 90 projects per year. 

Innovation will be based on 3 pillars that form the core of Porcher Industries strength.

• Lightweighting: R&D activities on TP high performance matrices resulting in successes such as the first TP C/PEEK primary part for the Airbus helicopter rotor, the lightest fabrics for paragliding and lightweight composites for automotive using polypreg fabrics. 
• Safety: through its dry fiber toughening products in composites, the development of a new generation of RCY (rubber coating yarn) for transmission belts, Automotive airbags, and environmentally friendly products such as GreenLite. 
• Recycling through life cycle analysis: For example the improvement of life cycles of glass fabrics by utilizing waste in exhaust applications and the ADEM project that provide a second life on TP/C scraps. 

The commitment is also highlighted by including R&D centers in key global sites, including: 

• The new Chinese Zheigang Plant. Inaugurated in 2018, this site is dedicated initially to the manufacture of technical textiles for the local automotive market, closely followed by the aerospace and industrial sectors. This new Chinese production facility with a cash investment of $50 million boasts state of the art technology.
• In the US, a brand new, 7 million USD purpose-¬built facility in Dansville, Virginia that will open 65 key positions, many of whom will work collaboratively with the France--based R&D Centre to build on the many patents already held. 
• And throughout 2019 and 2020, a new Centre of Excellence will be created in Saint Julien en Saint Alban, through the merging of the two existing sites of La Voulte and Saint Julien en Saint Alban. This new CoE will showcase Porcher Industries’ specific technology and expertise for Rubber Coated Yarns production and development.