The cluster aims to become the European leader for non-food agricultural resources by the year 2015.

Its objective is to execute each stage from laboratory to commercialization of innovative projects, with a sustainable development approach.

The cluster has defined 4 means to achieve this:

• Intensify the partnerships between the 2 member regions
• Practise a strategy of alliance with national or international participants
• Develop an economic intelligence tool specialized in opportunities for fossil fuel substitution
• Adapt and mobilize the plant resources necessary for industrial application

Advantages

The Champagne-Ardenne and Picardy regions are 2 French regions recognized for their agricultural potential.

Together they comprise one of the most diversified and high-performing agricultural areas.
 
Cultivatable agricultural landOver 3 million hectares

Research into agricultural resources600 researchers

Coordinator of the European project “Biorefinery Euroreview” (EU Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development or PCRD) which consists of analyzing the different concepts of biorefineries that exist or are in progress and identifying the economic, social and legislative factors that encourage or slow down their development.

Partners

95 partners of the cluster

Companies    50 companies (including SMEs):

- French companies: Arkema, Electricité de France, Gaz de France-Suez, Roquette, L’Oréal, Groupe Ducamp, Groupe Soufflet, Champagne Céréales,  Tereos,     Cristal Union, Poclain Hydraulics, Crédit Agricole etc.

- International companies: Airbus (France/Germany/United Kingdom/Spain), Solvay (Belgium), Sika (Germany) etc.

The list of members of the IAR cluster can be downloaded from the website: www.iar-pole.com

Research and Educational InstitutionsOver 20 centers, including the Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Université Technologique de Compiègne, Université de Reims, Université de Technologie de Troyes, Arts et Métiers Paris Tech, Institut Nationale de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Institut du Végétal (Arvalis), Institut Français du Pétrole (IFP) etc.

To which over 20 other organizations can be added, including the Regional Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Champagne-Ardenne and Picardy, the Chambers of Agriculture of the départements of Aube, Ardennes, Somme, Aisne, Haute-Marne, the Regional Federations of Agricultural Cooperatives of Picardy and Ile-de-France (greater Paris).

Current R&D Partnerships

Over 70 projects certified of which almost 50 have been financed since 2005, corresponding to an overall budget of 85 million euros.

The share of public financing awarded by the National Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Recherche ANR) and the Single Interministerial Fund (Fonds Unique Interministériel FUI) represents 35 to 40% of the overall budget.

International Partnerships

Current•    Coordinator of the European project (PCRD) “Biorefinery Euroreview”
•    Investments from companies of the cluster in Brazil
•    Partnership with the Wood sector with the Finnish VTT Center,
•    Partnership agreement with Ontario (Canada) on bioproducts.
•    Partnership with Wallonia (Belgium): bid for shared projects with the Wagralim cluster.

Future:•    Partnerships on ethanol biofuel with Brazil
•    Research & Development partnership with Hungary
•    Partnership on green chemistry with Germany, United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
•    Partnership with TERI (The Energy Resources Institute), India

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