NPRA '06: French chemicals industry goes green

27 March 2006 00:47  [Source: ICIS news]

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (ICIS news)--The future on the French chemicals industry will be based on innovation and will focus on the area of "green" chemicals or environmentally-friendly chemical operations, a French industry expert said on Sunday.

 

Four activities have been distinguished as future leaders, said Jerome Clausen, Invest in France Agency vice president - catalysis; industrial biotechnology; analytic chemicals; and the use of nano-technologies in the field of chemical activities.

 

The most prosperous sector in the French chemicals industry is the soap and perfume sector, with an annual growth of 3.7% during the last 15 years. Mineral chemicals is the least prosperous, said Clausen, speaking on the sidelines of the 31st International Petrochemical Conference (IPC).

 

Biofuels is another "green" sector in which France will invest heavily, with plans to raise production to 10m tonne/year by 2015 from 6m tonne/year today.

 

"This plan will be able to create and consolidate 25,000 jobs in France, and it will boost production of products such as cars and sunflowers," Clausen said.

 

Some of the investment in the French chemicals industry will come from foreign investors.

 

"We do expect further growth in foreign investments in the French chemicals industry," Clausen said.  

 

Euro1.5bn has been allocated to the Competitive Clusters project, which was created in July last year to develop the collaboration between industry and research.

 

IPC began on 25 March in San Antonio. Sponsored by the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA), IPC continues through Tuesday.

By: Hilde Ovrebekk
+44 20 8652 3214

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