Michelin boss signals “digital revolution” at new technology centre

Ladoux, France – Michelin Group has inaugurated its RDI Campus, as part of a project to upgrade its technology centre in Ladoux, near Clermont-Ferrand, France.

In a statement, Michelin CEO Jean-Dominique Senard said that the new 'research, development and industrialisation' facility would focus on demands of customers within the “digital revolution.”

The group CEO went on to say that digital technology was a powerful force for transforming the economy and that Michelin had chosen to “actively incorporate this change into its operations.”

This means, he stated, “transforming ourselves, rethinking our customer relationships, organising ourselves more efficiently, and sharing major innovations more quickly across as many of our product lines as possible.”

The RDI Campus is part of an an upgrade project at Michelin's Ladoux technology centre, the first phase of which was completed  in October 2015.

The project, which aims to improve innovation at the centre and facilitate interaction between staff and their ideas, cost €270 million and will be fully operational by early 2018.

The RDI unit, which is on a seven-hectare piece of land, will house 80 platforms, designed to accommodate cross-functional and multi-disciplinary research.

This new design mode, according to Michelin, will enhance its ability to innovative and reduce the lead-times to market.

The concept is also expected to increase interaction between the different skill sets, as well as the quality of life in the workplace, with services better adapted to the needs of the staff.

Currently, 70 percent of Michelin tires are developed at the Ladoux Technology Centre in the outskirts Clermont-Ferrand.

The 450-hectare facility consists of 79 buildings, tracks (totalling 43 kilometres in length) and employs 3,300.

The centre studies material design, tire design and simulation work, while also produces prototype compound rubber and tires.