SAIREM SOCIETE POUR L APPLICATION INDUSTRIELLE DE LA RECHERCHE EN ELECTRONIQUE ET MICRO ONDES SAS

Their core work

SAIREM is a French SME that designs and manufactures industrial microwave and radio-frequency equipment for process applications. Their company name translates directly to "Company for Industrial Application of Research in Electronics and Microwaves." In H2020 projects, they contribute microwave-based processing systems — from methane valorisation reactors to biomass pre-treatment units — acting as the technology supplier that brings microwave hardware into research consortia. More recently, they have applied their microwave expertise to circular economy challenges in the agrifood sector.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015-2018), SAIREM focused squarely on core microwave reactor technology — methane valorisation (ADREM), microwave pre-treatment scale-up (biowave), and training the next generation of microwave reactor scientists (COSMIC). After a gap, their most recent project Agro2Circular (2021-2025) signals a pivot toward applying microwave technology within circular economy and agrifood waste streams, including multilayer plastics upcycling. This shift from pure process chemistry toward sustainability-driven applications mirrors broader EU funding priorities.

SAIREM is repositioning its microwave expertise from chemical process applications toward circular economy and waste valorisation, making them a relevant partner for green transition projects needing industrial-scale microwave processing.

How they like to work

SAIREM has never coordinated an H2020 project — they consistently join as a participant or third party, contributing their specialized microwave equipment and know-how. With 64 unique partners across 16 countries from just 4 projects, they operate in large, diverse consortia rather than small focused teams. This profile is typical of a technology supplier: they bring a specific capability that many different research groups need but few can provide in-house.

Despite only four projects, SAIREM has built a broad network of 64 partners across 16 countries, reflecting the large consortium sizes of their Innovation Action and training network projects. Their reach is genuinely pan-European with no obvious geographic concentration.

What sets them apart

SAIREM occupies a rare niche: they are one of very few European SMEs that manufacture industrial microwave systems specifically designed for chemical and biological process applications. While many labs use domestic-grade microwave equipment, SAIREM provides scalable, industrial-grade systems — which is why research consortia repeatedly bring them in as the hardware partner. For anyone building a consortium that needs microwave-assisted processing at demonstration or pilot scale, SAIREM is a natural choice.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Agro2Circular
  Their most recent and largest-funded project (EUR 195,154), marking a strategic pivot from chemical process applications to circular economy in the agrifood sector.
• COSMIC
  An MSCA training network specifically focused on continuous sonication and microwave reactors — positions SAIREM at the centre of the European microwave processing research community.
• biowave
  Directly focused on upscaling and demonstrating SAIREM's core product — an integrated microwave pre-treatment system — bridging lab research to industrial application.