Innovation is the heart of the process of developing new products and improving the existing products in the SOFAME range. It is applicable to the standard products in the range as much as to special products, tailor-made on request by our customers.
The first step in innovation arises from maintaining a technological watch. This involves studying technologies already in existence or under development. It makes it possible to consider incorporating these new technologies into products made within the company or into the manufacturing processes.
A technological watch also keeps observation on the company’s market environment as well as on more distant fields of activity.
It goes hand in hand with a consideration of how these new technologies could be useful in future products or the production cycle. The creative meetings and brainstorming techniques are used for this purpose.
Partnerships with external companies or organizations may be called upon when the technology in question is not mastered internally. SOFAME is active in technological competitive clusters in sectors as disparate and pioneering as the motor industry (ID4CAR), electronics (WE NETWORK) and the aircraft industry (AEROSPACE VALLEY). Through the discussions that arise within these clusters, it is possible at the same time to absorb the technological advances in progress and to anticipate future changes in the professions of these different sectors, so as to offer fitting solutions.
SOFAME’s design office is, of course, central to this innovation process. It employs a powerful Computer Aided Design (CAD) tool capable of making a reality of these new technology applications in SOFAME’s products.
The progress made possible by technological innovation relates mainly to functionalities, the ergonomic features of products and the manufacturing process.
Thus, to quote a few examples, recent years have seen an increase in the use of laser cutting of steel, the adoption of height adjustments (mechanical, hydraulic and electric) on workstations (in the PTH, SI, REGULOG, MODULOG and PRECILOG ranges), improved illumination with the contribution made by LEDs and the introduction of stock management and measurement programs in storage cabinets (DISTRISOF).
This product innovation process is ongoing, and SOFAME is already considering the incorporation of special, innovative technologies in its future product developments which will add further functionalities and ergonomic benefits.
