Good practice:

“Factory of the future” in Nouvelle Aquitaine applied to Artistic Ceramic SMEs

Facing an old industrial landscape, the improvement of industrial performance and the modernization of the production tool are becoming major issues in Nouvelle Aquitaine.
A new factory model was designed by the Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine to implement the “Factory of the future”. This model enables regional companies (ETI & SME) to become, in 2 steps, more competitive, more human-based and more respectful of the environment by implementing tailor-made support and actions. . In terms of number of companies, Nouvelle Aquitaine is the first French Region in artistic Ceramics in France and a special attention is given to them.
1. Raise the awareness of companies, detect projects and needs: Company must answer to biannual CEI launched by the Region, then if they are selected, a free pre-diagnosis was made by private external experts (financing by Europe and Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine) to write a 2-year roadmap.
2. Modernize the production tool and integrate new technological and organizational know-how: 5 itineraries are available but one is particularly relevant for Ceramic sector: Additive manufacturing (AM) one. Individual support (4 days) and collective training support the company to an approach integration of AM (50% of costs is paid by Region). Then, company can carry out technical study to validate the technology through POC (Proof of Concept). Region adapts the aid according to each project.

At the end of 2019, 116 M€ were invested to diagnose and support companies by Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

At the end of 2019:
• More than 600 companies have been selected in Nouvelle Aquitaine, within the framework of Calls for Expression of Interest
• 554 diagnoses have been made to date
• More than 600 companies should benefit from the program by 2020, 20 companies are following the Additive Manufacturing Itinerary and one is a Ceramic artistic SME.

It was in the early 2000s that the Factory of the Future concept was born in Nouvelle Aquitaine and was a model to set up the industrial program in France as the “industry of the future”.
Because Additive Manufacturing shares features, autonomy, flexibility, intelligence, and adaptability with the industry of the future, it is considered as a key factor in industrial transformation and acceleration. Ceramic materials are expected to become one of the largest opportunities for AM materials in the mid- to long-term future: ceramics 3D printing is looking to take a share of the $51-billion art market. 3D printers can be used to create shapes that are impossible to build by hand and open new opportunities for artistic exploration. This innovation must be taken into account by SEMs in artistic ceramics to be ready for the future. That is why this Good practice must be shared with other European regions.