Innovation & Product Development

Innovation is at the heart of JLUK. Internationally we spend in excess of €10 million euros per annum in product development of which 70% is desginated to sustainable development.

Opened in November 2003, the research centre at Merignac, is Europe’s most recent research facility dedicated to road technology. Based in Bordeaux the research centre has devoted laboratories and equipment, performing 250 different tests . These tests range from identifying new aggregates and bitumen, environmental studies, mechanical testing and image analysis. The centre is accredited to IS0 9001, ISO17025 and has Laboroute approval.

Research Policy

With 70% of its research resources devoted to designing environmental technologies and solutions, the main objective for the centre is the sustainable development of city pavements and highways.

There are three key research factors considered to achieve sustainable development:

• Environmental Protection
• Road Safety
• Road Structure Durability

By devising and actively promoting new, increasingly environmentally friendly solutions Jean LeFebvre affirms its role as a responsible player working to protect natural resources, the climate and people

Environmental Protection

Our current research projects are focussed on limiting energy consumption and controlling greenhouse gas emissions, conserving natural resources, using agricultural resources and recycled demolition materials, optimising waste management, recycling industrial by products, protecting biodiversity, reducing noise and designing pollution-reducing pavements

Road Safety

Building on in-depth knowledge of surfacing resistance characteristics and road user behaviour we strive to work on products and processes which will improve road safety such as skid resistance durability and improving lane visibility , either through designing specific products or adjusting the formulation of existing asphalt mixes.

Road Structure Durability

To assist Clients in optimising their assets and resources, a variety of research avenues are pursued, which include increasing infrastructure durability, designing road construction surfacing and the formulation of products which reduce the disruption caused by road works, such as warm mix asphalts