Corporate

History

In the mid 80's, the French Aerospatiale Company (today EADS LV) became involved in the development of Plasma Torch technology. A team of engineers predicted its potential development: plasma technology could be applied to the elimination of waste. A promising solution had been found: the long-awaited alternative to the storage of toxic waste.

Thus began Europlasma!
The story of a zealous team that switched from space technology to the technologies of the environment and has proved over the past fifteen years its ability to harness this cutting-edge expertise to open up new possibilities and perspectives for hazardous waste treatment and renewable energy production. 

A true philosophy underlies our life and actions.

 Key dates: 

• 1992:
  Creation of the company
   
• 1995:
  First contract to install a pilot plant for the vitrification of incineration residues
  (Cenon - Bordeaux Urban Community – France)    
  
  
    
• 1998:
  Performance report and end of experimentation phase at the Cenon facility
  (Bordeaux Urban Community – France)     
• 1999:
  Licence agreement with the Japanese group KOBE STEEL. The conglomerate became Europlasma’s non exclusive licensee in charge of promoting Europlasma’s processes in Japan    
• 2000:
  Validation of the eco-compatibility of the vitrified product produced at the Cenon facility under the Vivaldi Program
  Involvement of the Bordeaux Urban Community in the industrial operation of the Cenon Unit (France)
  Collaboration agreement with the CEA (French Atomic Energy Agency)
  Opening of a commercial representation office in Kyoto (Japan)
  Sale of three plasma torch systems in Japan     
• 2001:
  Signing of a supply contract for a new line in the treatment of asbestos waste at the INERTAM EIG adapted to the needs of the market.
  (66% Europlasma, 34% SARP Industries)
  Signing of a supply contract for a new line in the treatment of asbestos waste at the GIE INERTAM adapted to the needs of the market.  

   Europlasma listed on the Euronext Paris Marché Libre.

• 2003:
  In July, Europlasma became the world's first and only site for asbestos destruction by vitrification: INERTAM
  
  
  

Fine-tuning of the new line at the Inertam plant
First invitation to tender for the reuse of the vitrified product
First contract in Algeria for the vitrification of asbestos waste from the “Mohamed Boudiaf” dome

• 2005:
  Private placement of €25 m
  Collaboration agreement with the CEA (French atomic energy agency) to convert biomass and waste into bio-diesel
  Inauguration of the new asbestos treatment line at the Inertam plant (Morcenx 64 – France): 25 tons per day, nominal capacity
  Inertam's vitrified product, “Cofalit”, was officially declared as reusable by French authorities. The town of Morcenx chose Cofalit as capping layer for the construction of a new road. 
     
• 2006:
  ISO 9001 certification renewed
  Setting-up of a consortium for the dismantling of end-of-life ships
  Europlasma acquired a controlling interest in Europe Environnement (company specializing in air and gas treatment)
  The Agence Nationale pour la Recherche (national research agency) helped finance the first step of the GALACSY program
• 2007:
  First block of the private placement of €11m from Crédit Suisse
  Launch of 12 MW Unit in Morcenx (France)
  Europlasma celebrated one million hours of industrial operation of its plasma heating systems worldwide
  The vitrified product from Cenon Bordeaux Urban Community, “Plasmalit”, was officially declared reusable