Opinion - Hutchinson unveils vision of the future

Chalette-sur-Loing, France - While the European non-tire rubber sector is widely seen as mature and has undergone considerable contraction over recent years, top players in this sector, such as ContiTech, Freudenberg and Trelleborg have still managed to thrive.

Behind their resilience is a strong belief, both by management teams and workers, in the materials and technologies they work with and the products they manufacture, often for critical applications in areas such as automotive, aerospace and medical.

This commitment and belief in the future of the rubber industry is perhaps currently being best illustrated by another leading player, Hutchinson SA, with annual sales of around €4 billion and a heritage dating back to the middle of the 19th century.

At a press event on 7 Oct, the French group showed off a new innovation centre at its site in Chalette-sur-Loing site, north-central France. Called 507 Fab House, the facility showcases a range of high-tech applications, both commercial and near-commercial, for rubber and other polymer materials.

These technologies are displayed using interactive and virtualisation technologies, including immersive 3D rooms  designed to enable Huchinson's engineers and customers to visualise the workings of new materials, parts and systems.

The high-tech environment is all the more remarkable given that the building structure was designed back in 1869 by Gustave Eiffel - 20 years before he built the Eiffel Tower

But it is the technologies on display that tell the real story, with an array of smart devices featuring integrated sensors, self-powering, active engine mounts and parts that generate data for condition monitoring of automotive and aerospace parts.

The facilities and displays in this 19th century building suggest that, far from being mature, the rubber industry is on the brink of an exciting new era of growth and development.

As Hutchinson chairman and CEO Jacques Maigne explained at the event on 7 Oct: "We are now starting in a new environment with new materials, more integrated solutions with connectivity, providing data to OEMs for maintenance and the management of equipment. We are discovering new markets and new business."

European Rubber Journal will report on Hutchinson new technical centre and its strategy for innovation and business development in the Nov/Dec issue of ERJ magazine.