Louis Vovelle’s 10-year journey of innovation at Elkem

Curiosity nurtured since childhood

Louis' fascination with science began in his childhood, influenced by his engineer father and teacher grandparents. "I think it really started in my childhood. My grandparents, who were teachers, would take me hiking and show me different plants and animals. They developed my observation skills and curiosity," Louis shares.

This encouragement laid the foundation for his future career, which began with studies in chemistry and physics, followed by a doctorate in mechanical physics.

From Nobel Prize winners to industry

Louis started his professional journey as a researcher at Rhône-Poulenc Research in 1983, quickly making a name for himself through his publications and conference presentations. His ability to build a strong network—despite the lack of internet and LinkedIn, he notes—set him apart in the early stages of his career, and he was able to work with many academics, including Nobel Prize winners such as Dr. Pierre-Gilles de Gennes. 

In 1983, Louis began working in Lyon then Paris and Cranbury, USA at Rhodia Research then Rhodia Silicones. As the company evolved, first acquired by Bluestar Silicones and then merging with Elkem in 2015, so did his career. After his early start as a researcher, Louis grew as a leader, becoming the VP of Innovation and Strategy at Bluestar Silicones, then the SVP of Innovation and R&D at Elkem.

One of Louis' notable achievements is his work on open innovation, a strategic approach that involves collaborating with external partners and leveraging their ideas, technologies and expertise to drive innovation.

In 2007, he restructured Bluestar Silicones R&D centres across the US, Europe, China and Brazil, fostering a culture of collaboration and resource optimisation. His efforts in this area led to significant advancements, including the development of new catalysts, new intensified processes and the establishment of successful partnerships in the circular economy and 3D printing.

The challenge of continuous renewal

Innovation has been at the heart of his career and Elkem's success. As he sees it, innovation goes beyond simply coming up with new ideas and products. “Having ideas is not a problem,” he says, “Together in this meeting room in one hour, we can come up with 20 good ideas.”

But a good idea that is merely translated into a journal article isn’t innovation, he explains. You have to go further and transform the discovery into value. This involves developing new ways of working with customers, pioneering new business models, and more. 

His holistic approach to innovation extends beyond technical advancements—he advocates for a broader view that includes open innovation and business intimacy, where technical partnerships evolve into strategic business collaborations. Louis also emphasises the importance of frugal innovation and transformation of constraints into opportunities.

Often used in the context of circular economies, frugal innovation consists of developing new solutions using existing resources and knowledge rather than starting from scratch. In doing so, the innovation process often becomes faster and less expensive and can also lead to successful collaborative partnerships. This often works hand-in-hand with open innovation, since sharing knowledge and collaborating facilitates new discoveries that can be turned into solutions.

Elkem, he says, is a great big-picture example of this: more than 100 years since it patented the Søderberg electrode, a self-baking electrode which revolutionised the smelting industry worldwide, the company is still pioneering groundbreaking technology projects alongside industrial partners and research institutions.

While too many constraints and procedures can smother creativity, having guidelines and regulations can lead to transformative results, according to Louis. Among the constraints of today, often related to sustainability, or limited funding or tight timelines, he sees opportunity rather than limitation by forcing us to develop new research strategies or explore new technologies. This mindset has been instrumental in enhancing efficiency and sustainability at Elkem, as well as enabling Elkem to stay ahead in a competitive industry, continuously adapting to new challenges and market demands.

A patented polymer inspired by Bambi

With his strategic vision and leadership, Louis has overcome numerous challenges throughout his career, from managing diverse teams across different cultures, to navigating the complexities of global operations, and he has celebrated numerous achievements.

Among these, Louis believes the most significant is his discovery inspired by the film Bambi (1942). While watching the storm scene with his children, the way water beaded on the tree leaves sparked an idea for how to control the splash of droplets landing on leaves.

The result: a patented polymer that significantly increased the efficiency of agrochemical applications, not only reducing pollution but also generating substantial financial benefits—in the first two months alone, the discovery generated $2 million in revenue. There have been many new developments based on this polymer and the anti rebound theory and concept, used in paints and coatings, semiconductors, 3D inkjet and more. Louis' ability to turn scientific discoveries into practical, profitable solutions has been a hallmark of his career.

Partnerships and collaborative projects

Elkem devotes considerable effort to R&I activities, with more than 3.5% of 2023 revenues dedicated to new products and processes, including technical support to customers. The company’s global team includes 550 researchers working at 14 R&I facilities worldwide. In 2022 alone, Elkem's R&I teams filed more than 35 new patents. New products introduced within the past five years now represent more than 15 percent of Elkem’s turnover.

Louis has always believed in the power of partnerships, and in 2016, the Elkem Innovation Team, an internal cross-functional team for a more efficient innovation was created. Externally, his efforts in developing technical and business intimacy have shaped Elkem’s innovation strategy and success.

For the Silicones division, the partnership on new catalysts in 2007-2008 laid the groundwork for future projects in the circular economy and chemical recycling. The collaborative project, initially named REPOS and now ROSE-UP, resulted in new patents and publications, showcasing the potential of chemical recycling.

Another notable success is the creation of the startup 3Deus Dynamics, which emerged from a collaboration on 3D silicone printing technology. Elkem holds a 21 per cent share in the French startup, which is able to print complex parts for the healthcare, aerospace and defense industries.

This model of fostering startups has proven to be an effective way to drive innovation and create value, and Elkem recently entered a strategic partnership with Startuplab to accelerate the development of green industrial technologies and digital solutions.

The power of innovation

In many ways, Louis’ career has been “a dream.” One of the best things about it is that all along, he’s been paid to learn, he says. Now he is preparing for retirement and to step down from his numerous board positions to “make room for new voices, new ideas and new ways of doing things.” However, he has no intention to stop learning and engaging with researchers and entrepreneurs, notably through mentoring.

Louis' career at Elkem is a testament to the power of innovation and the impact of visionary leadership. His journey from a curious child to a promising researcher to a leading figure in the industry highlights the importance of nurturing curiosity, embracing challenges and continuously striving for excellence and improvement.

As Elkem’s journey continues, the programmes and initiatives championed by Louis will undoubtedly continue to shape the company’s success.