in Niort, the Kraton chemical factory seeks to eliminate all forms of risk

The Niort economic area is little known for its chemical industries. However, it is within the limits of the departmental capital that Kraton Chemical has been installed since 2016. The nine-hectare site, located in the industrial zone of Saint-Florent, has been dedicated to this type of activity since the 1960s.

The plant receives hydrocarbons in liquid form. And, after various mixtures and polymerization-type processes, Kraton delivers two ranges of pastilles: Sylvatraxx and Sylvarès.

The first, two thirds of production, are used in the manufacture of tires, which they limit fuel consumption and wear. The others go to adhesive manufacturers: they are used to ensure stickiness and transparency.

The factory, which has increased productivity by 50% in five years, is a branch of a group that passed under the Korean flag in 2021. “It’s important to produce, it’s what finances everything elseindicates Pâris Packeu, the director, but we never compromise with safety. » Kraton is one of ten Seveso classified sites in Deux-Sèvres. It operates twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

As soon as you approach the factory, the messages are clear. The cars, all parked in the direction of a possible hasty departure, call out. “And we know that if someone parks differently, they will be picked up by a colleague. Here, vigilance is sharedindicates Fabienne Perrona, the HSE manager. All of us, the sixty-three Kraton employees, are proactive security players. »

Pierig Burgin, in charge of the logistics department for three years, recognizes that the atmosphere “can be a little stressful at first, but it quickly reassures you. We feel safe at work, perhaps more so than outside. »

Same observation for Alice Gontier, the administrative coordinator “Layers have been added over the years. The culture of risk management goes well beyond industrial danger. It integrates the notion of well-being at work and psychological safety. » The fact that Kraton Niort has never had an incident to report and that no employee has ever left the company except to retire, speaks in its favor.