A N N U A L R E P O R T - Bouygues

INNOVATION, RESEARC
Cycle track made from Vegecol binder
While research and development (R&D) concerns the scientific and technological
aspects of our work, innovation extends to processes, services, and
understanding our customers and markets. The strategy of Research and
Development functions, together with their budgets, is validated by the general
management of the various units in order to ensure that the fields of
research are strictly consistent with the strategic orientations of our business
lines.
• benchmarking (monitoring achievements
outside the group),
• advising and assisting with respect
to projects carried out by business
entities. This generally concerns
complex projects with high technological
or scientific value added,
• animating and co-ordinating an
Innovation division bringing together
all those working on this question;
a special intranet site has been
created.
Bouygues Construction
Apart from expressing its natural concern
for the safety of what it builds by
implementing the strictest standards,
Bouygues Construction is dedicated
to advancing techniques and materials
to achieve maximum comfort
for customers and users. Bouygues
Construction enjoys a powerful image
as a technological innovator, enhanced
throughout its history:
• bridges (precast segments erected
with launching beams), tunnel
boring machines (earth-pressurebalance
principle, TBM guidance),
• construction (4-day cycle),
• Ductal ® high-performance concrete;
its strength and other qualities,
particularly its fire resistance, are
remarkable,
• post-tensioning (VSL processes),
• complex financial packages: M5, N4,
and A28 motorways, PPP (Hungary,
Hong Kong, London, etc.),
The high level of the technical culture
of Bouygues business lines explains
the very close connections between
R&D functions and engineering departments,
making it possible to keep an
ear close to the ground in terms of
commercial and production concerns.
Most of the Group’s Research &
Development structures are decentralized
throughout the subsidiaries so
that researchers can provide solutions
tailored to their markets. However,
the e-Lab, a specialized Bouygues SA
R&D expenditure
in 2005: €137 million
structure created in 1994, supports the
different Bouygues businesses to help
with technological evolution, making
them aware of innovations developed
in the world of research and by startups
in the new digital technologies
sector. To effectively carry out this
assignment, the activities of e-Lab are
focused on four main tasks:
• independent research, where e-Lab
produces scientific or software innovations
around the general topic of
decisional science,
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