Pioneering, hyper-clean modular solutions

The French market-leading clean-room and cold-room company Dagard was recently acquired by the international Purever Group. Philip Yorke reports on how this strategic move builds on the expertise offered by Dagard, its broader market implications and how it benefits the company’s diverse customer base.

Twenty years ago a small family joinery business, founded in France in 1951, was transformed into a major, industrial scale manufacturer producing highly efficient insulated ‘sandwich panels’ for use in modular cold-rooms and clean-rooms. From its early beginnings, Dagard was committed to innovative and sustainable production methods and exceptional customer service. As a result, the company quickly grew to become one of Europe’s leading companies in its field. Out of this dedicated drive for creating the best possible outcomes for its clients came the Dagard ‘cam-lock®’ assembly system. This clever, innovative device has subsequently become the standard reference for the sandwich-panel type of structure throughout the industry.

Dagard initially focused on the design and manufacture of purpose-built industrial panels for the fast and simple erection of food processing plants and cold storage facilities. By the year 2000 the company had extended its product portfolio and services significantly. The market response was positive and in 2004 it installed a modern, automated, continuous panel production line, which in turn resulted in a significant increase in its industrial production capacity.

Following this qualified success, Dagard established a major presence in the US with its new subsidiary: The Dagard USA Corporation. This was celebrated with the commissioning of a new state-of-the-art plant at Montluçon, which is dedicated to the manufacture of a broad range of clean-room products. A continuous programme of investment has since added yet further to its portfolio of innovative products and global reach.

Customer-focused

On 18 April this year, Dagard joined the International Purever Group. This conglomerate was founded in 2001 in Portugal following Dagard’s sale of its operations in Spain, Portugal and South America. The strategic acquisition added significantly to the group’s activities in other parts of the world. For Luis Borges, CEO of the Purever Group and the new CEO of Dagard, told Industry Europe that for him and for his 800 employees, “the key priority was the group’s ‘obsession to serve its customers’, whether they are endusers, distributors or installers.” This significant development will clearly enhance the technical expertise and recognised know-how of both companies and offer additional high-quality solutions for their respective customers. The enlarged group will in turn be better placed to satisfy new market trends and demands, as well as fulfilling important location proximity considerations.

It is worth noting that the combined expertise and facilities of the enlarged Purever Group adds significantly to the company’s

ability to develop and install an unrivalled range of modular cold rooms, and isothermal facilities, as well as dedicated clean-room envelopes. The Purever Group and Dagard’s extensive industrial expertise covers the broadest range of modular structures, factorymade components, thermal insulation and sound insulation products. In addition, the new company configuration offers advanced fire safety systems, for walls, ceilings, doors and glazing, as well as providing optimal hygiene control, ease of cleaning and air/vapourtightness solutions. Showcasing new solutions

This year for the first time, Dagard will be present at the Chillventa Trade Fair in Nuremburg, Germany. The well-known international trade show is focused on showcasing the latest developments in the coldroom and clean-room industry. At Chillventa, energy-efficiency and sustainability remain the driving forces behind the development of new products and systems for refrigeration, air-conditioning, ventilation and heat pumps. Chillventa is the premier platform for any company wanting to keep up with the latest trends and developments in the industry. It enables a direct exchange of views with leading experts and suppliers form all over the world. Interested parties should note that Dagard will be showcasing its latest ground-breaking, innovative products and solutions at Chillventa at the hall 9 on stand number 612.

Visitors to the show can expect to see the very latest advances from Dagard in cold-room technology and its latest airtight envelope systems, Dagard is also proud of its latest high-tech clean-room technologies, which have been developed for use for pharmaceutical and cosmetics packaging applications. Other critical product solutions have been developed for use in the nuclear and aerospace industries where the most stringent specifications apply. Additional sensitive and high-specification industries served by Dagard include data-centres, bio-safe laboratories, operating theatres and critical surgical units.

Sustainable development

From the outset, Dagard placed a high priority on achieving the best possible outcomes for its clients combined with the most environ-

mentally friendly manufacturing procedures and products. For example, expansion agents used by the company for insulating foams are CFC-free and HCFC-free in strict compliance with the Kyoto Protocols, designed to limit the emission of greenhouse gases. Dagard uses 100 per cent pure organic mineral wool that is composed of fibres classified as non-carcinogenic by the World Health Organisation. In addition, mineral wool scraps, pallets and film residues are 100 per cent recycled, whilst the steel being used is bought from reliably recycled sources.

In addition, Dagard’s systems concerning project management have been implemented. These involve the close relations between production, engineering and installation departments, and allow for the optimal consumption of materials and the recycling of waste products. Dagard told Industry Europe, “A series of tailor-made in-factory and on-site procedures is designed to keep the impact of company operations on the environment to an absolute minimum. The company only uses nonpolluting consumables, it optimises packaging materials and employs special procedures for re-routing discarded materials and chips to authorised suppliers and processing plants.” n

For further details of Dagard’s latest innovative products and services visit: www.dagard.com