Application markets

The clients of the Tournaire Group operate in markets that demand the highest quality standards.

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Christopher Giai, Industrial methods engineer at Tournaire

Interview with Christopher GIAI
Christopher GIAI, industrial methods engineer at Tournaire

 

Hi Christopher, could you introduce yourself?

Hello, my name is Christophe Gier, I am 31 years old and I have been working for TOURNAIRE for two years as an industrial methods engineer in the spinning department.

Why did you choose to be an engineer?

My career path is a bit atypical because I started as a technician with a BTS diploma, and after four years I had the opportunity to go back to engineering studies, because I wanted to improve my skills, both technically and to be able to pass on my know-how, and that’s why I decided to go back to engineering studies and become a General Mechanical Engineer.

Why work at TOURNAIRE?

I had been working for a large group for seven years and I was looking for a smaller scale company, and it is true that during my interview I liked the family aspect of the TOURNAIRE company, where you can really feel that the human aspect is at the heart of the job and we take into account both technical and human problems, especially in terms of investments, and working in an industrial methods department I found it very interesting.

Could you describe a typical day?

My days usually start at 7:30 am, I always go around the workshop to check up on the production staff. Then I have an interdepartmental meeting to review the problems encountered the day before and to define the day’s priorities. Depending on the priorities, I organize my schedule to deal with emergencies and then, depending on the problems, I try to come up with medium- or long-term solutions to solve these problems. Today, the industrial methods department is responsible for industrial performance, so my mission is to improve the industrial tool both in the medium and long term in order to guarantee the company’s sustainability for production.

What interests you in your job?

Today what interests me in my job is both the technical side, with a machine park where you can find quite old machines and new technology machines, and also especially the know-how because for me it is very important to understand the problems of people to bring technical solutions that really meet their needs. My objective is always to improve industrial performance by responding to everyday problems.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Honestly, I don’t know where I see myself in ten years, but in five years I would still like to be part of TOURNAIRE and to have reached a position of responsibility in order to contribute to the improvement of industrial performance and also to allow new entrants to increase their skills and to meet expectations in order to always improve industrial performance.

What would you say to a person who wants to work at Tournaire?

Today for me TOURNAIRE is a perennial company in which it is good to work. If today people are looking for work, they should not hesitate to apply to TOURNAIRE, I think they will find their expectations.

In conclusion?

To conclude, I would say that TOURNAIRE is a company that has opened doors for me, that allows me today to increase my skills, a company that thinks big with great projects.

Christopher Giai from Tournaire on Vimeo

CHOOSE THE MOST SUITABLE PACKAGING TO TRANSPORT YOUR DANGEROUS GOODS

Whether you are a professional in the chemical, pharmaceutical or any other sector that has sensitive products, the transporting of dangerous goods and its packaging is a major and specific aspect of your logistics, which is often multimodal and globalised. Strategic decisions are required that take into account, from the outset, the associated constraints and regulations for each stage and for each mode of transport in the chosen supply chain. In addition, the primary packaging of sensitive products and the appropriate overpackaging that will allow the transporting of dangerous materials without risk must be defined from the launch of the product or project, whether such risks are:

  • physical: leakage, major degradation,
  • commercial: appearance of the packaging or product altered during transport,
  • legal: customs or other services of the States crossed blocking the goods,
  • logistics: a forwarding agent, carrier, pilot or captain refusing to take the goods on board.

You also need to choose certified, trusted, partners for the packaging and transporting of dangerous materials.

01. WHAT ARE THE CONSTRAINTS ON THE PACKAGING OF SENSITIVE PRODUCTS DURING TRANSPORT?

02. HOW TO CHOOSE OR DESIGN AND OBTAIN APPROVED PACKAGING FOR THE TRANSPORTING OF YOUR DANGEROUS MATERIALS?

03. WHICH PARTNER SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO TRANSPORT OF YOUR DANGEROUS MATERIALS?

 

WHAT ARE THE CONSTRAINTS ON THE PACKAGING OF SENSITIVE PRODUCTS DURING TRANSPORT?

International regulations consider any products that may constitute a risk for the population, the environment or property to be dangerous materials. Dangerous materials are classified into 13 categories and sub-categories:

  • 1. Explosive substances and items
  • 2. Compressed, liquefied or dissolved pressurized gases
  • 3. Flammable liquids
  • 4.1. Flammable solids
  • 4.2. Spontaneously combustible substances
  • 4.3. Substances that, when in contact with water, emit flammable gases
  • 5.1. Oxidising substances
  • 5.2. Organic peroxides
  • 6.1. Toxic substances
  • 6.2. Infectious substances
  • 7. Radioactive materials
  • 8. Corrosive materials
  • 9. Miscellaneous dangerous materials and objects

On a global scale, the United Nations (ONU) ensures the consistency of the various TGD (Transport of Dangerous Goods). regulations. It has published the famous ” orange book ” that lists each dangerous material under a unique code that regulates the transport constraints and the choice of dangerous material packaging. In Europe, EC Directive 2008/68 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the inland transport of dangerous goods makes it compulsory to apply the international agreements on TDG by road (ADR) ), rail (RID) and sea (ADN).

For each product that may contain several components and, therefore, several material codes, all of the constraints apply, or the highest, both for the choice of packaging for the sensitive material and for the transport methods.

It should be remembered that even if the different modes of transport are harmonised under the UN regulations, each mode of transport and even each country has enacted its own rules:

emballage primaire tournaire emballage primaire tournaire

  • by road, it is the ADR (Agreement on Dangerous Goods by Road) that prevails in Europe. In the USA, it is the DOT (Department of Transportation) that regulates road transport.
  • by plane, you must comply with the rules defined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which are among the most rigorous.
  • for the sea, it is the IMDG(International Maritime Dangerous Goods) or the ADN (European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways) that lays down the specific rules for such transport.
  • Lastly, for rail, it is the RID (Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail) that define the rules of transport.

These different regulations impose various constraints on the packaging of sensitive materials during transport depending on the situation: appointment of a Safety Advisor, labelling and marking of packaging and overpacks, documentation, limited quantities, etc, and they also define rules for the choice and approval of packaging.

 

HOW TO CHOOSE OR DESIGN AND OBTAIN APPROVED PACKAGING FOR THE TRANSPORTING OF YOUR DANGEROUS MATERIALS?

Initially, it is often the flow of goods, the type of packaged product and the end use that will determine the choice of packaging for dangerous materials and its overpackaging. Bulk chemicals will use 1,000 L Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) (‘unitary’ packaging within the meaning of the TDG – Transport of Dangerous Goods), where finished products will be packaged in small metal bottles, for example, then in boxes (so-called ‘combination’ packaging), then grouped on pallets for transport. For many chemical and pharmaceutical industries, the TDG constraint is an integral part of the packaging specifications that it is evolving and requires internal expertise and/or very reliable, specialised, partners.

emballage primaire tournaire

Once the types of packaging and overpackaging have been selected, the product to be transported must be examined and, for each of its components, the UN code must be determined that will ultimately define the associated constraints, in particular the dangerousness group for the packaged product:

  • Group I for very dangerous materials,
  • Group II for moderately dangerous materials,
  • Group III for low danger materials.

Depending on the danger group and the type of approval in question – unitary or combination – a UN-approved primary packaging or grouping box must have successfully passed a series of tests at an approved national laboratory: leakproofness, drop, pressure resistance, stacking, etc.

In France, the principal, approved, laboratories are the BVT (Bureau de Vérifications Techniques – Technical check office), LNE (Laboratoire National de métrologie et d’Essais – National Metrology and Testing Laboratory), LEREM (Laboratoire d’Etudes et de Recherches des Emballages Métalliques – Metal Packaging Studies and Research Laboratory)). There is also the BAM in Germany for example.

These laboratories, after having applied and validated the various regulatory tests, assign a UN number that must appear on the grouped packaging (‘combination’ approval) or on each packaging for dangerous materials (‘unitary’ approval). The UN number includes or codifies the following information:

type emballage tournaire emballage

  • the type of packaging (eg, ‘1B1’ is aluminium packaging with a partial opening),
  • the danger group (eg, ‘X’ for groups I, II or III, ‘Y’ for groups II and III, ‘Z’ for group III only),
  • the maximum density or mass of the approved product,
  • test pressure in kPA,
  • the year of manufacture,
  • the country of manufacture,
  • the identification of the laboratory that carried out the tests and the report number,
  • the identification of the manufacturer.

 

WHICH PARTNER SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO TRANSPORT OF YOUR DANGEROUS MATERIALS?

This complex sector requires internal or external partners who are fully conversant with the various aspects of the transporting of dangerous materials:

  • technics – specific to each type of packaging, overpackaging, transported products,
  • regulations – UN, ADR, etc, and their updates,
  • logistics.

As far as suppliers of packaging for dangerous materialsare concerned, you can use a manufacturer or a distributor, depending on your needs.

The distributor will direct you to various ranges or types of approved packaging for sensitive products that it has in stock and will give you the Certificate of Approval for the packaging sold, a document that guarantees the validity and conformity of the packaging that you use.

Manufacturers such as Tournaire have significant experience (since 1833 for Tournaire) in this sector and in-depth technical knowledge of the trades involved in transforming their materials (aluminium spinning and stamping for Tournaire). Manufacturers specialise in certain types of packaging or packaging materials or technology. This enables them to offer in-depth knowledge of containers and their performance, a wider range of approved products and the possibility of developing the container and approval to adapt it to your expectations. Tournaire, as a manufacturer of one-piece aluminium and multilayer plastic packaging, offers you a full and varied range of containers from 50 ml to 32 litres, approved either as ‘unitary’ or ‘combination’ (boxes). In addition to its over 180 years’ experience in the design and manufacture of industrial packaging and its ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications, Tournaire guarantees full compliance with the TDG regulatory constraints due to a high-performance quality organisation, audited at each of its sites at least every three years by approved laboratories and even more regularly by its customers.

The impact of crisis on the transporting of goods and some ideas on how best to tackle them

The financial crisis of 2008 had a substantial impact on world trade and transporting of goods. What about the health crisis of 2020? How can future crises be tackled in order to minimize their impact? After a quick overview of the current logistics situation, we offer some ideas on how to minimize or even take advantage of the impact of crises on the transporting of goods.

2020 has been a unique year, with a global health crisis that has hit the planet in a context of geopolitical tensions. The economic impacts related to COVID-19 are substantial in terms of the international transporting of goods and, for the first time, most of us have experienced border closures or population confinement.

In the international transporting of goods, there have been significant impacts on the availability of outgoing containers with repercussions on delivery times and also, inevitably, on FOB and freight tariffs that, in some cases, have doubled.

1. THE LOGISTICS CHAIN: COMPLEX, COMPETITIVE, BUT FRAGILE

2. CRISES AND THEIR IMPACTS ON COMPANY LOGISTICS POLICIES

3. TWO KEY ELEMENTS OF A LOGISTICS POLICY IN TIMES OF CRISIS

4. THE CRISIS: AN OPPORTUNITY IN TRANSPORTING GOODS

5. BETTER TACKLING CRISES IN INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT

6. TOURNAIRE EMBALLAGE, A PARTNER OF CHOICE FOR THE TRANSPORTING OF GOODS

 

THE LOGISTICS CHAIN: COMPLEX, COMPETITIVE, BUT FRAGILE

In a world in perpetual motion, international trade has multiplied since the end of the Second World War. Since the 1980s, we talk of globalization, with a rapid increase in the international exchanging of goods and services and capital movements. The growth in logistics is even greater than the growth in world production. To meet this increasing demand, the transport sector has organised itself. Thanks to a diversification of product components, transport is today mainly carried out by sea, occupying 70% of the volume, road 18%, rail networks 9%, canals 2% and air merely 0.25% despite the latter mode of transport representing approximately 35% of the total transported value.

According to the OECD, the international transport market could triple in volume by 2050 (see the 2019 study at https://www.itf-oecd.org/). The creation of value chains has accompanied this movement by seeking ever greater efficiency. Incoming flows must arrive on time and in the right quantity (‘on time in full’ or OTIF), while respecting the desired level of quality. Outgoing flows from production factories undergo the same treatment: they must leave and arrive on time, generate low CO2 emissions, all at rates that favour sales. The goods transport sector has, therefore, become extremely competitive, heterogeneous and segmented and requires complex management. In the face of all these pressures, the sector has been transformed, with multimodal transport developing strongly since the 1960s. It provides an increasingly better response to the many issues of profitability in the supply chain.

However, this race for performance makes the sector fragile. The intensity and tension in the market make it a sector that is subject to the vagaries of uncontrolled external and internal crises. It is becoming complicated to find the right balance between flexibility (service, punctuality, organisation, traceability, etc), sustainability and costs.

 

CRISIS AND THEIR IMPACT ON COMPANY LOGISTICS

In 2008, during and even after the financial crisis, trade in goods experienced a sharp slowdown. Political crises such as the ‘yellow jackets’ crisis in France had a direct impact not only on domestic road transport but also on European flows.

The 2020 health crisis has directly led to a decrease in the production of foodstuffs and goods, with a large number of bankruptcies, temporary reconversions or relocations. The logistics sector in particular has suffered deeply and had to adapt. A second impact of the 2020 health crisis is psychological: this crisis has been unique in its scale, duration and the privations suffered. Even though States are subsidizing the recovery, industrial companies suffering shock due to this major crisis will favour prudent investments in 2021 and the recovery will be slow. The transport sector will be directly impacted.

 

TWO KEY ELEMENTS OF A LOGISTICS STRATEGY IN TIMES OF CRISIS

One crisis follows another but with different natures and intensities: the conjunction of economic, geopolitical and ecological tensions increases their occurrence and criticality. It is, therefore, essential to be prepared and take into consideration most of the elements of the goods transport value chain in order to stand out. Logistics is a major link in this process.

1 – LOGISTICAL

Each company has its own logistics flow management. Such organisation merits a brief summary of its fundamentals, which may need to be adapted in times of crisis.

‘Pull-flow’ logistics consists of triggering production only when the customer orders it. It is, therefore, a matter of waiting for an actual order from the customer before starting the supply sourcing and manufacturing of products. This allows for extreme flexibility and a direct reduction in production costs. It does, however, impose potentially long delivery times, especially if coupled with supply difficulties (eg, defective raw materials, delayed delivery, etc). This logistics system is similar to the Kanban method that was initiated in the 1950s for Japanese on-demand automotive production. It avoids excess production, scrapping and expiry dates and enables the customization of customer products. The result is a low stock level and reduced storage costs, with little intermediate storage due to ‘just in time’ deliveries.

The opposite is ‘push-flow’ logistics. This is a strategic production method that consists of producing and storing before the customer places an order. This requires the company to forecast its order flows, anticipate and plan for its customers’ needs, but does have a negative impact on cash flow by increasing inventories (raw materials, intermediate or semi-finished products and finished products). On the other hand, it provides an appreciable service to the customer with immediate availability of products.

These two ‘theoretical’ policies are, of course, adapted in each industrial entity according to market and production constraints. Many alternatives or intermediate solutions exist, such as stocks of intermediate products that are ready to be personalized or smaller volumes in order to reduce delivery times for the customer as much as possible. An overall analysis of flows, buffer stocks, delivery and production times often leads to effective solutions in times of crisis.

2 – CHOICE OF PARTNERS AND TRADE ROUTES

There are many stakeholders in the logistics chain: internal logistics expert, insurer, charterer, freight forwarder, shipping or airline company, storage operator, accredited customs representative, etc). It is clearly important to ensure overall efficiency, even in difficult times. For external partners, an accreditation such as ISO 9000 or 28000, CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional) or Authorised Economic Operator are guarantees of reliability. A strict policy on the choice of transport suppliers is crucial, but efficiency must also be verified by permanent assessments and frequent audits. In times of crisis, not only must your partners be reliable, flexible and creative, but you must also draw up specifications that are strict, realistic and, moreover, adaptable in difficult times.

The choice of goods transport partners is necessarily linked to the choice of trade routes. The shortest route in normal times is no longer necessarily the shortest when there is a strike or logistical shortage. For example, during the ‘yellow jacket’ crisis or the 1992-1996 trucking crisis, an Italian company wanting to deliver in England was able to choose partners using German rather than French trade routes.

 

THE CRISIS: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TRANSPORTING OF GOODS

While the crisis can often take a devastating toll, it can become an opportunity for companies that anticipated it. In addition to the means of improvement referred to above, there is one that is often neglected in normal times but that can be decisive in a raging crisis and that is the choice of packaging.

PACKAGING AS A LOGISTICAL AND COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY

emballage tournaire 3mPackaging is a crucial link in the supply chain. It can be classified according to its construction materials, functions, performance and size. There are usually two main branches: primary packaging and secondary packaging.

Primary packaging represents the last barrier between the finished product and the exterior, the ultimate defence of the value that the company transports. It is the ultimate sales showcase and, for sensitive products, the source of protection for the product and the user. Well chosen, it enables, among other things, the lifespan of the product to be extended and, therefore, its sales – a very significant argument in times of transport difficulties.

protection emballage tournaireTo bundle and protect the primary packaging, ‘secondary packaging’ is used. This may, for example, be a multi-pack carton that holds one or more primary packaging units. The choice of the overall solution (primary and secondary packaging) is important in order to guarantee the integrity of the primary packaging and, therefore, the sales value of the product.

Lastly, there is tertiary packaging, often being a pallet containing secondary packaging that is attached to the pallet by shrink film or various ties or straps. This is the ideal transport packaging for products in industrial quantities.

The choice of the type of packaging is crucial, as is the choice of the packaging supplier.  If the supplier is familiar with the product and the chain of use, it will be able to offer complete primary packaging solutions with adapted accessories and even adapted secondary packaging. In terms of safety and peace of mind, this is a real advantage that ensures the preservation, protection and good presentation of the products and compliance with regulatory constraints. For the transport of hazardous materials, for example, compliance with UN approvals is vital whatever the mode of transport chosen. A truck or plane can be blocked by a regulatory problem and the product unloaded.

Other services can ensure safe transportation such as unit traceability of packaging, the monitoring of pressure or temperature in contact with the product. This can be useful in the event, for example, of an unexpectedly prolonged storage on the tarmac of an airport during a strike.

Good packaging sold by a qualified supplier that is well informed of the chain of use is a guarantee of the best overall solution capable of avoiding logistical problems. It will not, however, necessarily be the most economical solution…

 

BETTER TACKLING CRISES IN INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT

Periods of crisis generate significant difficulties for companies. While they reveal weaknesses, they also allow companies to stand out. By reconsidering and adapting its logistics strategy and verifying every link in the chain, the company ensures its durability and reassures its customers. A single link, such as packaging, usually considered as non-critical, provides a significant safety margin in the event of a blockage, especially for sensitive products. Lastly, customer service is guaranteed and commercial value added to the product, hence the importance of choosing suitable packaging and a reliable supplier.

 

TOURNAIRE EMBALLAGE, A PARTNER OF CHOICE FOR THE TRANSPORTING OF GOODS

Tournaire, founded in 1833, was created with the first plant distillers in Grasse, France. The group has developed its know-how along with changes in the perfume industry and according to the specific needs of its customers.

Today, Tournaire puts its recognised expertise in the design and manufacture of high-quality technical packaging at the service of industries around the world. With the most comprehensive range of 50 cc to 32 litre coextruded aluminium and plastic packaging on the market, Tournaire Emballage supplies a variety of industries, such as the pharmaceutical, perfume, foodstuffs and specialised chemical industries, while maintaining a high level of quality, service and safety. Close to its customers and attentive to the seasonal nature of each sector, Tournaire accompanies them throughout the supply chain in the management of flows due to dynamic and optimised stock management.

The identification of products by labels and barcodes ensures the traceability of the packaging, from manufacture to destination. Tournaire also offers a wide choice of primary and secondary packaging that is adapted to the various modes of shipment (road, air or sea). Protections have been specifically designed, for example, for combined ‘air/sea’ transport: overpacks, pallets and reinforced cardboard boxes.

Contact Tournaire Emballage today for more information on how to package your products and the adequacy of your logistics chain.

WiNatLab revelation speech

By Franck Bardini, Director of Operations, Tournaire Equipement

Hello everybody, I would like first to thank you all for such a great turn-out. For one thing is certain, it’s very important for us to have you here today the launch of this concept.

WiNatLab’s watchword is innovation. It’s even its raison d’être. It has been designed to boost innovation for workers processing raw materials, yes, I’m talking about you!

In 2015, we decided to drop chemical synthesis to focus exclusively on the natural market. It was very clearly the right choice, given the growth of this line of business globally. Moreover, we have seen that this line of business is also buoyed by consumer power, as people vote with their wallets to make their own healthcare choices and preserve the planet.

 The notions of eco-responsibility and commitment, even activism, are here to stay in our cultures and society.

More than ever, time-to-market is a key factor in innovation, as we face the challenges of today and tomorrow.

WiNatLab is a new business model combined with a range of services, as Luc pointed out. It is the culmination of our development over these past three years, tailored to interact with your value chain of innovations alongside specialist partners on some links in this chain.

We are entering a new phase in the modernisation of our working methods. Modernisation goes hand-in-hand with innovation. So with our staff, we sought the means to innovate in our industries, further to the experiences of these three years.

This offer is as yet all-new, as I see it. It is unique on the market, it is peerless, yet not all-out disruptive. We do not aim to break up or oust what already exists. Rather, we hope to embody a new dynamic and boost innovation via springboards. These may be disruptive, in certain ways, cultures, principles and even certainties.

 In other words, WiNatLab is positioned as a dynamic, innovation-driven method based on a collaborative platform concept, calibrated to spring into action as necessary and to replace whatever is holding innovation back.

As some of you have already seen, there is a full set of tried-and-tested, ground-breaking technologies underpinning this platform, which we can industrialise alongside you. Given this capacity to industrialise, this is not a platform for fundamental research, rather a platform from which to scale up to industrial capacity.

 Another important element is harnessing this platform to achieve the capacity to support you with hitherto unrivalled efficacy, with new processes for natural products. But also for new products that you have expert knowledge on, for which we must also re-examine our own innovations. We also hope that this platform will open up opportunities to innovate by refocusing the realities of market needs in order to come up with suitable technologies. Developing technology without being attuned to evolution and market needs serves no purpose. And it is also a platform which will help grow our staff’s skills even faster, which is another important element given the speed at which we need to act for our staff to work efficiently. Growing together.

Lastly, we are of the conviction that this virtuous circle must quickly bring you value in all or part of your innovation value chain through to production of the finished product and related services. We all know how precious, even costly, time is.

I would like to share a symbolic illustration of the ambition that shines through this platform. We’re aiming to scale up from kitchen hand to Michelin chef to work on recipes with you, which will bring a new, complementary dynamic to your innovation. Another image that comes to mind is Waze, the GPS that guides and directs you, without wasting any time, to go straight to the crux of the matter with respect to certain decisions for which we can support you.

As you listen to these clearly asserted aims, you are no doubt quite naturally wondering how WiNatLab is actually going to boost innovation for its clients.

I think most of you have already been to the workshops. We have set up ten of them here to explain how this 4-phase value chain works.

 The first two phases involve the initial sign-off and R&D. These occur at our clients’ premises, i.e. yours. It’s your value chains that we line up alongside your feedback, of course. Then there’s the pilot, scale-up and industrialisation phases.

As you have seen, WiNatLab is to be run independently within the subsidiary with input and output data. And the output data is the capacity to draw up an evolutionary process with you, to evaluate an industrial solution that remains your property. You are completely free to choose, to do what you want with it subsequently.

The equipment line of business will continue, should you so wish, to work on time to market by signing off on an offer that will enable you not only perhaps to save time but also provide a guarantee of performance.

I suggest we continue to discuss this, and to take advantage of time. We do still have some time, the cocktail party is due to start soon after this ceremony but we will continue to run the workshops for those who haven’t been able to see them yet. I suggest we carry on talking together to explore how WiNatLab can act as an accelerator for your innovation.

Thank you once more for coming and for your interest in our shared ambition for WiNatLab by Tournaire – Boosting your innovation, which is a joint project.

Thank you.

 

TOURNAIRE’S NEW QUALITY CONTROL LABORATORY, WITH 60+ TYPES OF TEST, IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ON THE MARKET

Interview with Cécile Bergia
Manager of the Quality Control Laboratory at TOURNAIRE

 

Please can you introduce yourself and tell us what your job involves?

Hi, my name is Cécile Bergia and I manage TOURNAIRE’s Quality Control Laboratory. This is where we monitor the performance of manufactured products using a whole battery of tests.

Why has TOURNAIRE developed this Quality Control Laboratory in-house?

We inaugurated our Quality Control Laboratory this year to meet our customers’ performance needs and to keep ahead of new regulations. The lab runs more autonomously, with more powerful appliances, in an ever-cleaner environment.

What does this lab have to offer TOURNAIRE’s customers?

Our remit is three-fold. Firstly, it is to monitor the quality of our manufactured products. We test to ensure the smooth working of seals and waterproofing and to characterise particulate cleanliness. Moreover, since our packaging is approved to ship hazardous materials, we have to test for falls, pressure, and stacking, in order to achieve compliance with these regulatory requirements.

The second part of our remit is to support the Design Department, as it strives to develop ever more effective packaging, tailored to our customers’ needs. We work independently to them, conducting all related testing.

The third and final part of our remit is forward-looking, in that it involves providing support for our customers with respect to these various issues. Whether we’re testing for chemical compatibility or challenges they may face in-house, we help them resolve their various issues.

How does TOURNAIRE’s Quality Control Laboratory stand out from the crowd?

With the TOURNAIRE Quality Control Laboratory, we are now in a position to conduct over 60 tests, with a very broad spectrum to characterise all our products’ features. It’s not just about waterproofing, since we also test characterisation of cleanliness, sealing and resistance to falls. We can conduct all these tests independently and swiftly and no longer have to rely on outsourcing to other laboratories.

Autonomy and fascinating technological projects at TOURNAIRE

Please introduce yourself and your role

My name is Kévin Couvreur, I manage the Department of Transversal Processes at Tournaire Equipement. I’m 27 and I’ve been working at Tournaire for five years. As  the Manager of Transversal Industrial Processes, I support production, quality and maintenance in the “industrial methods” department, as well as running in-house training courses.

How have IT and robotics improved industrial performance on production lines?

We’re talking industrial IT. Robotics and industrial IT are technical fields which help us improve processes and smooth operating flows in production. Robotics helps to design operations that are human-centric, to support people, replacing them at workstations where people suffer from musculoskeletal disorders. So we are working to implement technical improvements as well as improve working conditions.

Could you describe a day in your life?

There’s no such thing as a typical day. I mostly start by visiting the workshop in the morning, and sometimes I go back in the afternoon to identify production issues.

The aim is to achieve non-stop production, for the best possible productivity in terms of operations. When I don’t have anything useful to contribute in production, I work on more long-term projects, contributing to plans and ongoing improvements to industrial processes.

What do you like best about your job?

Precisely the fact that no one day resembles another is an advantage for me. It keeps me on my toes all day long. I never know ahead of time how my day will play out: the possibilities are endless. Not to mention that my role covers all the firm’s transversal technologies: we have lots of robots and testing machinery, to the extent that the fundamental work I perform is really exciting, as is working directly with customers.

What challenges do you have address?

The challenges are mainly human. We’re talking about support technologies, which mainly replace tasks that are complex for people. So we need to support staff in this approach and raise awareness among those who are not necessarily interested in technology, to show them the extent to which these technologies can be beneficial to their work. It’s a truly human issue that’s interesting to manage.

Why work for Tournaire?

Quite simply because we are developing lots of projects and technologies that are being rolled out. We enjoy a great degree of independence in the completion of our projects. Once we have expressed interest in a new project, we get managerial approval. This latitude opens up opportunities to implement significant technological developments.

 

 

KEVIN COUVREUR itw anglais 1707 from Tournaire on Vimeo.

At Tournaire, we have been organizing ourselves to live with the health risk over the long term. Grasse, 29 April 2020.

Jeanne Lions
Finance and IT Director at Tournaire for the past 20 years.
Head of the crisis unit.

What can we learn from this period? 

The assessment of this period is that, thanks to the involvement of all employees, we were able to put in place the conditions that allowed us to continue the activity. We must, therefore, collectively thank all of the employees present. Present not only physically but also morally by maintaining a serene atmosphere.

The bottom line is also that, fortunately or unfortunately, we can never predict the future and that, more than ever, it is important for a company to be agile and responsive, to know how to question all plans in order to adapt to the economic, environmental or social environment. This is our raison d’être.

It is now necessary to take into consideration this variable which today is COVID-19 but tomorrow may be another virus. At Tournaire, we must implement structures and resources in order to live with this health risk over the long term, both internally and in our daily exchanges with our customers and suppliers. We must arm ourselves to counter any future attack and be able to react as quickly as possible.

What is post-confinement for Tournaire? 

At Tournaire, we have not experienced any disruption in our activity. We have experienced a drop in activity and a high absenteeism rate. There is no post-confinement in the company but a post-confinement in society. It is when we reintegrate employees who are today absent that we will have to adopt all of the recommendations on social distancing and barrier measures. This also requires us to communicate constantly to enable all of our employees to act correctly in the face of this threat that, unfortunately, will probably last for many months.

What advice would you give to your fellow directors in the region? 

Do not hesitate to communicate and share and rely on the advice of our professional associations, which are precious collectors and transmitters of information.

 

The company must be prepared to provide support to each individual

Christelle Baudequin
Responsable QSE chez TOURNAIRE

What is the impact of this crisis on the health and safety activity? 

Always the same vigilance on the operating of systems and regulatory compliance (cooling tower monitoring, waste treatment plant, exchanges with the regional environment, development and housing department).

No difficulty on critical points such as the operation of the Waste Treatment Plant and sludge disposal, 

No difficulties on waste management (only replanning).

However, some suppliers have very substantially increased their costs!

Impossibility of carrying out face-to-face audits (customers, internal suppliers and certification) even though they are important tools for continuous improvement.

Postponement of certain health and safety actions/issues to more favourable periods. 

Delays in the animation of health and safety systems but no impact on certifications

What have you put in place to manage this crisis? 

Support for the defining of COVID risk prevention measures and their implementation in the company by analyzing work situations (evolution of the Single Document) consistent with the general principles of prevention (risk elimination, collective protection, individual protection and training).

Frequent contacts with critical service providers to verify business continuity and know the measures implemented, possible difficulties to anticipate… 

Many actions relate to the control over interventions of external personnel on our site:

  • Communication of our continuity plan 
  • Prevention plan adapted to health risk
  • Change in the organization of the work sites 

 

Remote audits (for requesting customers and to monitor ISO certifications)

Work on the issues by telephone meetings and exchanges of documents. After a period of adaptation to the tools, it works well!

What have you noticed since the start of confinement?

Providers and suppliers have organized themselves at different rates but responded present to help us maintain our activity even if they had decided to stop.

The role of the manager in the field is fundamental in relaying messages and ensuring their application.

What lessons have you learned?

The existence of a solidly documented system is a strength, it enables quick reactions in the event of emergencies or deteriorated situations, fill absences and train quickly in versatility.

The good relationships with our partners (suppliers, service providers) have resulted in a dynamic of cooperation to find the best solutions together.

Each individual is different, in his or her perception and apprehension, when faced with risk, this being a very important psychological component and the company must be prepared to provide support to each individual.

 

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