In the light of the 'Stay Connected' innovation project, the West Flanders injection moulding company Anziplast invites 15 stakeholders and an external guest to an online R&D talk every month. Sirris gladly participated in the pilot session and established a link with the Crisis Code Cracker.
With its R&D-talks, Anziplast wants to move innovations to the top of the agenda. At the same time, it wants to focus on connecting with suppliers and knowledge partners. It's a great idea, and one that we're happy to get our teeth into. Three of our experts took part in the first R&D talk, which on this occasion coincided with the intake interview of the Crisis Code Cracker. Dirk Vanherck from Anziplast and Sirris expert Bas Rottier share their experiences during the first phase of the project.
A new vision on innovation
Anziplast is a supplier of customer-specific injection moulding products. The company is active in two worlds: automotive and non-automotive. "Many of our customers are large suppliers of car manufacturers," says sales manager Dirk Vanherck, who is also project manager for Stay Connected. "We supply them with small to large, mainly technical and functional parts. Our products in non-automotive are very diverse."
Bas Rottier - Sirris |
Factory of the Future
Factory of the Future ," Dirk outlines the context. "This process consists of seven transformations, from which we ourselves distilled ten projects. These include digitalisation, logistics, know-how management, sustainability... Many ideas have already been discussed and put into motion within these projects. One project is 'Stay Connected. Our monthly R&D talk is one practical initiative that came out of it. Therefore, our R&D talk with Sirris came at the ideal time. "
"The talk with Bas and his colleagues gave us the opportunity to test ideas, enrich them with new perspectives and make new relevant contacts. Based on the themes from the discussion, Bas sent us a nice report containing 15 relevant themes that can be explored further in a topic scan. More than half of these topics are related to the Factory of the Future."
ADMA-scan, for example, ties in directly with their internal projects," Bas picks up. "This maturity test is free and provides them with a supportive framework for the Factory of the Future, which is well comparable to a dress rehearsal."
The Code Cracker as a source of inspiration
“Sirris combines an enormous know-how in various fields with an extensive network. Of course, this is perfectly in line with our 'Stay Connected' story". Dirk Vanherck - Anziplast |
Read also: From aspiration to innovation: Anziplast launches its own R&D talks
A unique blend of experts
domains with a very extensive network", says Dirk. "Also internally, you can tell by the names that came up during the intake interview. Of course this fits perfectly in our Stay Connected story. If we can put our puzzle together with the Sirris experts, it will certainly contribute to our success. That is also their intention: our success is their success.
For Bas, Sirris’ greatest asset is the unique blend of experts with industrial and academic backgrounds. "Depending on the needs, we can resort to person A or B. Moreover, we know how SMEs think and operate, what their mindset is. And we also know that they do not have the resources to undertake long, expensive R&D projects. We apply this pragmatism in everything we do."
About the Crisis Code Cracker The Crisis Code Cracker is a Sirris initiative, an action plan in 3 steps, customised to every company in the technology industry. The goal of the programme is to increase the resilience of your company, supported by concrete and solution-oriented advice. The Crisis Code Cracker is there for all companies in the technology industry. We can offer the programme free of charge to companies in West Flanders, thanks to the support of POM West Flanders and their recovery plan. More information about the Crisis Code Cracker can be found at https://www.sirris.be/crisis-code-cracker. If you are interested, please fill in the online contact form. |
Companies in West Flanders take part in the Crisis Code Cracker programme free of charge thanks to the POM West Flanders recovery plan. The current reality underlines the importance of increasing digitalisation and automation of business activities and the need for digital skills among employees. That is why the province, together with its partners, has developed an offer aimed at the digital and sustainable transformation of industrial SMEs and their employees. With a total package of scans, audits, implementation processes, workshops, inspiring webinars and investments in digital technologies, they are increasing the resilience of West Flanders companies. #samenondernemen, #meerwestvlaanderen.
