Our ability to innovate for our customers arises from an active and comprehensive Research and Development policy. Our research staff are dedicated to the creation, improvement and promotion of the products, services, materials and processes of the future.

Responsibility for putting this policy into effect lies with our plant-based R & D staff, who are close to the real needs of the market and in daily contact with production processes. They are supported by the CEV Research Center at Aulnoye, which has high-performing research and modeling facilities. Around one hundred engineers and technicians apply their expertise and skill in the core disciplines associated with the business of making tubes, i.e. metallurgy, surface chemistry, scientific calculations, CAD, finite element analysis and non-destructive testing.

These dynamic teams communicate via a cutting-edge internal portal and organize themselves in process committees bringing plant specialists and CEV experts together in order to evaluate and share best practices in each business activity.

Our development efforts can also draw on an extensive network of experts outside the Group and there are a number of programs that bring together our suppliers, customers, university and French Grandes Ecoles laboratories, and more.

It is to the fruitful synergies generated with our customers that the Vallourec group owes its position as world leader in steel tube markets for a high number of applications, in particular oil and gas, power generation and automotive.

Vallourec has adopted a Total Quality Management (TQM) system in all of the Group's entities to provide the best possible service to customers. Led by general management, the policy focuses on continuous improvement program and efforts are coordinated by management groups, giving priority to  :