Replace a regulated or CMR substance
Services & expertise
Molecule substitution
Identify, assess and validate an alternative that is truly compatible with your product, process and industrial requirements.
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The context and
your challenges
Regulatory, environmental and industrial developments are prompting companies to replace certain substances. Finding a suitable alternative involves more than identifying a new compound: compatibility with the product, process and industrial requirements must be demonstrated.
Your needs
Industrial realities
Reduce a product’s environmental impact
Anticipate regulatory changes
Reduce reliance on a supplier
Identify a technically viable alternative
Our approach
The approach at Filab Genium
Filab Genium supports every part of the value chain in selecting and securing raw materials so they never hold back your development. Using materials databases, close supplier relationships and in-depth knowledge of materials and chemistry, we can quickly identify suitable options for your needs.
01
Defining requirements
What operational performance do you expect from your product? How do you use it? Our teams can examine and refine these requirements during a site visit.
02
Translating requirements into material specifications
Based on your needs, our teams establish a specification for physicochemical properties, weighted according to the importance of each function.
03
Material search & comparison
Using materials databases and our supplier relationships, we provide a list of materials objectively ranked and scored against your specifications.
04
Experimental validation
Laboratory-scale testing and support with industrial scale-up.
Know-how
Expertise brought together
Each substitution project brings together complementary skills. Our teams combine chemistry, materials science and analysis to assess every alternative with the same rigour, from literature screening to laboratory characterisation.
Organic and inorganic chemistry
Materials
Formulation analysis
Literature research
Patent analysis
Analytical characterisation
Supplier and product searches
Close supplier relationships
our key strength
Validation through evidence
We provide scientific evidence for our recommendations. Using our laboratory and analytical equipment, every alternative is physically characterised and tested before implementation for performance, stability, material compatibility and compliance.
By turning test results into quantitative data, we provide an evidence package that enables your technical, quality and procurement teams to implement the substitution with confidence.
Business value
Customer benefits
Manage a change of molecule with confidence
Reduce technical risks
Accelerate substitution projects
Make reliable decisions
Customer case study
Replacing a CMR substance
A plastics manufacturer needed to replace a substance classified as CMR in its formulation.
Filab Genium identified several alternatives, assessed their technical compatibility and experimentally validated the chosen solution to maintain product performance.
3-4
months per project
2
products meeting the requirement as a minimum
100 000
materials available in the database
Are you looking for an alternative to a molecule or substance?
Let’s discuss your technical challenge.
Frequently asked questions
Find answers to the questions our industrial customers ask most often. Have a question about your project? Our experts will respond within 24 hours.
As soon as a substance appears on a REACH candidate list, is classified as CMR or becomes difficult to source. Planning 12 to 24 months ahead allows an alternative to be qualified without interrupting production.
Molecule substitution: a regulatory and industrial approach
Molecule substitution involves replacing a regulated substance, a CMR substance or a substance of very high concern (SVHC) with an alternative offering equivalent performance. It addresses REACH and CLP obligations as well as practical industrial challenges: securing supplies, maintaining product compliance and anticipating European regulatory changes before they disrupt production.
Why plan ahead when replacing CMR substances and SVHCs?
A substance’s inclusion on the SVHC Candidate List or in Annex XIV can introduce tight deadlines. Planning CMR substitution ahead of time helps spread reformulation costs, retain control of validation testing and avoid production stoppages caused by a sudden prohibition or supplier withdrawal.
Laboratory analysis and reformulation methodology
Our methodology combines physicochemical characterisation of the original formulation, monitoring of available alternatives, comparative testing and validation of in-use performance. Chromatography, spectrometry, thermal analysis and accelerated ageing tests allow an objective comparison between the substitute molecule and the original product.
Validating performance and durability
A substitution is only acceptable if it preserves the final product’s functional properties: adhesion, mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, ageing stability or material compatibility. Test protocols are designed around applicable standards and the actual operating conditions of your industrial process.
Industries concerned
Aerospace, automotive, surface treatment, cosmetics, medical devices, speciality chemicals and food processing: every sector using regulated formulations is affected. Internal qualification requirements and customer standards make substitution a particularly important structured process.
End-to-end expert support
From formulation audits to industrial qualification of the selected alternative, our multidisciplinary teams maintain technical and documentary continuity throughout the project. Test reports, compliance evidence and technical justifications support your regulatory submissions and customer discussions.