Rhône-Poulenc

Rhône-Poulenc was a major French chemical and pharmaceutical group formed in 1928 through the combination of Société des usines chimiques du Rhône, based in Lyon, and Poulenc Frères, based in Paris. The company developed from a French industrial and pharmaceutical tradition associated with the Poulenc family and expanded into a broad portfolio that included industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, specialty materials and related technologies. The company operated across both business-to-business and consumer-facing markets. Its chemical activities supplied industrial intermediates, performance materials and specialty products, while its pharmaceutical operations conducted research, manufacturing and commercialization of prescription medicines. Rhône-Poulenc also inherited and developed international operations through businesses such as May & Baker, which had been acquired by Poulenc Frères in 1922 and continued trading under its established name for many decades. Rhône-Poulenc became particularly significant in pharmaceutical history through its role in the development of chlorpromazine. The compound was synthesized by the company in 1950 and licensed to Smith, Kline & French, which marketed it in the United States under the name Thorazine. Chlorpromazine became an important early antipsychotic and helped establish the commercial and clinical importance of modern psychopharmacology. During the second half of the twentieth century, Rhône-Poulenc expanded through acquisitions, internationalization and portfolio restructuring. It acquired the German pharmaceutical company A. Nattermann & Cie in 1986 and combined with Rorer in 1990, creating Rhône-Poulenc Rorer and strengthening its pharmaceutical presence in North America and internationally. In 1997, the chemical activities were separated into Rhodia, a distinct company intended to focus on chemicals and specialty materials. The agricultural chemicals business was subsequently reorganized as Aventis CropScience after the merger with Hoechst and was sold to Bayer in 2002. Rhône-Poulenc's history also included a serious environmental and regulatory controversy in Sweden. In 1997, a sealant supplied for the Hallandsås railway tunnel project leaked into groundwater and affected workers, livestock and the surrounding environment. The product contained acrylamide, a substance associated with carcinogenic risk. The company was criticized for inadequate communication of the product's hazards, and in 2001 the managing director of the former Rhône-Poulenc Sweden was convicted of violating Sweden's Chemical Products Act. The company's independent existence ended in January 1999, when it merged with Germany's Hoechst AG to form Aventis. Aventis later merged with Sanofi-Synthélabo in 2004, creating Sanofi-Aventis, and the group dropped the Aventis suffix in 2011 to become Sanofi. Rhône-Poulenc's former pharmaceutical operations are therefore part of Sanofi, its former chemical operations are associated with the Solvay group through Rhodia, and its agricultural chemicals activities became part of Bayer Crop Science. Although the Rhône-Poulenc corporate entity no longer operates independently, its legacy remains visible in pharmaceutical research, chemical businesses, product brands and successor companies.

Rhône-Poulenc was created in 1928 by merging two French businesses: Société des usines chimiques du Rhône, an industrial chemical producer associated with Lyon, and Poulenc Frères, a Paris-based pharmaceutical and chemical company. Poulenc Frères traced its origins to the work of Étienne Poulenc, a Parisian apothecary, and to the subsequent industrial development led by members of the Poulenc family. The resulting company combined chemical manufacturing with pharmaceutical research and international commercial operations. An important predecessor business was May & Baker, which Poulenc Frères acquired in 1922. Although ownership changed, May & Baker continued operating under its own name for much of the twentieth century and became an important component of the wider group's international identity. The company's activities expanded beyond France into Europe and other global markets, giving Rhône-Poulenc a position across industrial chemistry, medicines, agricultural products and specialty materials. Rhône-Poulenc made one of its best-known pharmaceutical contributions in 1950, when its scientists synthesized chlorpromazine. The company transferred the compound to Smith, Kline & French, which marketed it as Thorazine. Chlorpromazine became a landmark antipsychotic medicine and is widely regarded as one of the drugs that helped launch modern psychopharmacological treatment. The episode illustrated Rhône-Poulenc's role as a research-based pharmaceutical organization as well as a chemical manufacturer. The group continued to build its pharmaceutical activities through acquisitions. In 1986 it acquired A. Nattermann & Cie GmbH, a German pharmaceutical company. In 1990, Rhône-Poulenc combined its pharmaceutical operations with Rorer, creating Rhône-Poulenc Rorer. This transaction strengthened the company's presence in the United States and helped make its pharmaceutical business more internationally integrated. The late 1990s brought a major restructuring. In 1997 the chemical activities were separated into Rhodia, a new company focused on chemical products and materials. The same year, Rhône-Poulenc became involved in the Hallandsås tunnel controversy in Sweden. It had supplied Rhoca-Gil, a sealing product used during tunnel construction. The product leaked into groundwater and was associated with harm to workers, cattle and the surrounding environment. Critics argued that the risks associated with acrylamide in the product had not been adequately communicated. Legal proceedings followed, and in June 2001 the managing director of the former Rhône-Poulenc Sweden was convicted under the Swedish Chemical Products Act. In January 1999, Rhône-Poulenc merged with Hoechst AG to form Aventis. The transaction ended Rhône-Poulenc's existence as an independent corporate group while preserving parts of its pharmaceutical, chemical and agricultural businesses within the successor organization. Aventis CropScience, created from the agricultural chemicals activities of the combined group, was sold to Bayer in 2002. Rhodia, the former chemicals arm, was later acquired by Solvay in 2011. Aventis merged with Sanofi-Synthélabo in 2004 to form Sanofi-Aventis, then adopted the shorter Sanofi name in 2011. As a result, the pharmaceutical heritage of Rhône-Poulenc became part of Sanofi, its separated chemical heritage became associated with Solvay, and its agricultural chemicals business became part of Bayer Crop Science. The Rhône-Poulenc name also had a cultural and scientific presence through the Rhône-Poulenc Prizes for Science Books, which were later renamed the Royal Society Prizes for Science Books.

• 2011

  Rhodia is acquired by Solvay

  [1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  Solvay acquired Rhodia, bringing much of Rhône-Poulenc's separated chemical heritage into the Solvay group.

• 2004

  Aventis merges with Sanofi-Synthélabo

  [1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  The Aventis group merged with Sanofi-Synthélabo to form Sanofi-Aventis, a principal successor to Rhône-Poulenc's pharmaceutical operations.

• 2002

  Aventis CropScience is sold to Bayer

  [1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  The agricultural chemicals business formed after the Hoechst merger was sold to Bayer.

• 1999

  Merger with Hoechst creates Aventis

  [1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  Rhône-Poulenc merged with Hoechst AG, ending its independent corporate existence and creating Aventis.

• 1997

  Chemical operations become Rhodia

  [1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  The chemicals division was separated into Rhodia as part of a strategic refocusing of the group.

• 1990

  Combination with Rorer

  [1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  Rhône-Poulenc combined with Rorer to form Rhône-Poulenc Rorer, expanding the group's international pharmaceutical platform.

• 1986

  Acquisition of A. Nattermann & Cie

  [1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  Rhône-Poulenc acquired German pharmaceutical company A. Nattermann & Cie GmbH.

• 1950

  Chlorpromazine is synthesized

  [1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  Rhône-Poulenc synthesized chlorpromazine, which was later commercialized by Smith, Kline & French as Thorazine.

• 1928

  Rhône-Poulenc is formed

  [1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  Société des usines chimiques du Rhône and Poulenc Frères merged to create Rhône-Poulenc, combining industrial chemistry and pharmaceutical capabilities.

• 1922

  Poulenc Frères acquires May & Baker

  [1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  Poulenc Frères acquired May & Baker. The business continued to trade under the May & Baker name for many years and later formed part of the wider Rhône-Poulenc heritage.

A diversified international science and technology group combining pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, specialty materials and agricultural chemicals.

• Pharmaceutical · 1950

  Chlorpromazine

  Synthesized by Rhône-Poulenc in 1950, chlorpromazine was transferred to Smith, Kline & French for commercialization as Thorazine. It became one of the earliest widely used antipsychotic medicines and a landmark product in the history of modern psychopharmacology. Rhône-Poulenc's role was primarily as the research and synthesis organization behind the compound rather than the company responsible for its principal U.S. marketing.

• Chemicals

  Industrial and specialty chemicals

  Rhône-Poulenc manufactured and marketed a broad range of industrial and specialty chemical products. These activities supplied materials and chemical intermediates to industrial customers and were later separated into Rhodia in 1997. The portfolio represented the group's core chemical heritage and was distinct from its research-driven pharmaceutical business.

• Agricultural chemicals

  Agricultural chemicals

  The group's agricultural chemicals operations formed part of the crop-protection activities later organized as Aventis CropScience after the Rhône-Poulenc and Hoechst combination. This business was sold to Bayer in 2002 and became part of Bayer's agricultural science operations.

• Construction chemical sealant

  Rhoca-Gil

  Rhoca-Gil was a sealing product supplied for the Hallandsås railway tunnel project in Sweden. Leakage during construction caused significant environmental and occupational consequences and generated criticism concerning the communication of risks associated with acrylamide-containing material.

• 1997

  Hallandsås tunnel chemical leak

  Rhône-Poulenc supplied Rhoca-Gil for the Hallandsås tunnel construction project in Sweden. The sealant leaked into groundwater and was associated with damage to livestock, the surrounding environment and workers. The company was criticized for failing to adequately communicate risks connected with acrylamide in the product. In 2001, the managing director of the former Rhône-Poulenc Sweden was convicted of violating the Swedish Chemical Products Act.

  Source

Read more

• Rhône-Poulenc Prizes for Science Books

  United Kingdom

  Rhône-Poulenc provided funding for a science-book prize program intended to recognize accessible and high-quality science writing. The awards were later renamed the Royal Society Prizes for Science Books.

  Outcome. The program continued under the Royal Society name after the Rhône-Poulenc identity was retired.

  Source

• 2004

  Combine Aventis with Sanofi-SynthélaboM&A

  Background

  Aventis entered a further pharmaceutical-sector combination with Sanofi-Synthélabo.

  Action taken

  Aventis merged with Sanofi-Synthélabo to create Sanofi-Aventis.

  Aftermath

  The pharmaceutical operations descended from Rhône-Poulenc became part of Sanofi, which later adopted the shorter Sanofi name.

  Source

• 2002

  Sell Aventis CropScience to BayerM&A

  Background

  Following the Rhône-Poulenc–Hoechst merger, the agricultural chemicals business was treated as a separable portfolio within Aventis.

  Action taken

  Aventis sold Aventis CropScience to Bayer.

  Aftermath

  The agricultural chemicals heritage of Rhône-Poulenc became part of Bayer Crop Science.

  Source

• 1999

  Merge with Hoechst AGM&A

  Background

  The combination was intended to create a larger international group with substantial pharmaceutical, chemical and agricultural businesses.

  Action taken

  Rhône-Poulenc merged with Hoechst AG to form Aventis.

  Aftermath

  The Rhône-Poulenc corporate identity ended, while its businesses were reorganized within Aventis and subsequently distributed among successor companies.

  Source

• 1997

  Separate the chemical activities into RhodiaStrategy

  Background

  Rhône-Poulenc sought to distinguish its chemicals portfolio from its pharmaceutical operations and created Rhodia as a separate chemicals company.

  Action taken

  The group's chemical division was spun off into Rhodia.

  Aftermath

  Rhodia later became part of the Solvay group after Solvay acquired it in 2011.

  Source

• 2011

  Sanofi-Aventis drops the Aventis suffix[1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Sanofi-Aventis adopted the shorter Sanofi name, further removing the Rhône-Poulenc-derived Aventis identity from the group's corporate branding.

• 2004

  Aventis combines with Sanofi-Synthélabo[1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Aventis merged with Sanofi-Synthélabo, creating Sanofi-Aventis and transferring Rhône-Poulenc's pharmaceutical legacy into a larger pharmaceutical group.

• 2002

  Aventis sells agricultural chemicals business to Bayer[1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Aventis CropScience, the agricultural chemicals operation created after the Rhône-Poulenc–Hoechst combination, was sold to Bayer.

• 1999

  Rhône-Poulenc merges with Hoechst to create Aventis[1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Rhône-Poulenc and Hoechst AG completed a combination that created Aventis, a major international life-sciences and chemicals group.

• 1997

  Rhône-Poulenc chemical division becomes Rhodia[1]Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The group's chemical operations were separated into Rhodia, creating a more focused chemicals company distinct from Rhône-Poulenc's pharmaceutical activities.

1. 1Rhône-Poulencen.wikipedia.org