French uranium producer Areva has become Orano. Refocused on nuclear materials development and waste management, Orano’s activities encompass mining, conversion-enrichment, used fuel recycling, nuclear logistics, dismantling and engineering. The group has 16,000 employees, with a revenue of €4 billion and an order backlog that represents the equivalent of nearly eight years of revenue. Its mining and conversion-enrichment activities place it in the top three worldwide.

The name Orano has its etymological roots in the word “uranium”, from which nuclear fuel is produced. Ouranos, the Greek god who became Uranus in Roman mythology and from whom the planet Uranus takes its name, was later to serve as a point of reference when the term “uranium” was created.

Philippe Knoche, CEO of Orano: “Orano symbolizes a new start. A new start that has been under preparation for several years now. We have set up a new organizational structure, a new business plan, a new strategic action plan and a new social contract. Our new identity is the natural result of all this.

“Our new name symbolizes our conviction: nuclear power has a future, as it is a competitive, low-carbon energy that creates jobs. Orano has all it needs to play a key role in this. We have high ambitions for Orano, namely for it to become the leader in the production and recycling of nuclear materials, waste management, and dismantling within the next ten years. I have full confidence in our capacity to give nuclear energy its full value.

“I am very proud of leading this group and the men and women who are part of it.”

The company has mines in operation in Canada, Kazakhstan and Niger.