Radici InNova
Radici InNova To achieve the Group's strategic objectives, guarantee business continuity and improve the company's competitiveness, as well as generate value in its communities, the consortium company Radici InNova was created at the end of 2019, with the aim of developing research and sustainability-oriented innovation projects, starting in 2020. Radici InNova drawing on internal competencies and relationships with selected universities, research institutes and scientific centres manages and coordinates research and innovation activities across the Group's three business areas with the goal of strengthening innovation, the main driver of development for RadiciGroup.
In spite of the pandemic crisis, in 2020 Radici InNova undertook several relevant activities. It defined the preparatory stages for several research and innovation projects considered strategic for the Group and started the search for possible collaborations of interest. At the same time, a system was set up for coordinating and monitoring project stages in order to ensure structured, shared and transparent management of activities. Subsequently, projects in the following areas were launched:
development of certified materials for the medical sector. The acquisition of expertise in the healthcare sector has led to the study of advanced textile materials for the production of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers during the Covid-19 health crisis,
new materials for the automotive industry, in particular thermoplastic composites, materials for additive manufacturing and 3D printing,
alternative processes to obtain the chemical intermediates necessary for the production of the Group's strategic polymers from renewable raw materials.
In particular, the activities of the consortium are focused on:
development of solutions for the circular economy by managing the end of life cycle of products starting from their origins, in order to increase their useful life and performance and promote their effective recycling, development of industrial processes for the synthesis of chemical intermediates from materials of biological origin, which are the building blocks for the production of sustainable polymers used to manufacture a wide range of products, development of polyamides obtained from renewable source materials destined for applications in a variety of sectors, including automotive, textile and apparel,
optimization of industrial processes to increase sustainability and improve performance,
demonstration of the value of Group processes and products, through objective measurement of performance and impacts, with renewed commitment to rigour, transparency and the scientific approach,
identification of new business opportunities, including market opportunities for existing Group products.
During 2020, Radici InNova also devoted specific attention to initiatives related to the circular economy and sustainability, which have always been features of Group activities. In particular, projects were launched to develop recycling processes from pre- and postconsumer waste, and, at the same time, ecodesign and codesign initiatives were implemented with customers to help them create durable products that are easy to recycle at the end of their lives.
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