About us
The bridge between science and market
More about CRM Group
At CRM Group, our activities are centred on the production, transformation, coating, use and recycling of metallic materials. Since 1948, we offer R&D and technology solutions focusing on the development of innovative processes and products that create value for our industrial partners.
Our group combines skilled and experienced research teams with unparalleled testing facilities covering the whole manufacture chain of metals, from raw materials to advanced steel applications, ranging in size from laboratory scale to pilot and even semi-industrial production lines.
Key figures
- 262
People - 47+
Industrial members - 1400+
Pieces of equipment - 12
Pilot lines and many large-scale devices
- Present portfolio of 350+ patents based on about 60 inventions
- Guidance activities for SME's in federal & regional networks: about 350 contacts, 250 actions and 28 success stories
Our mission
A Truly holistic apporach of process & product integration
At CRM Group, each and every laboratory investigation, pilot-plant simulation or demonstration project on industrial site is carried-out by multidisciplinary teams of highly qualified researchers.
These truly integrated R&D teams intrinsically combine their knowledge into a holistic approach of process -product development which materialises in solutions that readily harvest value for our industrial partners.
A reference in metal production, innovative coatings and applications
Through its innovative R&D contributions, the CRM Group is continuously building knowledge on the production, transformation, coating and use of metallic materials. Over the years, we have thus acquired an impressive international reputation in the development of breakthrough processes and an undisputed expertise in the field of coated metallic products. The worldwide exploitation of our patented processes, products and technologies is a clear indication that our approach and results adequately meet the needs of the industry.
In Belgium, we are among the few Accredited Research Centres recognised by the Walloon Region, we have been granted with the ISO 9001 certification and many of our technical tests are accredited ISO 17025. We are also actively supported by the Flemish region, the Belgian authorities and the European Union.
A R&D centre of excellence, open to the world, turning innovation into value creation
CRM Group is a collective research centre having as Core Members two major worldwide steel companies (ArcelorMittal and Tata Steel) and as Associated Members numerous companies producing non-ferrous metals, providing services to the steel industry or promoting the use of metals.
We have been entrusted with the mission of creating value for our Members through innovation in metallic products, metallic solutions and associated production processes.
Our technical and R&D services are also available to external companies, with a special focus on services to SMEs and towards European, Belgian and regional economies.
The bridge between science and market
One of the key features of the CRM Group is our experience in scaling-up new production processes and new metallic products from the laboratory scale on which they have initially been developed up to the very large production sizes that are common in the steel industry.
We notably operate unique pilot facilities addressing all the metal production stages: preparation of raw materials and by-products, pyro-metallurgy, casting of liquid metal, thermo-mechanical treatments, coating processes and final shaping into full-scale product prototypes. These lines were mostly conceived, designed and constructed by our internal engineering department.
Thanks to a better control of scaling-up risks, the CRM Group thus reduces the time-to-market and improves R&D profitability.
History
1948
CRM is a non-profit-making association that was created in 1948 by the Belgian steel industry. It was originally located in the Val-Benoît, on the outskirts of Liège city, along the river Meuse.
1972
From 1972 on, CRM was progressively moved to the new campus of Liège University, the Sart-Tilman. This allowed significantly increasing the available space and progressively erecting large pilot facilities (blast furnace, cokemaking, sintering, refining, continuous casting, galvanising/annealing, pickling and coating, etc).
1995
An additional CRM laboratory, dedicated to rolling and thermal treatments was created in 1995 on the campus of Ghent University, in Zwijnaarde.
2011
AC&CS was originally created in 1990 as the local R&D centre of Cockerill-Sambre and was installed nearby CRM facilities in the Liège University campus. It was later integrated with Cockerill-Sambre into the ArcelorMittal group. In 2011, all the research activities and general services of AC&CS have been combined with those of CRM into the CRM Group in order to reach a critical size and to pool the complementary competencies and assets of these two recognised research labs, one in metallurgical processes and the other in complex metallic products and solutions.
2014
In order to support its development in strategic fields, CRM Group has then recently integrated two smaller R&D labs. First, early 2014, the ETP-W (Eco-techno-Pôle de Wallonie) located in the Val-Benoît, within ISSEP premises. This Lab allowed a significant extension of the activities of the CRM group in the fields of energy and recycling, with a suitable infrastructure and several pilot lines, notably fluidised beds and pressurised shafts.
2017
Mid-2017, CRM Group then integrated the CEWAC, a centre devoted to services, studies, innovation and applied R&D in the fields of advanced welding, assembly controls and industrial and environmental hydraulics. These competencies and equipment made it an ideal complement to extend the activities of the CRM Group in the field of hybrid & additive manufacturing and to create, within CRM, a stronger R&D offer and a brighter future.
Welcome to CEWAC customers
On the 1st of July 2017, CRM Group integrated CEWAC, a centre devoted to services, studies, innovation and applied R&D in the fields of advanced welding, assembly controls and industrial and environmental hydraulics.
These competencies and equipment made it an ideal complement to extend the activities of the CRM Group in the field of hybrid & additive manufacturing and to create, within CRM, a stronger R&D offer and a brighter future.
Over 260 PhD’s, researchers & technicians with a multi-cultural background
At CRM Group we are looking forward for motivated, skilled & creative people who are interested in helping us to build the workforce of innovation, research & technology. We believe that people are our greatest asset and this is why we are working hard to attract, develop and retain the best talents and ensure they have the right skills.