On 13 September, EMC2 organised an online event with players in the industrial sector that have modified their production systems to respond to health issues related to the COVID-19 crisis, and gathered best practices and lesson learnt from the pandemic. The workshop especially heard the experience of 3 organisations:

  • SOCOMORE – Socomore delivers chemical solutions at all stages of the manufacturing and maintenance processes: solvent or water-based cleaning, paint stripping, corrosion protection, adhesion promotion, coating, surface treatment, non-destructive testing. Heavily impacted by the health crisis, the company based in Morbihan, France has quickly diversified to save its 300 employees. Socomore adapted very quickly to produce hydroalcolic gel since they realized that they had all the material needed to produce it. In few hours, time to clean the tanks, they changed their production. The machines were readapted, and the workforce redeployed. Engineers became production operators. Socomore has moved from partial unemployment to full employment. In less than 2 months, the company produced more than two million liters of gel. Socomore collaborated with local companies specializing into condiments for using their bottles (ketchup type bottles) to pack the hydroalcolic gel.
  • NANOVIA – Nanovia develops a premium range of composites, metal, and ceramic thermoplastic filaments for the additive manufacturing and plastic injection industries, as well as producing a range of consumables, all of which we distribute worldwide. Nanovia creates products for a wide range of applications including mechanical pieces, functional prototypes, tooling, flexible parts, moulding equipment that resists autoclave sterilisation and automatic tape laying, tooling, flexible parts, etc… Nanovia took the opportunity of the COVID crisis to innovate and develop a new filament (Nanovia Flex VX) effective in preventing and elimating the spread of viruses and pathogens. Specially made with additive fabrication in mind, this filaments is suited for the limitation of biological contaminantes spread, certified ISO 21702:2019. Nanovia Flex VX virucidal properties allow for the elimination of 95,3% the H1N1 virus, after a contact time of only 1 hour, and close to 100% after 4 hours. (See more here).
  • TRONICO – Tronico specialises in the design, manufacturing and assembly of complex electronic products on behalf of others, throughout the product’s life-cycle. In addition to its core business of EMS (Electronic Manufacturing Services), Tronico is positioned as ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) in the development of complex systems. Tronico operates in the following market sectors: Aerospace / Defence & Security, Biotechnology, Energy, Industry, Medical, Transport. One solution to face the Covid crisis was diversification. Tronico has developed 3 solutions, directly linked to sanitary crisis:
    • Development of an artificial ventilor with a consortium of several companies
    • Conception of a salivary test, in 3 months and certified
    • Development of a robot that destroys viruses and bacteria on surfaces or in the air by UV

The workshop was also an opportunity to discuss the objectives and the future actions of RESERVIST.