Groupe SEB, CNRS and Lyon 1 University inaugurate their joint laboratory "Academic Standards for Cookware Industry (ASCI)"

For over ten years, the Laboratory of Multi-Materials and Interfaces (LMI) at Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 / CNRS, member of the Carnot Ingénierie@Lyon institute, and Groupe SEB have been working closely together on research projects in the field of materials and coatings, with the aim of enhancing the performance of Groupe SEB products.

The quality of the partnership and its scientific research led management teams at both organisations to enter into a new phase of development through a joint laboratory.

On one hand, Groupe SEB, world leader in its field, is confirming its desire to speed up and develop research work into key areas for its innovation strategy, while LMI, a laboratory renowned for its work in materials chemistry, is taking up new experimental challenges.

A new joint laboratory located at the heart of Lyon-Tech-la Doua

The ASCI joint laboratory, which has been up and running since July 2018 and is set to continue its work for the next four years, is located at the heart of Lyon-Tech-la Doua Campus in Villeurbanne, in new Axel’One Campus buidlings designed for basic research on joint projects in the fields of innovative materials and processes.

LMI is currently made up of five research groups, with a total of 85 researchers, 27 of whom are already working on this project. Groupe SEB has chosen eight members of its Research teams to work with LMI scientists in the joint research laboratory.

The ASCI laboratory has a 60-square metre space for experimentation as well as office space. Its location close to LMI will provide easy access to cutting-edge equipment. 

Bénédicte Simond, Senior VP Research at Groupe SEB: “This project fits perfectly with Groupe SEB’s open innovation strategy and the strengthening of our relations with the world of academic and scientific research. It is also a great opportunity for some of our employees to be totally integrated in an academic research laboratory.”

Arnaud Brioude, Director of LMI: “Creating the ASCI joint laboratory was a priority for our laboratory. The project’s aim was, on the one hand, to build on and prolong the ten-year partnership we already had with Groupe SEB and, on the other, to create a new efficient structure that would be flexible and therefore responsive. The creation of this third-party body will take our academic/industrial partnership to a new level, whereby everyone involved in the project will see their cooperation bear fruit and progress towards a common goal.” 

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