Create, improve and promote solutions for the future

Our comprehensive Research & Development policy aims to provide innovative solutions to our customers. The objective is to create, improve and promote products, services, materials and processes for the future. 

Attuned to actual market needs and working in close cooperation with marketing and plant teams, our R&D staff has access to substantial resources for putting this policy into effect :

- 500 engineers and technicians are dedicated to R&D

- A R&D budget of almost €78 million in 2011

5 research centres in three countries :

•	Germany
	-	Vallourec Research Düsseldorf - Boiler & Line Pipe Competence Center
	-	Vallourec Research Düsseldorf - Rolling Competence Center
	-	Vallourec Research Riesa - Rolling Laboratory
•	France
	-	Vallourec Research Aulnoye
•	Brazil
	-	Vallourec Research Belo Horizonte

These centres, equipped with high-performance investigative and modelling tools, provide expertise to Vallourec’s core competencies, including metallurgy, heat transfer technology, non-destructive testing, corrosion, surface treatment and product and process simulations.  

 R&D partnership with world leaders 

The Group develops R&D programmes in partnership with suppliers, customers and university laboratories that are world leaders in their fields:

•	Sumitomo Metal Industries: collaboration since 1976 in the development of premium joints for the oil & gas industry (VAM® product range);
•	Salzgitter Mannesmann Forschung Research Centre in Germany: active contribution to Vallourec R&D programmes since 1997;
•	Timet: development of titanium applications since 1997;
•	Petrobras: tubular solutions for deep-water operations involving complex reservoirs;
•	Hitachi Power Europe, Alstom: development of high-performance steels for ultra-supercritical power plants.
•	Tubacex: since 2009, development of new stainless steel and nickel alloy seamless tube solutions for energy markets.

         

The R&D organisation and the productive synergies developed with many different partners enable Vallourec to maintain its technology lead, as demonstrated by the many examples.