SEPAREX SAS

Their core work

Separex is a French SME specializing in supercritical fluid technologies — processes that use pressurized CO2 and similar fluids for extraction, particle formation, and material processing. In H2020 projects, they contributed supercritical processing expertise to nanocomposite manufacturing for construction materials, chemical recovery from textile waste, and porous material design. Their role across projects consistently involves scaling laboratory separation and processing techniques toward pilot-plant and industrial-level production.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

All three H2020 projects started within a narrow 2015–2016 window, indicating a concentrated burst of EU engagement rather than a long evolution. Early keywords point squarely to applied manufacturing — nanocomposite processing, pilot plants, and construction materials. The later project (MULTIMAT, an MSCA training network) signals a shift toward more fundamental research on porous material design, suggesting the company began investing in upstream scientific knowledge to complement its industrial processing capabilities.

Separex appears to be broadening from pure industrial process services toward deeper involvement in materials science research, which could make them a more versatile partner in future advanced materials consortia.

How they like to work

Separex participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator — typical for a specialist SME that brings a specific technology capability to larger consortia. With 50 unique partners across just 3 projects, they operate in large, multi-partner consortia (averaging ~17 partners per project). This suggests they are comfortable integrating into complex international teams and delivering defined technical work packages rather than managing entire projects.

Despite only three projects, Separex has built connections with 50 distinct partners across 13 countries, reflecting participation in large European consortia. Their network spans a broad European geography rather than concentrating on any single region.

What sets them apart

Separex occupies a niche as an SME with industrial-scale supercritical fluid processing capabilities — a technology few companies can offer at pilot-plant level. This makes them a natural fit for any consortium that needs to take a lab-proven material or extraction process and scale it up. Their participation across construction materials, textile recycling, and porous materials demonstrates unusual versatility for a small specialist firm.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RESYNTEX
  Largest EC contribution to Separex (EUR 85,942) and addresses the high-profile circular economy challenge of converting textile waste into reusable chemical feedstock.
• NANOLEAP
  Directly aligned with Separex's core business — scaling nanocomposite processing to pilot-plant production for construction applications.
• MULTIMAT
  An MSCA training network, unusual for a private SME, signaling investment in fundamental research and next-generation talent development.