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Rhodia was a group specialized in fine
chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, proper ...
,
synthetic fibers Synthetic fibers or synthetic fibres (in British English; see spelling differences) are fibers made by humans through chemical synthesis, as opposed to natural fibers that are directly derived from living organisms, such as plants (like cotton ...
, and
polymers A polymer (; Greek '' poly-'', "many" + '' -mer'', "part") is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic a ...
which was acquired by the Belgian Solvay group after a successful tender offer completed in September 2011. The company served the consumer goods, automotive, energy, manufacturing, and processes and electronics markets, and had 65 production sites worldwide, four research centers, and four joint laboratories.


History

Rhodia was a
public company A public company is a company whose ownership is organized via shares of stock which are intended to be freely traded on a stock exchange or in over-the-counter markets. A public (publicly traded) company can be listed on a stock exchange ( ...
that was founded on January 1, 1998 following the spin-off of the chemicals, fibers, and polymers activities of Rhône-Poulenc when it merged with the German company Hoechst. On June 25, 1998, Rhône-Poulenc sold 32.7% of its share in Rhodia's capital to the public. Rhodia became a listed company. In 1999, Rhodia made two acquisitions: * The Engineering Plastics activity of the top Korean group
Hyosung Hyosung Corporation is a South Korean industrial Chaebol, founded in 1966. It operates in various fields, including the chemical industry, industrial machinery, IT, trade, and construction. It is known in Korea mostly for high-end apartments a ...
, for Rhodia's Polyamides business unit. * The Iberica Mix & Fix Center activity of Quimica Dos. The Mix & Fix Center is a unit that formulates and sells ready-to-use Hot Vulcanizable Silicone Elastomers. From October 1999, Rhône-Poulenc, which became Aventis then Sanofi-Aventis, gradually reduced its stake in Rhodia's capital. It sold all its shares in the company on October 17, 2006. Rhodia grew in the United Kingdom and the United States by buying out
Albright and Wilson Albright and Wilson was founded in 1856 as a United Kingdom manufacturer of potassium chlorate and white phosphorus for the match industry. For much of its first 100 years of existence, phosphorus-derived chemicals formed the majority of its pro ...
and ChiRex. In 2002 Rhodia sold off its basic chemicals activities in Europe (
phenol Phenol (also called carbolic acid) is an aromatic organic compound with the molecular formula . It is a white crystalline solid that is volatile. The molecule consists of a phenyl group () bonded to a hydroxy group (). Mildly acidic, it r ...
, hydrochloric acid, sodium carbonate) and its holdings in Latexia (which was the world's number two for latex for paper) and
Teris Teris was an Icelandic software company that focused on servicing the financial sector. It was founded as Tölvumiðstöð Sparisjóðanna (Savings Banks Computer Centre), and changed its name on March 23, 2007, to reflect changes in clientele and ...
(treatment of toxic waste. In 2004, Rhodia sold its food ingredients business. On March 31, 2004, Yves-René Nanot was appointed chairman of the board of directors. In 2005, it sold the chlorine (in the United Kingdom),
phosphates In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthophosphoric acid . The phosphate or orthophosphate ion is derived from phosph ...
and
sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid ( Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen and hydrogen, with the molecular fo ...
(in Belgium) activities. In 2006, Rhodia sold its latex business, plus its synthesis activity, and its facilities for the production of industrial wires and fibers in Europe. 2006 saw the creation of Orbeo, a joint venture with
Société Générale Société Générale S.A. (), colloquially known in English as SocGen (), is a French-based multinational financial services company founded in 1864, registered in downtown Paris and headquartered nearby in La Défense. Société Générale ...
, in the field of origination, trade and sale of carbon credits. Orbeo represents 8% of the carbon market. In 2007, Rhodia sold its
silicones A silicone or polysiloxane is a polymer made up of siloxane (−R2Si−O−SiR2−, where R = organic group). They are typically colorless oils or rubber-like substances. Silicones are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medicine, cookin ...
production activity and its Nylstar subsidiary (synthetic textile fiber) and acquired the alumina activity of WR Grace. In 2008, Rhodia sold its fine organic chemicals and pharmaceutical activities. On March 17, 2008, the board of directors appointed Jean-Pierre Clamadieu as the chairman and CEO of Rhodia. This appointment followed the resignation of Yves-René Nanot from his position as the chairman of the board of directors as a result of the statutory conditions applying to age limits. In 2009, Rhodia acquired two companies: OneCarbon International and the
McIntyre McIntyre, McEntire, MacIntyre, McAteer, and McIntire are Scottish and Irish surnames derived from the Gaelic ' literally meaning "Son of the Craftsman or Mason", but more commonly cited as "son of the Carpenter."Scottish Clans: MacIntyre - Origin o ...
group (specialized surfactants, United States). In 2010, Rhodia acquired an 87% stake in the capital of Feixiang Chemicals. On January 1, 2011, Rhodia set up a new organization. Operational activities are now organized in 11 business units, in five sectors of activity: Consumer Chemicals, Advanced Materials, Polyamide Materials, Acetow & Eco Services and Energy Services. The additional Support Function Group includes corporate activities. In the first quarter of 2011, the Belgian chemicals group
Solvay Solvay may refer to: Companies and organizations * Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, Brussels, Belgium * Solvay Conference, founded by Ernest Solvay, deals with open questions in physics and chemistry * Solvay Indupa, an Argentin ...
launched a friendly public take-over bid for Rhodia. The operation was authorized by the boards of directors of both groups. On March 8, 2011, Rhodia announced the finalization of the acquisition of the Suzhou HiPro Polymers guar derivatives production plant in
Zhangjiagang Zhangjiagang (), formerly Shazhou County (), is a county-level city under the administration of Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China and one of the many ports along the Yangtze river. With 1,246,762 inhabitants as of the 2010 census, the city is now ...
, China and on April 13, 2011, Rhodia completed the acquisition of the engineering plastics activity of the Indian company PI Industries Ltd (PIIL), following the approval of the Indian authorities. In September 2011, Solvay's tender offer on Rhodia was successfully completed and Rhodia became a sector of the Solvay group.


Debt from Rhône-Poulenc

After its breakaway from Rhône-Poulenc, Rhodia had to cope with the repercussions of soil pollution and financial liabilities. Prominent figures, such as Thierry Breton and the Swiss banker Édouard Stern, were involved in trying to work out solutions. The group's balance sheet-based structure remained fragile due to negative equity. On December 31, 1999, Rhodia's debt inherited from the split with Rhône-Poulenc amounted to €1,540 million. In an attempt to solve the group's debt problem, management renegotiated a debt estimated at about €1 billion in 2010 (Rhodia's lowest debt level since the group was created ). Declared tangible investments in 2009 totaled €167 million, compared with €241 million in 2008.


Commitment to Sustainable Development

In 2003, Rhodia set up a department dedicated to a
Sustainable Development Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while also sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. The ...
, a continuation of the quality-safety-environment initiative set up by Rhône-Poulenc.Boiral, O. (1997), "La Qualité au service de l’environnement," ''L’Expansion Management Review'', no. 86, septembre, pp. 41-49 In 2007, it rolled out the Rhodia Way®, the group's reference framework of responsibilities toward stakeholders. Group employees can use this reference system to self-assess the performance of their entity in terms of social and environmental responsibility, with the goal of encouraging more responsible practices. In September 2010, Rhodia was recognized by the
Dow Jones Sustainability Index The Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) launched in 1999, are a family of indices evaluating the sustainability performance of thousands of companies trading publicly, operated under a strategic partnership between S&P Dow Jones Indices and Ro ...
(DJSI World) as one of the world's most efficient chemicals companies in terms of social and environmental responsibility for the third year in a row. Rhodia has signed a number of agreements as part of this initiative: * 2002: commitment by the Group to cut its
greenhouse gas emissions Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Most is carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. The largest emitters include coal in China and ...
in France by 30% during the period between 1990 and 2010, as part of the French association of businesses for the reduction of greenhouse gases (AERES). * 2003 : Rhodia signs the
United Nations Global Compact The United Nations Global Compact is a non-binding United Nations pact to encourage businesses and firms worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation. The UN Global Compact is a princi ...
, to promote and enforce ten major principles in the realm of human rights, working conditions, environmental protection and the fight against corruption. * 2004: the group signs the diversity charter in France, which encourages businesses to guarantee the promotion of and respect for diversity in their workforce. * 2005: signed the worldwide social and environmental responsibility agreement with the ICEM (International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers Unions). * 2006: signed the
Responsible Care Started in Canada in 1985, Responsible Care is a global, voluntary initiative developed autonomously by the chemical industry for the chemical industry. It runs in 67 countries whose combined chemical industries account for nearly 90% of global chem ...
® Global Charter, a worldwide initiative of the
International Council of Chemical Associations The International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) is the trade association of the global chemical industry. Its members are both regional trade associations like Cefic or the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association, and also nationa ...
. The Global Charter of the Commitment to Progress has the goal of exceeding the principles of Responsible Care® in terms of health, safety and environmental performance. The key criteria of this charter include improved product stewardship, greater transparency for stakeholders, and the assessment and publication of environmental performance. * 2007: first audit mission to China to validate the proper application of the worldwide ICEM agreement in the field. * 2008: renewal of the agreement with the ICEM for an additional three years, following the revision of the texts and the incorporation of the Rhodia Way® initiative. Second audit mission related to the ICEM agreement to Brazil. * 2009: Creation of a Worldwide Safety body as part of the worldwide ICEM agreement. * 2010: First assessment mission of the Worldwide Safety body to the United States. Fourth audit mission of the application of the agreement to South Korea. * 2011: Renewal of the agreement with the ICEM for an additional five years.


Group activities


Consumer Chemicals

Consumer Chemicals is made up of three business units: Novecare, Coatis and Aroma Performance, which mainly service the consumer markets. In 2010, Consumer Chemicals’ posted revenues of €1,883 million, representing 36% of the Rhodia Group's revenue.22Breakdown of revenue by market sector in 2010. * <15% oil and gas, * >10% agrochemicals, * about 35% consumer goods, * about 25% manufacturing and processing, * about 15% construction and coatings.


Novecare

Novecare supplies high-performance chemicals to industries in the cosmetics, detergents, agrochemicals, coatings, oilfield and industrial applications sectors. The company has 15 production plants worldwide. Novecare acquired the activities of the US company McIntyre, followed by the activities of Feixiang, China's leading producer of
amines In chemistry, amines (, ) are compounds and functional groups that contain a basic nitrogen atom with a lone pair. Amines are formally derivatives of ammonia (), wherein one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by a substituent such ...
and surfactants in 2010. Consequently, Rhodia is now the leading producer of specialized surfactants in Asia. With a turnover of €1,089 million in 2010, Novecare accounts for 58% of Consumer Chemicals’ revenue.


Coatis

Coatis principally supplies the paint, surface coatings, automotive, wood and construction industries with
phenol Phenol (also called carbolic acid) is an aromatic organic compound with the molecular formula . It is a white crystalline solid that is volatile. The molecule consists of a phenyl group () bonded to a hydroxy group (). Mildly acidic, it r ...
, phenol derivatives and oxygenated solvents. The company has one production plant in Brazil and three technical development centers. With a turnover of €449 million in 2010, Coatis represents 24% of Consumer Chemicals’ revenue.


Aroma Performance

As the world's leading producer of diphenols, Aroma Performance supplies aromas and fragrances. Key products include vanillin and ethylvanillin, but also
hydroquinone Hydroquinone, also known as benzene-1,4-diol or quinol, is an aromatic organic compound that is a type of phenol, a derivative of benzene, having the chemical formula C6H4(OH)2. It has two hydroxyl groups bonded to a benzene ring in a ''pa ...
or
catechol Catechol ( or ), also known as pyrocatechol or 1,2-dihydroxybenzene, is a toxic organic compound with the molecular formula . It is the ''ortho'' isomer of the three isomeric benzenediols. This colorless compound occurs naturally in trace amoun ...
. Aroma Performance is active worldwide on markets in Europe, Asia, South America and North America. The company has five manufacturing plants worldwide. With a turnover of €345 million, Aroma Performance accounts for 18% of Consumer Chemicals revenue.


Advanced Material

Advanced Materials services high-performance industries, including low energy-consumption tires, automotive catalysis and low-consumption lighting. Advanced Materials includes the Silica and Rare Earth Systems business units. In 2010 Advanced Materials posted turnover of €539 million, representing 10% of the Rhodia Group's revenue. Breakdown of revenue by market sector in 2010: * <15% consumer goods * 5% animal feed * >60% automotive * about 20% electronics.


Silica

As the world's leading producer of highly dispersible silica, Silica services, first and foremost, the automotive industry in its quest to develop solutions that reduce energy consumption. Silica produces amorphous precipitated
silica Silicon dioxide, also known as silica, is an oxide of silicon with the chemical formula , most commonly found in nature as quartz and in various living organisms. In many parts of the world, silica is the major constituent of sand. Silica is ...
. The silica is made from
sodium silicate Sodium silicate is a generic name for chemical compounds with the formula or ·, such as sodium metasilicate , sodium orthosilicate , and sodium pyrosilicate . The anions are often polymeric. These compounds are generally colorless transparent ...
, which is in turn the fusion of sand and
sodium carbonate Sodium carbonate, , (also known as washing soda, soda ash and soda crystals) is the inorganic compound with the formula Na2CO3 and its various hydrates. All forms are white, odourless, water-soluble salts that yield moderately alkaline solutions ...
at very high temperatures. Formed by a reaction with
sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid ( Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen and hydrogen, with the molecular fo ...
, the silica is then filtered, washed and dried. Silica's products are produced in eight manufacturing plants worldwide. With turnover of €313 million in 2010, Silica accounts for 58% of Advanced Materials’ revenue.


Rare Earth Systems

Rare Earth Systems supports the automotive, lighting and electronic industries in their development of solutions that produce fewer emissions, consume less energy and offer improved performance. The company separates rare earths in a number of purification steps, to produce high added-value formulations that meet the needs of the automotive, lighting and electronics industries. Rare Earth Systems has six production plants worldwide. With turnover of €226 million in 2010, Rare Earth Systems represents 42% of Advanced Materials’ revenue.


Polyamide Materials

Polyamide Materials groups together the polyamide chain of the Polyamide & Intermediates, Engineering Plastics and Fibras business units and develops solutions for sustainable mobility. The automotive industry is one of their largest markets. With turnover of €1,701 million in 2010, Polyamide Materials represents 33% of the Rhodia Group's revenue. Breakdown of revenue by market sector: * <10% construction * >10% manufacturing and process * about 40% automotive * about 30% consumer goods * about 10% electrical and electronics.


Polyamide & Intermediates

Polyamide & Intermediates produces polyamide 6.6 and intermediates based on
adipic acid Adipic acid or hexanedioic acid is the organic compound with the formula (CH2)4(COOH)2. From an industrial perspective, it is the most important dicarboxylic acid: about 2.5 billion kilograms of this white crystalline powder are produced annuall ...
for the automotive industry, sports apparel, leisure activities, construction and electrical and electronic components. The entity covers the complete polyamide chain, from the production of intermediates and polymers to the development of high added-value technical plastics. Polyamide & Intermediates has seven production plants and two technical development centers worldwide.


Engineering Plastics

Engineering Plastics develops, produces and markets plastics under the Technyl brand. The plastics are supplied to the
plastics industry The plastics industry manufactures polymer materials—commonly called plastics—and offers services in plastics important to a range of industries, including packaging, building and construction, electronics, aerospace, and transportation. It is ...
in the shape of pellets. They are then transformed by injection, extrusion or blow molding techniques to service industries, including automotive, electrical or electronic components, industrial equipment, construction, sports and leisure. The company has six industrial facilities and four technical development centers worldwide. On April 13, 2011, Engineering Plastics finalized the acquisition of the engineering plastics activity of the Indian company PI Industries Ltd (PIIL), following the approval of the Indian authorities.


Fibras

Fibras develops, produces and markets textile yarn, industrial yarn and short fibers based on polyamide 66. The main markets for textile yarns include lingerie, sports and beach wear and fashion wear. The company has two production plants and one development center in Brazil.


Acetow & Eco Services

Acetow & Eco Services is active on the energy and consumer goods markets. The branch includes the Acetow and Eco Services business units. With turnover of €790 million in 2010, Acetow & Eco Services accounts for 15% of the Rhodia Group's revenue. Breakdown of revenue by market sector: about 65% consumer goods, about 20% energy and 15% others.


Acetow

Acetow is the third largest producer of industrial textiles made of cellulose acetate particles. Its main markets are in Europe, the CIS, Asia and Latin America. Acetow is the world's third largest producer of
cellulose acetate In biochemistry, cellulose acetate refers to any acetate ester of cellulose, usually cellulose diacetate. It was first prepared in 1865. A bioplastic, cellulose acetate is used as a film base in photography, as a component in some coatings, and ...
for cigarette filters, supplying about 18% of the worldwide market. The company has five production plants worldwide. With turnover of €539 million in 2010, Acetow represents 68% of the Acetow & Eco Services combined revenue.


Eco Services

Eco Services is a service company that regenerates sulfuric acid for the chemical industry and oil refineries in North America.
Sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid ( Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen and hydrogen, with the molecular fo ...
is used as a catalyst in the production of alkylate, one of the fundamental components of high-octane index gasoline. The Eco Services network is made up of eight production units on seven different sites in California, Texas, Louisiana and Indiana. Two of them also provide chemical waste treatment services. In 2010, Eco Services posted turnover of €251 million, which accounts for 32% of the Acetow & Eco Services activities’ revenue.


Energy Services

Energy Services is responsible for energy supplies and the management of Rhodia's projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Energy management embraces the purchasing, production and sale of energy. In the field of purchasing, mainly of gas and electricity, Energy Services managed €630 million of energy purchases in 2009,68% of which was for Rhodia's own needs, while the remaining 32% was for third parties, notably for the Group's partners in its joint ventures. In France, Rhodia is the second biggest industrial buyer of gas and one of the top ten purchasers of electricity. Energy Services has invested in
biogas Biogas is a mixture of gases, primarily consisting of methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide, produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage, green waste and food waste. It is a ...
technology by acquiring the Econcern group's share of six biogas production pilots in China and Vietnam. With revenues of €203 million in 2010, Energy Services represents 4% of the Rhodia Group's turnover and operates four industrial plants in Brazil, China, France and Vietnam. In 2010, Rhodia Energy Services developed its "Climate Care" solutions for the production of energy from renewable biological materials. Two biogas projects in China, Vietnam and the partnership between the private company Paraiso and Eco Services in Brazil have provided an opportunity to develop a biomass project based on bagasse.


Production sites

Rhodia has 65 production sites worldwide.


Worldwide distribution


Main production sites


Europe

Rhodia has 22 production sites in Europe, including 10 in France. The Rhodia Group is present in Germany (Freiburg), Italy (Ospiate), Poland, the
Commonwealth of Independent States The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an area of and has an estimated population of 239,796,010 ...
(CIS) (Sertow LLC), Spain and the United Kingdom.


= La Rochelle

= According to ANDRA, the French agency for waste management, until July 1994, Electronics and Catalysis (now Rhodia Rare Earth Systems) used very slightly radioactive
monazite Monazite is a primarily reddish-brown phosphate mineral that contains rare-earth elements. Due to variability in composition, monazite is considered a group of minerals. The most common species of the group is monazite-(Ce), that is, the ceriu ...
as an ore, producing radium-bearing waste, which was initially stored at ANDRA's La Manche center until 1991, then in the French atomic energy commission's Cadarache facility. The treatment of the slightly radioactive monazite produced 8,023 tons, according to ANDRA ), of slightly radioactive solid residue up until 1994. According to ANDRA, in 2007, this residue contained 2,000 tons of uranium and 2.6 tons of toxic lead. The plant is subject to ICPE environmental surveillance. A project to launch a recycling plant for the rare earth contained in used lightbulbs is being looked into.


Asia-Pacific

Rhodia currently includes a Rhodia-Asia-Pacific zone (CIS, Middle East and Africa), managed by Michel Ybert, with an operational head office in Shanghai. This zone has 21 production sites and accounted for 29% of Rhodia's revenues in 2010. The Asia-Pacific support functions – finance, HR, purchasing and IT –are based in Singapore. The Asia Pacific zone includes production activities in China, Japan, Thailand, India and Indonesia, plus commercial activities in China, Japan and Korea.


South America

The Rhodia Group has three production sites in Brazil and one in Venezuela.


North America

The Rhodia Group has 18 sites spread across the United States.


Former production sites


Rhodia opération SAS

Located on the banks of the Deûle canal, near Lille in Northern France, the ICPE chemical works was founded by Frédéric Kuhlmann, who started off with a small two hectare chemical factory that he bought in 1847. The factory then belonged to the Rhône-Poulenc Chemicals group, which became Rhodia. During a working lifetime of 150 years, the site grew from two to 33 hectares, in the neighbourhoods of La Madeleine, Saint-André-lez-Lille and Marquette-lez-Lille. Between 1961 and 2001, the site produced highly toxic Toluene diisocyanate (TDI), which is one of the basic components used to produce polyurethane foam. Until December 2005, the
tar Tar is a dark brown or black viscous liquid of hydrocarbons and free carbon, obtained from a wide variety of organic materials through destructive distillation. Tar can be produced from coal, wood, petroleum, or peat. "a dark brown or black bi ...
produced by the synthesis of the TDI was incinerated on-site. The group abandoned the site, and the last remaining remnants – the two 80-meter high smoke stacks built in 1929 and 1933 – were demolished. Until 2006, a store, a plant and a backup store of
oleum Oleum (Latin ''oleum'', meaning oil), or fuming sulfuric acid, is a term referring to solutions of various compositions of sulfur trioxide in sulfuric acid, or sometimes more specifically to disulfuric acid (also known as pyrosulfuric acid). Ol ...
remained on the site 3,000 m³ of earth from the old branch railway were stored on the site and part of the plot was bought by the FICHAUX coffee roasting company.


= The after-effects

= Various studies, supervised by the French regional agency for industry and research, DRIRE, revealed serious pollution by heavy metals (zinc, copper and lead) almost everywhere on the site, plus mercury and cadmium in one area and nitrates, sulfates, ammonium and arsenic by the Deûle canal. Certain pollutants had percolated into the soil and polluted the surface groundwater: potassium, sulfates, nitrates, nitrites, chlorides, ammonium and sodium, and locally, zinc and cadmium, to depths of up to 2 m in the so-called ANS sector, plus arsenic under the AS/PS sector and manganese under the GMG sector. This groundwater rose when the industrial pumps were stopped and flooded the basements in nearby houses, requiring permanent pumping in order to drain the subsoil. Severe pollution by arsenic was discovered up to depths of 5 meters in the AS/PS sector, plus mercury in the northeast half of this same sector. The chalk layer under the site was contaminated by sulfates. For these reasons, the local authorities deemed that the site was compatible with industrial usage, but with restrictions to be applied on a case-by-case basis with the potential buyers of the various parts of the site, on a long-term and mandatory basis for third parties through publication in the land registry. The Lille city authorities considered locating a purification plant on the site. A number of projects for the industrial, urban or administrative use of the site are in progress. The position of the site in an area of designated as “green belt” on the banks of the Deûle, the pollution and its highly artificial character make it an important factor in the
ecological fragmentation Habitat fragmentation describes the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in an organism's preferred environment ( habitat), causing population fragmentation and ecosystem decay. Causes of habitat fragmentation include geological proces ...
of the regional ‘’’blue infrastructure’’’.


Research and development


Research centers

Rhodia has four research centers worldwide, which filed for 110 patents in 2009, 20% of which were filed by the teams in Asia and Latin America.


France : Aubervilliers (CRTA, Île-de-France) and Saint-Fons (CRTL, Lyon)

500 researchers currently work at the Lyon Research and Technology Center (CRTL). These laboratories specialize in materials, polymerization synthesis and processes, catalysis, physico-chemistry, process engineering and safety, the environment, analytical techniques, knowledge management and intellectual property. The site is actively involved in partnerships with universities in the Rhône-Alpes region, public and private research institutes and the Axelera center of excellence. In 2010, the Technyl Innovation Center, the Group's new development center, which is part of the Lyon Research and Technology Center, was opened on the Rhodia site at Saint-Fons Belle-Etoile. The Technyl Innovation Center is home to a multidisciplinary and multicultural team of specialists.


United States : Bristol, Pennsylvania, United States (CRTB)

The Bristol center is home to a network of application laboratories dedicated to the Rhodia Group's main markets. These laboratories focus on consumer health, the pharmaceutical industry, household products, personal care, cosmetics, detergents and baby care products, phosphorus specialties and derivatives for water treatment products and fire retardants, petroleum technologies to improve the efficiency of oil extraction, and alumina technology for washcoats, an important component of catalytic converters, which complete Rhodia's rare earths range for automotive anti-pollution systems.


Brasil : Paulínia, Sao Paulo Brasil (CPP)

The Paulinia center comprises application, synthesis, process and analysis laboratories for the development of new products and processes in association with Rhodia's customers. Almost 100 scientists work in these laboratories in the following fields: organic chemistry, polymerization, materials science and formulations for the paint, footwear, automotive and tire industries.


China : Shanghai, China (CRTS)

The Shanghai center is the Rhodia Group's main research center in Asia. Rhodia also has technical centers based in Singapore, Japan and Korea. They focus on the Asian markets for the automotive, electronics, home care and personal care sectors and on formulations for oil extraction and agriculture.


Joint laboratories

Since 1980, Rhodia has been collaborating with researchers from the French National Scientific Research Center (CNRS). The company has three joint research laboratories (CFL, LOF and LPMA), which bring together permanent researchers from the CNRS and Rhodia, plus PhD and post-PhD students. Rhodia also has young researchers from the CNRS (PhD and post-PhD) in its research and technology centers.


Complex Fluids Laboratory (CFL) in the Research and Technology Center in Bristol, Pennsylvania, United States

Created as a joint venture with the CNRS in 1996, this laboratory became a three-party venture in 2008, with the arrival of the University of Pennsylvania. The complex fluids laboratory is a joint, cross-functional entity, with a broad based physicochemical expertise in soft condensed matter, at the interface of chemistry, biology, physics and nanotechnology. The team works on rheology, complex fluids and interface management.


The Laboratory of the Future (LOF) at the Pierre Gilles De Gennes Center, Pessac, France

In 2004, Rhodia created a Rhodia / CNRS joint laboratory in partnership with the University of Bordeaux 1. The 20 researchers at the laboratory work on ways of improving research productivity and cutting the time to market of new products. The laboratory focuses on the development of miniaturized research tools and innovative projects in the realm of physico-chemistry.


The Advanced Polymers and Materials Laboratory (LPMA), Lyon Research and Technology Center, France

In 2006, a joint Rhodia / CNRS laboratory was set up in partnership with Axelera and the Claude Bernard University in Lyon. It brings together a team of physicists and rheologists specializing in polymers, specialists in theoretical modeling and applications for rubber and plastics. Their goal is to develop polymer materials with high thermal and mechanical resistance in order to better meet the challenges of safety and energy savings. Sustainable development criteria are taken into consideration for these materials right from the design phase.


The future joint laboratory, Shanghai, China

In 2010, Rhodia, the CNRS, the Lyon Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENSL) and the East China Normal University (ECNU) of
Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four Direct-administered municipalities of China, direct-administered municipalities of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the ...
signed an agreement to extend their scientific collaboration in the field of green chemistry. In November 2011, the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Rhodia, the Ecole Normale Superieure of Lyon and the East China Normal University officially opened the Laboratory of Eco-efficient Products and Processes, an international joint research unit devoted to eco-friendly chemistry based in Shanghai (China).


The Rhodia Pierre-Gilles de Gennes award

In 2008, Rhodia created the Rhodia
Pierre-Gilles de Gennes Pierre-Gilles de Gennes (; 24 October 1932 – 18 May 2007) was a French physicist and the Nobel Prize laureate in physics in 1991. Education and early life He was born in Paris, France, and was home-schooled to the age of 12. By the age of ...
award for Science and Industry. This prize is awarded to projects of a very high scientific standard that make a significant contribution to chemistry, physics or physico-chemistry and impact international industry: a breakthrough innovation with a proven industrial development or technology transfer. The Award recognizes scientists who have: * Created a durable innovative company * Or developed an original and significant scientific or technological event that leads to new exchanges and research in the scientific community The prize, which is worth a total of €200,000, is awarded every two years by a jury of renowned peers, including: * Jean-Marie Lehn, Professor at Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg. Nobel Prize Winner for Chemistry, 1987 * Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Nobel Prize Winner for Physics, 1997 * Alan Heeger, Nobel Prize Winner for Chemistry, 2000 * Christian Amatore, director of research at the CNRS, Paris Ecole Nationale Supérieure * Alain Fuchs, president of the CNRS, Professor at the Pierre et Marie Curie University, Paris * Jacques Prost, director of the ESPCI (Higher School of Physics and Industrial Chemistry) The candidates must be active scientists or members of academic institutions, universities or private laboratories who are nominated by their peers.


Prize winners

* The 2008 Rhodia - Pierre-Gilles de Gennes Award for Science and Industry went to Professor Sir Richard Friend for his discoveries in the field of electroluminescence and charge injections into semi-conductor polymers. * The 2010 Rhodia Pierre-Gilles de Gennes Award for Science and Industry went to Avelino Corma, Professor at the University of Valencia in Spain, for his work on heterogeneous catalysis.


Governance


Board of Directors

The Rhodia Board of Directors currently has 11 members. The articles of association require that no less than three and no more than 18 members sit on the board. Since 2005, members have been appointed for a period of four years. The regulations of the board of directors stipulate that non-executive members can remain on the board for a maximum of 12 years. Renewals are staggered over two consecutive years. On November 31, the members of the board of directors were:


General management

On November 31, 2010, the members of the executive committee were: * Gilles Auffret, chief executive officer * Pascal Bouchiat, group executive vice-president and chief financial officer * Pascal Juery, group executive vice-president * Jean-Pierre Labroue, general counsel and corporate secretary


Previous Rhodia CEOs

* 1998 to 2003 : Jean-Pierre Tirouflet, chairman and chief executive officer * 2003 to 2004 : Chairmanship vacant, Yves-René Nanot, vice-chairman * 2004 to 2008 : Yves-René Nanot, chairman * 2008 to 2011 : Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, chairman and chief executive officer. * Since 2011 : Gilles Auffret, chief executive officer


Shareholders

Since the successful tender offer completed in 2011, Rhodia is now part of the Solvay group.


Key figures


Rhodia Group data


Breakdown by activity in 2010


References


External links

*
Google Finance Profile of Rhodia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rhodia (Company) Chemical companies of France Rare earth companies