El Centre de Formació Pràctica de la Fundació Lacetània (CFP) i el centre tecnològic Eurecat han signat avui una aliança d‘ampli abast amb l’objectiu d’augmentar la competitivitat de les empreses del sector metall-mecànic de la Catalunya Central i de tot el territori català, amb especial atenció a la petita i mitjana empresa, davant dels importants reptes de futur que afronta aquesta activitat industrial.

En aquest sentit, la suma de capacitats i de recursos d’ambdues entitats permetrà que el sector empresarial pugui accedir a una oferta formativa puntera, així com a un ampli espectre de serveis, que van des de la recerca aplicada i la tècnica i l’operació a les instal·lacions productives fins al suport a l’emprenedoria de nous equips metall-mecànics.

Amb aquesta finalitat, el conveni de col·laboració estableix les línies de treball i un marc de cooperació estable entre CFP, com a centre de referència per a professionals i empreses especialitzat en tècniques de fabricació en el sector metall-mecànic, i Eurecat, com a referent en tecnologies de fabricació avançada, tot combinant coneixements industrials, digitals i de sostenibilitat.

Han subscrit el protocol la presidenta de Fundació Lacetània, Sílvia Gratacòs, i el president d’Eurecat, Xavier Torra, en un acte que ha comptat amb la intervenció de l’alcalde de Manresa, Marc Aloy.

En l’acte, Marc Aloy s’ha felicitat de la signatura de l’acord, que “permetrà sumar l’àmplia experiència i coneixements de dues institucions de relleu, com són Eurecat i CFP, per tirar un projecte absolutament en línia amb els reptes que tenim com a territori i com a país: situar-nos en una posició puntera en l’àmbit de la digitalització i de la indústria 4.0. El nostre territori ja fa temps que treballa en aquests camps, i amb METALLCAT es farà un pas més, molt important i necessari”.

Segons destaca la presidenta de Fundació Lacetània, “el sector industrial es troba en un moment clau amb la irrupció de la indústria 4.0 i aquesta aliança permetrà que les nostres empreses tinguin accés a coneixements i suport tècnic avançats que les situïn al capdavant d’aquesta nova revolució industrial”.

The Lacetània Foundation’s Practical Training Centre (CFP) and the Eurecat technology centre have today sealed a wide-ranging partnership designed to make metalworking businesses in Central Catalonia and across the rest of the country more competitive. The alliance will especially target small and medium-sized enterprises given the major challenges ahead for this industrial sector.

The shared capabilities and resources of both organisations will provide the business sector with access to state-of-the-art training and a wide array of services ranging from applied research and technical and operational expertise in production facilities to support for new metalworking equipment ventures.

To this end the partnership agreement sets out work strands and ongoing cooperation between the CFP, a leading school for practitioners and businesses specialising in metalworking manufacturing techniques, and Eurecat, a pacesetter in advanced manufacturing technologies, by pooling industrial, digital and sustainability knowhow.

The protocol was signed by Sílvia Gratacòs, chair of the Lacetània Foundation, and Xavier Torra, chair of Eurecat, at a ceremony also attended by Marc Aloy, Mayor of Manresa.

Speaking at the event, Marc Aloy welcomed the agreement. “It will enable us to merge the extensive background and knowledge of two leading institutions, Eurecat and the CFP, to undertake a project which is fully geared towards our challenges as a region and as a country: to position ourselves at the forefront of digitalisation and Industry 4.0,” he said. “Our region has been working in these areas for quite a while and METALLCAT is a further, very significant and much needed step forward.”

“The industrial sector is at a critical juncture with the emergence of Industry 4.0,” noted Sílvia Gratacòs. “This alliance will provide our companies with access to state-of-the-art knowhow and technical support which will put them at the cutting edge of this new industrial revolution.”

“This agreement brings together technique and technology to provide industry businesses with R&D, innovation and manufacturing processes on the factory or workshop floor,” pointed out Xavier Torra.

“The agreement will enable us to enhance and expand the CFP’s role for metalworking enterprises in the region and also start looking outside Central Catalonia,” argued Joan Ramon Perdigó, chair of the CFP. “We are the only centre of its kind in Catalonia because of what we do and also because we are backed by the enterprises concerned and supported by government and business organisations.”

“The partnership between our two organisations will bring together the outstanding and unique skills of the Lacetània Foundation’s Practical Training Centre and Eurecat to make the metalworking industry more competitive with a view to expanding and delivering services both in el Bages and also across Catalonia,” said Xavier López, Eurecat’s Chief Operating and Corporate Officer.

The Lacetània Foundation’s Practical Training Centre and the Eurecat technology centre will team up in the operation of their workshop and laboratory facilities and in advanced manufacturing projects in areas such as Industry 4.0, sustainable production and digitalisation. This partnership will drive a state-of-the-art range of services, levels, formats and training programmes for the industry in design, mechanisation, sheet metal folding, prototyping, industrial maintenance, metrology and more.

First advanced materials training programme for new specialists in this strategic field

 

The Lacetània Foundation’s Practical Training Centre and the Eurecat Academy, Eurecat’s highly specialised training brand, are running their first training programme in advanced materials for new specialists in this strategic field anchored in an extremely hands-on approach. The programme features eight highly specialised training courses in subjects that include bioplastics, aluminium, composites and steels along with two more technical courses which will enable students to learn about the mechanical behaviour of high-strength steels and a seminar on sheet metal toughness.

The partnership protocol envisages carrying out joint actions in sustainable advanced manufacturing and digitalisation, including an emphasis on training for young people and women, in order to meet the demand for talent in this field in association with the business community and government.

Working towards a distinctive joint offering

 

The partnership agreement also lays the foundations for greater future integration of Eurecat and Practical Training Centre operations, initially on a more functional basis, to shape a distinctive joint offering which will be increasingly attractive to companies.

The protocol sets out a number of areas for cooperation between Eurecat and the Practical Training Centre such as support services for parts machining, prototyping and tooling. It also outlines the principles for both organisations to deliver specialised comprehensive continuous learning services for businesses and stakeholders in Central Catalonia and other regions by bringing together professional, technical and technological, organisational, management and infrastructure skills.

The initiative is backed by leading organisations and institutions in Central Catalonia including the Manresa Chamber of Commerce, Manresa Town Council, el Bages County Council, the Central Catalonia Metalworking Employers’ Association and PIMEC. All of them are closely tied to the CFP and Eurecat through their Board of Trustees and Manresa Regional Committee respectively.