2021 Annual and Sustainable Performance Report

Our beliefs for a more sustainable world

- 5G technology IS EVERYWHERE, AND IT IS (AT LEAST A LITTLE) THANKS TO ARKEMA!

Initially limited to the densely populated urban areas of city centers, 5G now extends to more remote areas. This gradual roll‑out requires the signal emitted by 5G antennas to be better directed: to concentrate the waves over longer distances, lenses made up of complex shapes with particularly good surface resolution and advanced dielectric properties are required. A demanding specification and a challenge that the Arkema teams rose to by developing specific UV resins for the 3D printing of lenses with the lowest dielectric loss on the market for this advanced application. An application that is invisible to the general public but essential for the interconnectivity of today and tomorrow!

- Soles, orthopedics: AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE PATIENT’S BODY SHAPE.

In orthopedics, the requirement is for both customized designs and lightweight, resistant materials that are suited to prolonged contact with the skin: a specification that the combination of 3D printing and Rilsan® polyamide 11 meets perfectly. Arkema’s bio‑sourced polymer is increasingly used for the additive manufacture of orthopedic soles, based on patient imaging, by innovative podiatry specialists, such as the start‑up X‑Feet. The company Invent Medical, a French pioneer in 3D printing technologies for prosthetic and orthopedics, has also made Rilsan® polyamide 11 a prime asset in its fully‑customized solutions, from soles to face masks and cranial remodeling orthotics for babies.

- Mascara and cosmetics: WHEN 3D PRINTING MAKES LIFE MORE BEAUTIFUL.

It is one of the immense success stories of Rilsan® polyamide 11 in the world of cosmetics: millions of Chanel’s Revolution and Volume Stretch mascara wands, printed by Erpro3D Factory, a French specialist in high‑volume 3D printing, have already been produced. Their unique design, which incorporates microcavities that allow unparalleled comfort and speed of application, makes them stand out. More widely, 3D printing with Rilsan® powders is becoming increasingly successful in a variety of applications, particularly at Albéa, global leader of cosmetic packaging and perfume bottle stoppers: in this sector where new bottles are designed in quick succession, additive manufacturing is an asset for unlocking creativity and acts as a key driver for reducing time to market.

Sporting goods: customized to our body shape

Sports performance is a matter of training, talent and often materials! In the fast‑growing sporting goods market, Arkema high‑performance materials and the opportunities for innovation and customization offered by additive manufacturing have already come together to produce many success stories. The bio‑sourced nature of objects produced with Rilsan® or Pebax® Rnew materials is an additional factor of choice, increasingly sought after by consumers. This is the case for the sneakers from iAM footwear, whose “lattice” sole structure delivers unique light‑weight and energy return qualities, or for the customized cycling helmets from London company Hexer, the internal structure of which is printed in Rilsan® polyamide 11 based on the shape of the customer’s skull. Other OEMs opt for UV resins, also used in the 3D manufacture of honeycomb textured running shoe soles, which can only be achieved by photocrosslinking, or parts that take advantage of the soft surface aspect and elasticity of N3xtDimension® UV solutions, such as helmets, handlebar grips and high‑end saddles with a “lattice” structure, also referred to as “honeycomb”.