Leading Edge Adhesive Thinking and Technology Offered at Refurbished State-of-the-art Facility in Blois, France

At a glance

H.B. Fuller, a global adhesives company, has invested €70 million in restructuring its industrial base in Europe, resulting in the closure of 12 factories. The company's plant in Blois, France, has been renovated with new production lines and tanks, improving productivity by 30%. The investment also includes the renovation of the R&D lab. H.B. Fuller has made strategic capital investments of €70 million in the region over three years to modernize its plants and increase production capacity. The company aims to provide innovative technology and support the growing demand for adhesives in various industries.

Blois, France- H.B. Fuller-adhesives bought Forbo-Swift in 2012 and began restructuring its industrial base in Europe. This resulted in an investment of € 70 million and the closure of 12 factories. "Our plant in Blois occupies a central position in Europe. It is near several industrial areas in Italy, England, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands , "said Steve Kenny, vice president of HB Fuller. The site also maintains a production in small series, polyurethane adhesives for the automotive industry. The production of pressure-sensitive adhesives (stationery) is transferred to Lüneburg in Germany. HB Fuller has a second factory in France, Surbiton (Bas -Rhin). It provides adhesives and sealants in the construction industry and employs a hundred people.

Improved productivity

At Blois, new giant stainless steel tanks and two automated production lines can accelerate the process. "We remove the delivery bag, which saves us time and prevents manipulation" says Eric Courières, director of the factory with a hundred employees. "Our productivity capacity is improved for about 30%," he said.

The investment also includes the renovation of the R & D lab for 1.5 million euros. It employs fifteen technicians and researchers who formulate adhesives for all European sites.

Steve Kenny (Senior Vice-President Europe, India, Middle East and Africa): "The redevelopment of the H.B. Fuller Blois plant is one of many transformative changes we have made throughout our Europe, India, Middle East, and Africa operations. Over three years, we have made strategic capital investments of €70 million in the regionThis week we celebrated the opening of our refurbished plant and laboratory in the historic town of Blois, France. It was an exciting couple of days at the site, where we welcomed visitors and gave them the opportunity to see inside our new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. The celebration culminated Tuesday with a ceremony attended by local Mayor Marc Gricourt, together with employees and representatives from our leadership team.

The redevelopment of our Blois plant is one of many transformative changes we have made throughout our Europe, India, Middle East, and Africa operations. Over three years, we have made strategic capital investments of €70 million in the region to modernize our plants and increase production capacity to support the growing demand for adhesives in a wide range of industries, including packaging, durable assembly, converting and graphic arts. Manufacturers across the region now have access to the latest technical facilities, leading-edge adhesive thinking and innovative technology - all on their doorstep.

Our investment in the Blois facility demonstrates our commitment to helping our customers grow competitively. Our new laboratory provides our R&D professionals and applications experts with an environment in which they can be at their most creative. With some of the very best tools and equipment, they can work collaboratively with customers and strategic partners to take advantage of the opportunities the market has to offer.

H.B. Fuller has an outstanding track record of innovation in the industry by connecting people, process and products to solve some of the biggest challenges manufacturing companies face today. We are delighted to have been able to expand and enhance our capabilities in Blois, and we look forward to providing even more value to manufacturers so that they can differentiate themselves and deliver great end products."