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The international strategy of the cluster rests on 3 principal themes:

• Enhance the global scientific reputation (promotion and communication),
• Develop an inter-cluster and inter-territorial operational network, particularly in Europe (partnerships, European projects) then Asia and North America.
• Develop industrial projects by country (generate annual revenues).

These 3 themes support a well-defined goal:

• To become the European industrial and scientific cluster leader by 2012 and become the gateway to innovation in the environment-chemistry area.
• To develop new markets, create jobs, consolidate and strengthen the attractiveness of the territory in its areas of expertise.

Advantages

The Environment-Chemistry sector in the Rhone-Alps: an economic player of importance  in France:
•    2nd region in France, 7th in Europe for its economic significance
•    1st  in chemical production in France,
•    2nd region in France in the eco-industries sector
•    €12.3 billion  in annual revenues
•    48 000  direct jobs

A major industrial and economic engine in the heart of the region:
•    2nd industrial sector in the region according to its annual figures
•    3rd  regional industrial direct employer
•    15% of total regional industrial investment

The Axelera cluster was built on this rich fabric of expertise and research found around Lyon (Vallée de la Chimie, Domaine scientifique de la Doua), Grenoble (Pont-de-Claix, Jarrie, Université de Grenoble), Saint-Etienne and Chambéry.

Upstream and downstream sector partnerships with other clusters in France
•    Pastipolis, Pôle Plasturgie, Oyonnax
•    High End Automobile cluster, Rennes
•    Movéo,  Automobiles and Collective Transportation cluster, Paris/Rouen
•    Minalogic, Nanotechnologies, Grenoble
•    Industry and Agro Ressources, Champagne-Ardenne
•    Tenerrdis, Rhone-Alps

Members

140 members in June 2008

Companies: More than 90
•    French companies: Michelin, Compagnie Générale des Eaux, Total, Arkema, Roquette Frères, Tefal, SITA, Rhodia Research and Development,  GDF Suez, CIBA Spécialités Chimiques SA etc.

•    International companies: Blue Star Silicones (China),  Bayer Crop Science (Germany) and Toray Plastics Europe.

Of which nearly 52 are small- and medium-sized enterprises (ODOTECH, THETIS Environnement, RECUPYL, RVX, SERVIVAP etc.)

Research and Educational InstitutionsMore than 30 centers including the National Center of Scientific Research(CNRS), French Petroleum Institute of Lyon, University Claude Bernard in Lyon, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Saint-Etienne, University Joseph Fourier in Grenoble, EM Lyon (School of Business), National Institute of Applied Sciences in Lyon (INSA), INP Grenoble etc.

The cluster is supported by a number of local players including: Le Grand Lyon (Communauté Urbaine), la Région Rhône-Alpes, Conseils Généraux du Rhône et de l’Isère, Grenoble Alpes Métropole, Communauté de Commune Sud Grenoblois, la DRIRE Rhône-Alpes et l’ANR etc.

R&D Project Partnerships

34 projects certified and financed between 2005 and 2007 within the framework of the cluster (refer to appendix) involving a total investment of 198 million euros, financed with up to 98 million euros of public funds.

International Partnerships

Current
•    Co-operation with Italy on the Duramat project harnessing the idea of “eco-design of materials”
•    Co-operation on “Capture Carbon” with Norway, between companies and organizations of the two countries
•    Partnership with Germany to carry out the project "Intensification Process"
•    Partnership with NEPIC (North-East Process Industry Cluster), Great Britain and Green Business Norway

Future
•    Participation in European networks of ECRN and EERN
•    Contact with many European clusters: Environment Park in Turin, Bayern Chemistry cluster in Munich, the water cluster in  Barcelona etc.
•    Development of industrial projects in China

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