Techtera is a competitiveness cluster located in Lyon, France that was created in 2005 to drive innovation in the functional and technical textile industry. The cluster facilitates collaborative R&D projects between companies, research centers, and educational institutions in the Rhone-Alpes region, which is a leader in Europe for technical textiles. Since 2005, Techtera has approved over 150 collaborative projects, over half of which received funding. Their projects focus on developing new textile technologies in areas like healthcare, composites, recycling, and more to increase the competitiveness of the regional industry.

1. Techtera:
a competitiveness cluster
and a driving force for
innovation
January 2011
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2. Introduction
 Techtera is a competitiveness cluster
dedicated to the functional and technical
textile industry in the French area of Rhône-
Alpes
 The cluster was created in 2005 and is located
in Ecully, in the outskirts of Lyon
 Since 2005, the cluster has shown very positive
results
 Our objective is: the search for collaborative
innovation for the benefice of
competitiveness, businesses and
manufacturers
 Techtera is ISO 9001 certified
 The Rhône-Alpes area in France is the leader
in the sector of technical textiles
January 2011
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3. What is a cluster in France ?
 For a given local area, a competitiveness
cluster is defined as:
 an association of companies, research
centres and educational institutions,
 working through partnerships (under a
common development strategy),
 generating synergies in the implementation of
innovative projects beneficial to one or more
given markets.
The aim of this policy is to encourage, then support,
projects initiated by the economic and academic
players in a given local area.
January 2011
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4. What is a cluster in France ?
4 key-factors for success:
 a common economic development strategy that
is consistent with the area’s overall development
strategy,
 creating extensive partnerships between players
for specific projects,
 focusing on technologies for markets with high
growth potential,
 reaching sufficient critical mass to acquire and
develop international visibility,
by building a network of players at the forefront of
innovation, the end goals of a cluster are the
creation of new wealth and jobs in local areas.
January 2011
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5. A local area and a center
of excellence: Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is:
 Europe’s leader in functional textiles: bioactive textiles,
cosmetotextiles, thermal textiles, reflective textiles, textiles with
visual effects, textiles for communication, etc.
 Europe’s largest concentration of firms producing high-
performance textiles (aramid, carbon, ceramic, etc.)
 European area of fiberglass (Lyon)
 Nota Bene: Germany is the 1st customer
of the area
January 2011
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6. Rhône-Alpes is also the leader in:
 Impregnation of fabrics for advanced composites in
aeronautic applications
 Production of threads to reinforce rubber for the automotive
industry
 Production of reinforcement-used geotextiles
 Production of textiles for medical applications
 It concentrates…
 Nearly all French weaving for advanced carbon fiber and
fiberglass composites
 Nearly all French production of fabrics for personal safety
 … And total integration of all professions in the industry,
from fibers to garment production
January 2011
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7. The Rhône-Alpes industry:
key figures
140 SMEs + World leaders
10,000 skilled jobs
65%of France’s production capacity
€2 billion in sales
12.5 %of Europe’s tonnage
More than 300,000 tons
January 2011
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8. Rhône-Alpes: world
leaders…
 Ferrari: textile architecture for solar protection and
tarpaulins (90 M€ in sales, 300 employees)
 Hexcel Reinforcements: high-performance carbon
fiber or fiberglass fabrics, namely for aerospace
applications (135 M€ in sales, 600 employees)
 Porcher Industries: glass, carbon, composite,
aramid and silica fabrics, used in the automotive,
electronics, construction and sporting goods sectors
(300 M€ in sales, 2 200 employees)
 Thuasne: healthcare textiles (79M€ in sales, 830
employees)
January 2011
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9. …Small and medium-size
companies
 Rhône-Alpes is also a concentration of SMEs:
more than 140 (2009 figures)
 A fertile environment for innovation with
training, R&D, supervision, tests, and
standardization
 35 « grandes écoles », 10 enginnering schools,
8 universities - among which 4 scientific
universities-, 10 research industries, 4
industrial technical centers
 60 fundamental or applied research
laboratories: textiles, composites, polymers,
chemical, mechanical, civil engineering,
transport…
January 2011
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10. A full value chain
All players in the industry are present, from
« customized » to mass-market
products:
 Raw materials
 Textiles of all types in all formats
 Converters, coaters, impregnators and dippers
(semi-finished goods)
 Producers of finished goods
 Manufacturer of specialized machinery
January 2011
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11. A strongly
innovative area
Rhône-Alpes ranks number 2 in France
in terms of pioneering activity
(source: Grand Lyon), with:
 12, 5 % of the patents
 11, 5 % of the research expenditures and
of the researchers
 12 % of the scientific publishing
 600 public laboratories
 19 000 researchers
 According to a poll published by the economic french
newspaper Les Echos at the beginning of June 2009,
foreign investors ranked Lyon at the 1st place in
France (ex-aequo with Paris) for its innovation
potential.
January 2011
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12. Techtera, as a result
from…
When it was launched in 2005, the key ingredients
of a cluster were assembled and Techtera appear
like the result of:
A local area + Innovation + Industry
With one objective :
to become a driving force for network innovation
What have we done since 2005 ?
January 2011
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13. Our assignments
 The work of Techtera consists in producing and
providing solutions for the management of R&D
collaborative projects
 The cluster leads its member companies, especially
the SME’s, on the way to innovation. The work of
the cluster also consists in finding out needs and
topics for innovation and further researches
 Objective: to increase the competitiveness of the
textile industry
 The benefits for the member companies of Techtera:
more innovation, better results, shared costs,
meaning lesser costs, more ressources (human,
financial, technical)
January 2011
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14. Our methodology
 Techtera created and developed its own tools and
services, necessary for any organisation involved in an
innovative industry: the « R&D project process »
 It consists in different well-identified steps, from the
1st stage: the rough draft… to the funding of the project
and its final achievement
 The process includes:
 Proposition for reflection topics, proposal of an innovation
track
 Structuring and setting up of the project: working groups
are set up for each topic (project engineering)
 The project is submitted to the advisement of the Scientific
and Technical Commitee (made up of researchers,
manufacturers, technical centers)
January 2011
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15. Our methodology
The Executive Board decides and grants – or not – the
Techtera-approved label
- After approval by the cluster, the project is then
submitted to potential fundings: ANR, OSEO, FUI
(french national programs), ACTRA (Région Rhône-
Alpes), FEDER, EUROPOLES (European Union)
- Acceptance from funds or « rewriting »
- Agreement of consortium
- Launching and follow-up
- Final step up to products
prototyping
January 2011
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16. Focus on Innovation
Workshops
 The first Innovation Workshop of
Techtera was held in 2006
 Since then, more than 15 Workshops have been
organized. Each workshop gathers almost 80
participants (manufacturers, researchers, etc.)
 Through these Workshops, Techtera raises
strategic questions addressing major technical
and economical issues of the technical textile
industry
 The objective: to initiate collaborative R&D
projects
 Each Workshop focuses on one topic; 2 or 3 topics
are examinated each year
January 2011
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17. Focus on Innovation
Workshops
The topics, since 2006:
 Textile and health
 Textile: a strategic material for acoustics
 What kind of alternatives to traditional finishing treatments
processes ?
 Filtration and air-scattering in confined areas
 Silicon polymers
 Sensitivity, as a condition of success for technical textiles
 Composite materials
 Nanomaterials
 Derma-textiles
 Monitoring in health and wellness : electronics & textil
 Recycling and composites recycling
 Electrospinning
January 2011 17
 …

18. The working groups
Following the Innovation Workshops, working groups
are set up on each topic: they plainly contribute to
structure and supervise the reflection that is going to
lead to R&D projects.
They are working at the moment on the following
subjects:
 1 group on e-textiles
 1 group on recycling
 1 group on supercritic fluid technology
 1 group on composites recycling
January 2011
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19. Our results
 150 Techtera-assisted-and approved label
projects, since 2005
 1 collaborative project in 2005, 7 in 2006, 32 in 2007,
51 in 2008, 35 in 2009… The cluster is quickly
expanding
 Over half of the projects have received funding, for a
total amount of 9,5M€ in 2010 : more than 60
projects funded, since 2005
 An average of 6,3 partners got together for each
project
January 2011
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20. Some of our R&D
collaborative projects
 NAPCO, for the development of low-cost 3D textiles, based
on the NAPCO technology (a needle-technology), with
applications in safety clothing, sports and leisure, furniture,
aeronautics (composite materials), building. 6 partners.
Funding: 894 K€ from the french Government (DGCIS).
Launching: 2005.
 NANOPTEX, for the development of innovative textiles
based on the advances that have been made by
nanotechnologies and nano materials. 8 partners. Funding:
1 M€ from the french Government (DGCIS). Launching:
2006.
January 2011
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21. Some of our R&D
collaborative projects
 MATBIOTEX, for the development of new textiles, based
on biological molecules which can be used either as
external medical devices for the treatment of recurrent
wounds or as internal medical devices to be implanted in a
patient’s body. 9 partners. Funding: 1,1 M€ (DGCIS).
Launching: 2007.
 SILICOTEX, for the development of innovative textiles
(yarns and fabrics) including the silicon technology and the
functionalities of silicons, with applications in different
fields:
 Health (medical devices for venous and lymphatic
diseases)
 Personal Protective Equipment and industry
 Underwear, footwear
January 2011
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22. Some of our R&D
collaborative projects
15 partners. Funding: 6,5 M €, from French
governement DGCIS) and local authorities.
Launching: 2008.
 TEXTILUB, for the development of aerospace mobile joints
self-lubricating composite materials that fit with the new
generation of planes and helicopters, with outstanding
proprieties:
• Reliability
• High temperature resistance
• Environmental friendly: waste reduction, pollution
reduction, energy consumption reduction, emission
reduction…
4 partners. Funding : 1,63 M€, from French and local
governement. Launching: 2008.
January 2011
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23. Some of our R&D
collaborative projects
 ECOMAT develops silicone and polyurethan materials
based on clean catalytic converters, free of tin and
mercury compounds.
The objective is to meet with the sustainable
development challenges by improving the
environmental impact of industry.
8 partners (3 SMEs, 2 groups, 3 research
laboratories). Funding: 3,7 M€ from French
governement (DGCIS) and local government.
Launching: 2009
January 2011
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24. Some of our R&D
collaborative projects
 TEXINTECO aims at developing textiles based on
organic fabrics or recyclable materials.
Application : automotive industry.
Objective : pre-empt the new European directive
(1/01/2015)
5 partners among which Chomarat (1 SME, 3 groups,
1 research laboratory). Funding: 1, 1 M€. Launching:
2009
The feasibility studies will be carried out on our
new P2F platform.
January 2011
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25. Some of our R&D
collaborative projects
 INTELLITEX for the development of new automatic
production processes in the field of smart clothing and
textiles. 11 partners. Funding: 1,037 M€. Launching :
2009
 IDTCO (Innovative Dry Thermoset Composites)
will develop new solutions of prepreg and
transformation processes, in line with sustainable
development policies requirements, which can be
used in different fields. 3 partners (2 SMEs, 1
research laboratory). Funding: 1,1 M€ FEDER.
Launching: 2009.
January 2011
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26. Some of our R&D
collaborative projects
 P2F: a pre-industrialisation platform devoted
to spinning new functional yarns with new
functionalities or optimum proprieties:
- heat and light resistance
- flammability and fire resistance
- good mechanical performances,
- abrasion resistance
 P2F is aiming at developing new products and
prototypes: spinning of thermoplastic polymers
and/or addition of functions
 P2F is backed-up by Techtera and managed by
IFTH (French Institute for Textile and Clothing).
January 2011
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27. Some of our R&D
collaborative projects
 Its activities range from feasibility studies to
pre-industrialization processes.
 9 industrial partners from the Rhône-Alpes
area
 P2F’s productivity goal: 20 kg/day
 Markets:
Clothing, healthcare, transportation, buildings…
January 2011
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28. Some of our R&D
collaborative projects
 COMPHOSOL for the development of new
photocatalytic self-cleaning coatings intended to be
used in the building sector (indoor and outdoor
enduses) to reduce pollutants due to organic volatile
compounds. 13 partners. Funding: 1,5 M€. Launching:
2010.
 DOSELESS, for the development of textile materials
increasing the protection against ionizing radiation.
Applications: health & nuclear industries. 9 partners.
Funding: 1 M€. Launching: 2010.
 TIPCO, towards innovative composites for the
building industry. The project aims at developing new
types of textile reinforced composites with a mineral
matrix and an industrial mass production process
leading to applications for building and civil
enginnering sectors, with improvements in terms of
strength and fire resistance. January 2011 28

29. Some of our R&D
collaborative projects
7 partners. Launching: 2010.
 GEO-INOV, for the development of a new generation
of geotextiles with very innovative products in terms
of resistance, efficiency and reduction in carbon
footprint. 7 partners. Funding: 1,5 M€. Launching:
2010.
 AGROBOOST, for the development of new types of
biodegradable compostable agro and geo-textiles. 8
partners. Funding: 1,3 M€. Launching: 2011.
 SYRIMAP, for the development of new fire-retardant
products and new applications in the fire-retardant
sector. 8 partners. Funding: 1,7 M€. Launching: 2011.
 VIRTEX will offer new solutions for air treatment,
with the development of new flexible textile filters
that will help fighting against indoor air pollution. 7
partners. Funding: 1,3 M€. Launching: 2011.
January 2011 29

30. Our strategy and news
for 2009-2011
The new Techtera convention covers the cluster activities up to 2012. It is supported by the
strategy and a development plan including our objectives for the next 3 years.
Discovery of  Innovation upon raw materials
untapped  Control of producing channels, especially on the early stage
Development of international projects with major yarn producing
Spinning System

companies
Innovation for technologies used for each application
Reinforcement of

 Development of normalisation as a support for innovations
Multi-fonctionality  MISTRAL, a platform acting as an incubator for projects
Textile = Flexible  Innovation upon the flexible and technological concept
Technological  Development of new skills
Materials  Centre for global ressources: MISTRAL
 Certification ISO 9001
Structuring of  Communication & promotion: in France and around the world
the TECHTERA  Development of forward-looking management technics regarding
Cluster employment & competencies
 Development of partnerships with financial institutions
January 2011
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31. Our strategy and news
for 2009-2011
 Our methodology has been standardised and
approved: Techtera was granted the ISO 9001
certification in March 2009.
 The development of inter-clustering : in Japan
(Japanese Chemical Fibers Association), in Germany,
Spain (Ateval/Valencia and AEI/Barcelona) and in
Tunisia and the international development
 Techtera has developed connections with french
clusters, such as:
 Plastipolis (IDTco project) and « Composites Rhône-Alpes »
 Aerospace Cluster (Textilub)
 Up tex (Intellitex project)
 Axelera (Ecomat project)
 SCS (PACID project)
 TRIMATEC (Doseless project)
 FIBRES (GEO-INOV) 31
January 2011

32. Our strategy and news
for 2009-2011
 « Composites Rhône-Alpes » is a group of six key
players representing the plastic industry sector,
the technical textiles and the composite
materials of the Rhône-Alpes area: the resource
center Compositec, the clusters Plastipolis and
Techtera, the schools of engineering ITECH and
Polytech’ Savoie, and the highly performing
Matériautech-Composites.
January 2011
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33. A « hub » for innovation:
MISTRAL
 The next major step for Techtera is MISTRAL, a
platform for the development of techniques and
services dedicated to innovation
 The project has been approved by the French
government (phase 1)
 The second phase was launched in 2010: a
feasability study and a business have been done.
 The textile technologies are selected: they mainly
concern functionnalization, surface treatment,
composites, nano and micro, and clean technologies.
 MISTRAL brings together different partners,
technical means and platforms, and services
dedicated to the innovation support.
January 2011
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34. A « hub » for innovation :
MISTRAL
 MISTRAL can be compared with a hub: a hub
for innovation, settled on a single location, which
will allow:
 To attract skills, talents, start-up businesses…
 To gather all the human and technical
ressources taking part in a R&D project, and
also teams of researchers
 To provide the best answers to the needs of
our industry
 To boost innovation and the results of
innovation
 Next update: the launching…
January 2011
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35. Characteristics and figures
 The progress report for the past 6 years is clearly
positive. Networking for innovation is an abolute
necessity which has been widely proved by the work
of many French clusters since 2005.
 Techtera has its own identity:
 65 % of our members are small and medium
businesses
 67 % of the partners funded within collaborative
projects are SMEs
 Techtera’s work is supported by a large network,
inside and outside of its economic sector
 All the projects we are working on meet with the
sustainable development requirements.
January 2011
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36. Characteristics
and figures
 110 member companies, out of which 80 % are
manufacturing companies
 More than 150 assisted projects since 2005
 More than 50 % of the submitted projects funded
 100 M€ for fundings
 Applications on buyoant markets: aerospace,
healthcare, civil engineering and building, Personal
Protective Equipment
 New products resulting from collaborative
projects: composite materials for aeronautics,
innovative anti-bacterial filters, techno-natural yarns
based on Rilsan®…
January 2011
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37. Thank you
for your attention…
Techtera
Tel: 00 33 4 20 30 28 80
contact@techtera.org
www.techtera.org
January 2011
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