Research and Development

Research and Development lies at the core of Saft’s business and the quality of its R&D teams is one of the Group’s major competitive strengths, allowing it to maintain the technological leadership that is the key to commercial success. Saft continues to invest over 5% of annual sales in R&D including customer-funded development and grants, with the emphasis on market-driven development.
More than 50% of Saft sales are products designed and developed to meet specific customer needs.
Applied research programmes employ 50 people, located mainly in Bordeaux (France) and Cockeysville (US). Research at Saft is centralised and the results made available to Saft engineers and technicians around the world. Some 250 people work in product development at manufacturing sites. 

Driven by customer requirements

Research at Saft is driven by present and future market requirements and all programmes are carried out in close synergy with product development teams and marketing teams and  sometimes with customers themselves. The subjects of research are materials and their functioning as components of batteries but also manufacturing processes and increasingly battery systems. A large number of research programmes are concentrated on improving the performance, materials and cost of Li-ion rechargeable technologies, although fundamental electrochemistry research is also undertaken both in-house and in partnership with universities.