Download the file. - Groupe SEB

R&D – Caen laboratory, France
GROUPE SEB commitment...
“GROUPE SEB DID NOT LET US DOWN”
Dominique Emery, Mayor of Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, France.
CORPORATE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2007
THE KEY ROLE OF R&D AND INDUSTRIAL PATENTS
In a market where accelerating change is the norm, the task of
research and development is to make sure that the Group has a
solid agenda of ongoing projects in the short, medium and long
term. This involves fully exploiting the areas in which it already
commands specific expertise while going on to explore new frontiers.
These are increasingly technical, even scientific, embracing
for example nanotechnology, fine-scale materials analysis, the
chemical composition of food and other areas. At the same time,
incorporating environmental criteria at the product-design stage
broadens the scope of R&D applications. For this reason we have
stepped up recruitment in the last two years to reinforce our
research and development teams with skills in new specialist
areas.
Industrial patent registration aims to protect innovation and
defend it from infringement. Groupe SEB, as the proprietor of
more than 1,000 current patents, is one of the most pioneering
French companies in this area. In 2007, it filed 86 new patents and
276 preliminary notifications (the so-called Soleau filing, used to
date a patentable idea). Despite these precautions, our products,
models and brands are often copied, counterfeited or unlawfully
exploited. The Group is continually on the alert in sensitive zones
such as China and the Middle East, and closely monitors trade
fairs. When necessary, it takes legal action (23 cases in 2007) and
arranges to have illicit products seized (16 seizure operations
were carried out last year).
“When I heard of the plan to close the Groupe SEB factory in our commune, my immediate
concern was for the workers: what was going to become of them? Groupe SEB
reassured me, explaining that solutions existed for all the staff and no-one would be
neglected. I accepted their word on this, but one also had to consider the future of the
site and local job creation. The closure of a plant of this size is a hard knock for an area
where there is already little industry. Here again, Groupe SEB played the game
by becoming closely involved in a reindustrialization unit set up with local public and
private interests. Several take-over plans were considered during 2007, and the local
site managers were very cooperative with potential buyers. At the beginning of 2008, we
are on the way to finding a viable solution (still confidential) with a company which plans to take over the entire
site and create a substantial number of jobs. This will give new economic momentum to the commune.”
52