Paris, March 19, 2012 - Nexans, a worldwide expert in the cable industry, proudly celebrates 10 years of innovation at its Lyon-based Corporate Research facility. 

Nexans was founded in 2000 and immediately afterwards decided to create a more collaborative and co-coordinated approach to manage Research and Development (R&D) across the organisation in order for it to become and maintain its stance as  one of the world's most innovative cable engineering organisation.

The first Nexans Research Center (NRC) opened in Lyon in 2002.  Another three Research Centers were created since then in Nuremberg (Germany), Lens (France), and Jincheon (Korea). These four NRC work closely, through development networks, with pilots units where prototypes are further developed, manufactured and qualified. Overall, a team of over 600 Nexans researchers, engineers and technicians bring to market, on average, two new products a week.

NRC Lyon is the key R&D center for developing high-performance materials, breakthrough technologies and new methodologies to design superior products fulfilling the most sophisticated customer requirements. A team of fifty highly qualified scientists works in Lyon to address present and future customer needs.

NRC Lyon successes include:

  • High-performance cross-linked materials widely used in cable systems for industrial applications, in particular in renewable energy sources, power plants and transportation.
  • Breakthrough in fire safety solutions with the patented INFIT™ insulation technology. In the event of a fire, the INFIT™ insulation transforms into a tough ceramic shield that ensures a high level of fire resistance.
  • Low Fire Hazard Cables involving Halogen-Free Fire-Retardant (HFFR) solutions with low smoke emission for indoor applications.
  • Solutions for extreme environmental conditions such as:
    • High-temperature silicone for rolling stock applications,
    • Mud-resistant rubber for the oil & gas market,
    • Extremely low temperature cables such as the ICEFLEX® range which is used in a wide variety of shipboard and oil & gas applications and remains highly flexible at temperatures as low as -50°C.
  • Energy-efficient designs minimizing CO2 footprint and sustainable solutions involving eco-friendly raw materials and reducing material usage.

The NRC Lyon is fully equipped to manufacture and test cable prototypes so that development can be speeded up and time to market significantly reduced. The team has developed powerful computer simulation tools that allow Nexans to design new cables in a very efficient way. In addition, a dedicated test center evaluates product performances under real-life conditions.

Jean-Maxime Saugrain, Nexans Corporate Vice President Technical says: "We differentiate through high-performance products and services. The four Nexans Research Centers constitute key assets to continue to fulfill this ambition.



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