2021 Annual and Sustainable Performance Report

You changed your visual identity at the end of 2021 and adopted a new signature. What was the reasoning behind this?

Indeed we did. We felt that it was the right time to change our visual identity and thus fully reflect the evolution of Arkema’s profile toward Specialty Materials. This has seen us become better aligned with our strategic vision which is based on materials science and the growing demand for sustainable solutions from our customers. Our new blue and green logo and our signature “Innovative materials for a sustainable world” embody this positioning and our response to environmental, climatic, energy, economic, and social challenges.

What sustainability-related applications are you working toward?

We have established very interesting positions in several areas with high growth potential, including batteries, 3D printing, more environmentally-friendly paints, lightweighting, bio-sourced materials used in green mobility, housing, consumer goods, water treatment, electronics, and sport. Hydrogen is another example of an area in which we see exciting opportunities for some of our materials. Of course, to capitalize on all these new opportunities, the power of our innovation and the quality of our R&D are paramount. Consequently, we are now aiming for revenue of €1.5 billion from our five innovation platforms between 2019 and 2030, compared to €1 billion as previously announced.

What is your vision for 2024 and beyond?

There will be many sources of complexity and uncertainty over the coming years.
The health context, geopolitical tensions, energy issues, access to talent, technological disruption, and the return of inflation are all issues that will require the Group to be agile and exercise caution. But I have full confidence in Arkema’s future. We have the right strategy, a balanced positioning, talented and highly-engaged teams, and world-class technological expertise.

The Group will continue to grow thanks to the many opportunities available to us to support our customers in their quest for sustainable performance. To keep up with this growth, we made over €750 million in industrial investment in 2021. We have committed
to new projects that will shape the future, such as a 50% capacity increase for
PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) in China and France to serve the battery market, where we aim to generate €1 billion in revenue by 2030. This year we will start up our polyamide 11 (PA11) bio-plant in Singapore, the largest industrial project ever undertaken by the Group, and a PA11 powders plant in China in 2023. A hydrofluoric acid plant will be commissioned in the United States this year and at the end of 2023, a production unit for 1233zd, a new generation of fluorospecialties with minimal impact in terms of emissions. We will double our photocurable resins capacity in China for the electronics and renewable energy markets. Lastly, in France, we are also in the process of increasing our capacity for Pebax^® elastomers - used in sports shoes and consumer goods - by 25%. All of these projects will have a positive impact on the Group’s environmental footprint.