Expert Interview : 6 questions to our Fine Chemicals R&D manager

We asked 6 key questions to Pierre-Antoine Bonnardel, manager of the custom chemical development team at Seqens’Lab. He explains how his team handles contract chemical manufacturing projects for various industries and shares examples of major customized solutions. 

What is your role within the R&D team and which projects have significantly impacted your career? 

I lead, at Seqens’Lab in Porcheville near Paris, a custom chemical synthesis team dedicated to the Fine Chemicals activity within SEQENS’ Advanced Specialties Business Unit. Besides managing the team, I actively work in the laboratory as an R&D Project Manager. Most projects involve the synthesis of small organic molecules and polymers for major industrial companies. 

Two projects stood out beyond our usual scope. The first involved the synthesis of silica aerogels for thermal insulation applications in construction and aerospace. These efforts, supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR) and the European Commission, led to the creation of Enersens, a start-up subsidiary of PCAS. This project combined contract chemical manufacturing with a multidisciplinary approach beyond just chemistry. 

The second project focused on coatings for luxury packaging, mainly perfume bottles. Two techniques were used: thermal luster coating at 600–800°C using organometallic precursors to form a metal oxide layer on glass, and sol-gel deposition with pigments or dyes via spin coating at room temperature. 

A recent project followed a traditional development pathway involving a three-step synthesis of a small organic molecule, followed by polymerization to produce a polymer component of battery electrolytes. This required developing both batch and continuous flow chemical processes to secure industrial-scale production. 

Can you provide a recent example where your custom synthesis service solved a complex challenge for a client? 

A client came with a 4-step lab-scale process that used over 50 solvent volumes per kilogram of product, with 30 volumes in the final precipitation step. Because the product was thermally stable, we validated spray drying of the reaction mixture in the lab. The client approved the product through application tests. This solution reduced solvent use by 30 volumes, cutting waste and lowering environmental impact. 

How does collaboration work between your R&D team and clients on custom manufacturing projects? 

R&D is part of a larger organization aimed at meeting client needs by optimizing time-to-market and enhancing industrial manufacturing capabilities. During process scale-up, the team applies a tailored approach, using a broad range of custom chemical manufacturing technologies available at Seqens’Lab and across our industrial sites. 

Optimizations are validated by robustness studies before transfer to industrial production, ensuring clients benefit from improved, reliable processes. 

What is the collaboration process between your R&D team and clients when developing customized solutions? 

We operate in project mode, involving all relevant departments (procurement, quality assurance, HSE, sales, pilot, production, R&D), coordinated by a Project Manager. Regular exchanges cover technical, timeline, and economic aspects. 

Often, clients understand lab-scale chemical synthesis but lack expertise in industrial production constraints like safety and equipment. We modify and optimize processes to fit our industrial manufacturing services, subject to client agreement. 

For example, a client proposed a five-step synthesis without purification of intermediates, isolating products by solvent concentration. We suggested synthesizing the first four steps in one solvent without isolations, followed by a purification via precipitation of the final product in a non-solvent. This improved purity and overall yield. 

What are your expertise areas in the technologies and chemistries used in your customization services? 

Seqens’Lab acts as a key driver of success thanks to extensive synthesis and characterization equipment, alongside expertise in process scale-up. Each project has specific challenges, and our agile chemists and analysts adapt to client needs to optimize technical aspects. 

Our main expertise includes identifying efficiency levers to reduce costs, improve quality, and minimize environmental impact. Combining this with lab equipment for characterization, filtration, drying, and chemical synthesis in batch or continuous mode, we quickly convert ideas into industrial-scale manufacturing solutions, providing clients with a competitive advantage. 

On-site access to a kilolab enables quick production of larger quantities using pre-industrial processes, allowing further optimization before full-scale manufacturing. 

How does your company integrate environmental and sustainability concerns into its R&D and custom manufacturing projects? 

For several years, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been central to SEQENS R&D developments. Working with the Procurement department, social, human rights, ethical, and environmental aspects are integrated from project start. CSR performance is systematically assessed during scale-up to pilot scale and regularly monitored throughout the project lifecycle. 

Visit our Custom Specialties website to discover our full range of custom chemical manufacturing solutions tailored to fine chemicals and advanced specialties industries.