Innovation Management and Organization
We have put together a team of 8 people exclusively dedicated to research, innovation and the development of new services of equipment in order to encourage the emergence of innovative projects and their launching.
For more than 10 years now, our 8 experts have been guided by two challenges:
- measuring the mixing phenomena to better understand them, and
- adapting the mixing tool to the manufacturer’s process.
We take into account the production issues of manufacturers to offer a made-to-measure, turnkey solution. Our R&D engineers, technicians and technologists contribute to the design of the equipment until the testing phase and qualification.
During the study phase, our experts reflect upon several aspects:
- the quality and homogeneity of the mixing,
- the reduction in mixing time,
- the adaptability of the equipment in the face of the various typologies of raw materials,
- the optimization of the equipment cleaning phases ,
- the eco-design of the equipment, and
- the comfort and ease of use of the equipment.
Research and Development at the service of your competitiveness
Our R&D (Research and Development) department has developed an approach of long-term partnership. It aims at improving your productivity and the quality of your products year after year.
Design tools at the forefront of technology
Understanding your needs and issues is the first step to design innovative solutions. Our team benefits from the most effective design tools to meet the specific needs of each industry: 3D Computer-Aided Design/Drafting, calculation modules, measuring instruments…
Process Development Center: test laboratories on hand
With a surface area of 700 m² (7,500 square feet), this section of the Research & Development Department serves two production laboratories, an analysis room and two meetings and training rooms to carry out the company’s missions and receive customers. the Process Development Center covers a wide spectrum integrating the various steps in formulation, from the implementation of the full mixing process, as well as the analyses of the material used, the various steps in the production, up to the final product. Our research centre comprises two test laboratories dedicated to:
- food processing, and
- cosmetics, pharmaceutical and chemical products.
Our laboratories and their demonstration equipment allow to make specific tests with raw materials and our customers’ ingredients on pilot scale. Then, we accompany you with the extrapolation of the results to industrial levels of production. Whether it’s density, viscosity, texture or product 3D imagery, everything is measured in the analysis room so that nothing is left to chance and that manufacturers can optimize their processes or even their formulations.
The Process Development Center is also a team of technologists capable of understanding customer requirements. As the link between these requirements and the company’s technical departments, their mission is to upgrade the solutions offered and recommended by VMI to optimize customers’ processes.
A Global Process
We have set up an Innovation and Marketing Committee as part of approach to match the manufacturers’ actual needs and our innovative solutions.
The management of research and development has an impact on the daily work of our production units, of our buyers and of our engineering departments.
Partnerships Between Scientists and Plants
We are setting up a strategy based of opening to scientific and industrial partnerships in order to maintain our position of leader on technical progress.
LabCom Mixi-Lab
We are associated with the French Génie des Procédés, Environnement, Agroalimentaire laboratory (GEPEA – CNRS/University of Nantes/Oniris/Mines Nantes).
This partnership has led to LabCom MIXI-LAB.
This laboratory was created for the LabCom call for bid of the Agence Nationale de la Research (French National Agency for Reseach) and aims at supporting partnerships between public and industrial research. It aims at developing innovative dispersion and mixing solutions.
The LabCom MIXI-LAB is certified by the competitiveness clusters VALORIAL and CEREALES VALLÉE.