- Can you tell me a little bit about yourself ?
I have been working for decades in the Plating industry and as such, been concerned by the environmental issues associated with the surface treatment activities : waste, chemicals, water, heavy metals, recycling, alternative processes have always been a priority and it is with these priorities in mind that I have started in 1992 to collaborate with partners within the EU funded programs, to tackle these problematics and also help our colleagues from the same fields of activity to improve their impact on the environment. We have always tried to be in advance on the regulations, whether national or European.
A Manager award for « Environment » in 1993 and an award for an EU/IMS project on Chrome in 2004 have been received for success stories in these areas.
Since 2000, I have managed IPM² to help SMEs to improve their involvement and participations to collaborations with partners with expertise and skills complementing their own experience.
- What is your role in the SOL-REC2 project?
IPM² is the Coordinator of this project and counts in his ranks the skills and experience of 2 colleagues with whom we have participated in several other EU projects, especially with Ionic Liquids or materials topics.
Our 20+ years of management, participation and coordination of projects, either National or European, will be devoted to SOL-REC2 on a daily basis to ensure a successful project and useful outputs after the 36 months of its duration.
- What were key insights you gained from the innovative aspect ?
Some new and very different breakthrough technologies are being combined to addess the double challenge of food and pharma blister packaging issues. It is very interesting to work on such tasks associating very different processes and we are longing to see the results of this combination.
- What makes the SOL-REC 2 project innovative in your view?
Innovation can be perceived by the fact that it involves processes that have been studied and that have to be improved and adapted to the double challenge we are tackling in SOL-REC2
- What is your feeling now and have you any advice to give..?
I feel very enriching to work with such different partners, either University researchers and Engineers, or SMEs from the Eastern part of Europe, as well as experienced Research centers or companies with their own vision but with a common goal, to make the project a success story and to influence the future of Plastics Recycling.
What I definitely advise is to ensure and maintain good and frequent communication between the different partners to keep the thread alive permanently and make sure that all the different requirements/expectations/options are well understood by all.