The interview is supplemented by illustrations of joint initiatives between Processium and Lindea.
Processium is an expert in the design, development, and optimization of products and processes for the chemical and biotechnology industries.
For nearly 20 years, Processium has been supporting its clients throughout their projects, helping them to develop their strategic thinking towards a sustainable economy by designing and developing high-performance processes. (www.processium.com)
Our 50 employees, based in France (Lyon-Villeurbanne) and Brazil (Campinas/SP), have a high level of expertise. They are passionate, committed, and agile.
We have therefore adapted to the crisis situation without any major concerns, maintaining a high level of efficiency in our work, with good results and continued growth.
Teleworking was immediately implemented for employees whose jobs allowed it, using high-performance tools that were already operational. Our highly committed technicians continued their work on site without a single day of laboratory downtime, even though some of our customers had to reduce or suspend their activities.
The solidarity within our teams and the attention given to each individual by managers and HR teams enabled us to maintain and even strengthen the strong bond between us, both morally and professionally, in order to face such a crisis.
Paradoxically, our relationships with our clients and partners (scientific, financial, institutional, etc.) have also been strengthened and enriched, giving our support and partnerships an even more human touch despite the distance and the means used (video conferencing, telephone, messaging, etc.).
In the post-COVID era, we appreciate having successfully overcome this unprecedented health and economic crisis and rediscovered the pleasure of working together and enjoying close human relationships.
Regeneration and revitalization of conventional and innovative economic activities in the regions:
What are Processium’s specific characteristics in this area as an economic player? Does this issue have any particular applications for your customers or partners?
Processium has always focused on innovation to accelerate and secure its customers’ developments.
By continuing to operate throughout the COVID crisis, we were able to complete or continue our customers’ projects, enabling them to move forward and be operational as soon as the crisis ended.
Government support measures and the France Relance plan, from which some of our clients benefited, enabled the continuation of strategic industrial projects, particularly in the circular economy (CO2 capture and recovery, plastic recycling, etc.), the bioeconomy, natural products, and more.
Coordinated and collaborative development and real estate initiatives: the success of a coordinated real estate project could increasingly be measured by the realism of its objectives and resources, as well as its ability to offer flexible and scalable solutions that are compatible with urban constraints, quality of life, and environmental preservation:
As an economic player in your region, did you feel exposed to this issue during the project that led to the creation of your new site in the Lyon area? At what stages did this occur, and what impact did it have on your project?
Lindea assisted us with the design and layout of our new site, which we moved into in 2018.
It meets all our requirements: security, flexibility, potential for expansion, located in the heart of the city to preserve our employees’ quality of life, compliance with the most demanding environmental standards, etc.
It supports our development and growing needs with new laboratories and a pilot hall.
This has enabled us to weather the crisis in good condition thanks to the quality and reliability of our work tools.
Our employees feel comfortable in these new premises and work in complete safety.
A new stage in our development and evolution is underway as we are setting up, again in partnership with Lindea, another process laboratory that should be operational in the first half of 2022.
To what extent are the principles of collaborative projects useful in developing your own productive projects with your partners and customers?
These new premises have enabled us to significantly expand our offering, accommodate new facilities, and meet our customers’ needs, particularly in terms of managing the validation of industrial solutions.
Our teams work closely with our customers and jointly develop projects that are inherently highly uncertain, as we are involved in upstream exploratory phases with many variables.
Our investments, which are financially significant, are carefully considered and take into account our own needs and the expectations of our customers.
Our new premises also allow us to temporarily host customer projects and offer us the flexibility and adaptability necessary to meet the expectations and needs of our customers and partners.
In recent years, we have strengthened the team with new employees to continue our development.
Our laboratories and pilot plant are also a reference for our customers who themselves have investment projects.
In particular, in your role as an operator, what changes have you observed in the management of issues and requirements related to water, fauna and flora, protection against industrial risks, travel, and local mediation?
In terms of our production facilities, we have a high-performance tool and are continuing to improve its energy efficiency.
Our site, which combines office space and research laboratories, has been awarded BREEAM Very Good certification in recognition of our efforts in terms of controlled energy consumption, comfort, well-being, and choice of materials.
We subsequently followed the Lyon Eco Energie program, which is part of the Lyon Metropolitan Area Climate Plan, to improve the management of our energy consumption. This program, initiated by the Lyon Metropolitan Area, the CMA du Rhône, and the CCI Lyon Métropole – Saint Etienne – Roanne, operates in partnership with the technical and financial support of ADEME and the Auvergne Rhône Alpes Region.
It has enabled us to:
- assess our energy consumption
- estimate the distribution of consumption by use (heating, lighting, IT, processes, etc.)
- make recommendations to optimize the company’s energy use
- identify opportunities to switch to renewable energies, subsidies, and financing
For its part, the team has retained the post-COVID reflex of avoiding unnecessary travel and holding remote meetings that are just as effective when the subject matter and participants allow.
The choice of location for our site in the heart of the city, close to public transportation, bike paths, etc., allows our employees to make maximum use of sustainable modes of transportation.
Promoting responsible industrial and real estate investments that foster sustainability and economic and ecological returns:
For Processium, what are the practical realities and future developments in this area, in terms of its investment, financing, and development choices?
Our current project: a new experimental laboratory, again in partnership with Lindea and with the support of our financial partners, to meet the new needs of our customers and develop new sustainable and more efficient processes.
Your insights on the four topics we have just discussed in the previous questions, in the context of Processium’s achievements:
How do they apply to your recent R&D activities? Can you give an example?
For example, we are currently working on polymer recycling as part of a collaborative research project called REPOS, conducted in partnership with a major industrial company in the Lyon region and university laboratories. The project will run for three years and aims to reduce environmental impact and develop a circular economy.
Processium is contributing its expertise and designing an efficient process that will be integrated into the existing site.
How do they apply to your production activities and will they change your offering?
Our new facilities enable us to develop new technologies and offer our customers new solutions that better meet their needs, drawing on our pilot plants and laboratory testing resources.