Sustainability Report 2020
Research, development and Technological Innovation
The three centres dedicated to PSC Research and Development (R&D) activities are based in Oderzo, Torino and Ferentino, and employ 64 workers in total, as well as 11 program managers. This department is strategic for the Group because it gives significant life-long investments, sometimes in collaboration with its customers.
After PSC reorganization carried out in 2012, a Director was appointed in the research and development area, who, in collaboration with the Head of the Program Management, shall coordinate three departments:
- Foreign customers
- Italian customers
- Appliances
With the purpose of identifying and sharing the best practices, useful to the whole Group, a cutting-edge business-intelligence platform has been realized.
R&D initiatives implemented by companies and business units are diverse practice and include those described in the following paragraphs.
In July 2020 Sole Oderzo started to develop a new research project, named Sustainable Capacitive Keyboards (TCS), as a part of the most significant tendering projects aimed at R&S, which can benefit from the resources of Fondo per la Crescita Sostenibile (FCS) – Sustainable Growth Fund, set up in order to support businesses as well as the investments in this field.
The project, , which lasts three years, (the conclusion is planned in 2023) aims to develop intuitive controls keyboards, through which it is possible to enable its functions by touching the keyboard in the same way you do with a smartphone, and which can be achieved thanks to advanced molding processes in super-thin overmolding.
TCS project includes three stages:
- Analysis and screening in lab, in order to have more options for new molding, materials, TCS devices and relevant compliance. Most of the experimental activities carried out in 2020 concerned such OR.
- Development of two prototypes: one for the dashboard with backlight that changes color and one for the handle to open the rear hood.
- Full development of technology.
The project represents an innovation in the field of advanced materials and production systems, in particular for plastic components, and its results will lead to a more sustainable production and wider dissemination of this technology; furthermore: this initiative confirms the very high profile of R&D Sole Oderzo, one of the excellence of the territory and a proven international leader for such field of application.
During 2020, both Sole Oderzo Ltd and Sole Components Ltd were also engaged in other R&D projects implementation, for which the companies have accrued the tax credit provided for by Article 3 of Decree-Law 145/2013, as replaced by art. 1 paragraph 35 of Law 190/2014 and implemented by Ministerial Decree 24/05/2015.
Specifically, the initiatives concerned, in addition to the one already described and valid only for Sole Oderzo, are eight as stated in the following list:
Research, experimentation and development of innovative galvanic chrome plating technologies with high environmental sustainability, based on the use of Trivalent Chromium.
Research, experimentation and development of innovative PVD metallization technologies for the realization of components aimed at the aesthetic covering – functional of road radar devices.
Research, experimentation and development for radiator grilles in polypropylene glass and modified poly-methyl-metha-acrylate.
Research, experimentation of the process of Vacuum Wrapping for exterior car components.
Research, experimentation and development for Grids Aesthetic radiator in ASA/PC with different finishes integrated in a single component.
Analysis and Development solution with metal-free film for Esthetic Cover Radars.
Feasibility study of defect detection solutions on painted components in production.
Study of innovative applications to industrial processes of solutions with collaborative robots.
During 2020, some of the Group’s companies received financial assistance for a total amount of Euro 4,636,358, of which share attributable to tax relief was euro 4.454.185. This means that 31% of it affected Prima Components Automotivos and 60% PSMM Pernambuco (Brazil).
Prima Poprad received allowances for a total amount of 166,712 euros.
Prima Components Italia and Prima Components Anagni have also received EUR 15,461 in grants for investment and research and development activities, through a tax credit for subsidized capital goods.