Paris, December 22nd, 2017 - Solvay's Industrial Process Solutions team has won the prestigious Grand Prize in the Vinci Innovation Awards for developing a breakthrough fluxing agent for asphalt road pavements.
The development of this new fluxing agent was launched in April 2015 when Solvay began collaborating with Vinci’s Eurovia division to design an alternative to traditional fluxing agents that would offer superior technical performance and an excellent HSE (Hygiene, Safety and Environment) profile.
The collaboration led to the creation of InnRoad Protect, a differentiating offer for the road-paving industry that delivers versatility, efficiency and safety without compromising performance. InnRoad Protect addresses growing demands from the road-construction Industry for greener, more cost-competitive solutions and from the USIRF (Union des Syndicats de l'Industrie Routière Française) for more eco-friendly fluxing agents.
“This project is a great example of the importance of partnering with customers to develop the solutions of the future that are aligned with their frontline needs,” said Arnaud Bourdette, New Business Development Manager, Industrial Process Solutions. “This prize reflects our technical expertise, our team’s dedication to finding the right solution and our way of energizing the partnership.”
Fluxing agents are used to lower the viscosity of the bitumen to improve ease of use in various road-construction techniques, making it easier to spray or mix with aggregates.
InnRoad Protect is biodegradable, easy to store, does not require labeling and eliminates the ATEX zone in some blending conditions (≤ 110°C). As an alternative to traditional fluxing agents, InnProtect delivers better fluxing power, faster cohesion build-up, enhanced bitumen recovery properties and can also extend the maintenance season.
The Vinci Innovation Awards are held every two years to recognize collaborative innovation. The competition is designed to showcase and speed up application of initiatives implemented by Vinci’s employees on the ground.
Solvay’s partnership this year with Eurovia was one of 150 projects the company rewarded in regional competitions and the first among 15 final prize-winners.
“Winning the Grand Prize in the Vinci Innovation Awards is something our team can be proud of,” said Patrice Pinsard, Global Vice President Coatings & Industrial Markets. “This demonstrates how we want to develop the IPS business through innovation and by taking the lead on new customer projects. This success represents a strong team effort among teams in R&I, marketing, sales and product stewardship and shows our commitment to taking smart risks and trusting that our team can win.”
After a first industrial batch delivered and successfully tested by Eurovia in 2017, the team is looking forward to furthering the commercial development of InnRoad Protect. In addition to continuing its partnership with Eurovia, the team intends to pursue opportunities with other customers, throughout Europe and in Australia and New Zealand.
Solvay is a multi-specialty chemical company, committed to developing chemistry that addresses key societal challenges. Solvay innovates and partners with customers in diverse global end markets. Its products and solutions are used in planes, cars, smart and medical devices, batteries, in mineral and oil extraction, among many other applications promoting sustainability. Its lightweighting materials enhance cleaner mobility, its formulations optimize the use of resources and its performance chemicals improve air and water quality. Solvay is headquartered in Brussels with around 27,000 employees in 58 countries. Net sales were € 10.9 billion in 2016, with 90% from activities where Solvay ranks among the world’s top 3 leaders. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on Euronext Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR) and in the United States its shares (SOLVY) are traded through a level-1 ADR program.
