FRD: the designer of plant fibers
A partner of the Hemp European Hub, Fibres Recherche et Développement is an initiative of industrial producers of fibers and reinforcements and players in the plant chemistry sector. The objective: to pool their R&D in order to create added value for fibers.
“Depending on the application and market, manufacturers may need hemp fiber measuring 10 millimeters, 10 centimeters, or even flour… “At FRD, we give fibers shapes and properties that they do not have naturally,” explains Pierre Bono, Director of FRD, Fibers Research and Development. “We work with hemp, flax, and around forty other agricultural and forest biomasses. We design fibers to make them accessible to markets with a view to industrial transfer.
Our Technology Resource Center was established fourteen years ago to capitalize on knowledge over time and create value for fibers by giving them the properties required by their target markets.
Based in the Technopole de l’Aube en Champagne for its platform dedicated to the preparation of plant fibers, FRD also has a subsidiary in Amiens, CODEM, which specializes in sustainable construction and innovative eco-materials. The company employs fourteen people: a scientific director and project managers in the segments studied (plastics and composites, analysis, plant fibers, etc.).
Temple of Knowledge
FRD has expertise in all processes involved in obtaining and applying plant fibers. This covers everything from the plant to the final applications (insulation, panels, concrete, plastics, composites, textiles, cosmetics). As a technical center, FRD supports its customers and partners in the use of plant fibers by providing consulting and R&D services or collaborative projects. What sets us apart is our strong market vision and eco-design expertise.
Close to manufacturers
“Responsiveness and a tailor-made approach are what set FRD apart,” continues Pierre Bono. “We want to be in line with industry standards.” The fiber specialist, particularly in hemp, has therefore joined the Hemp European Hub project to anticipate fiber needs in various markets. As coordinator of the Plastics and Composites technical group, FRD has cross-disciplinary expertise to support the R&D needs of industrial companies. “The momentum has been built. The European Hub is a great initiative, which we see as a community where people live and breathe hemp. The challenge is to work together while preserving and managing the confidentiality of each subject. We are fortunate to have industrial successes in the automotive sector. We hope to translate these into other sectors such as construction and furniture design.”
“Building on these strengths, we have drawn up a roadmap. We know what obstacles remain to be overcome, which allows us to take concrete action. We now need to imagine a collective space that will attract manufacturers with a technology hub.” The logical and operational extension of the Hemp European Hub.
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The long-standing partners of the Hemp European Hub
