The CERA
The CERA (Applied Study and Research Centre) was set up on our Dinard site in March 2006 to serve all the Roullier Group subsidiaries.
Its work is organised around three key areas:
• Industrial performance
• R&D
• Analysis laboratory
Means:
• A team of 21 chemical engineering technicians and engineers handling about 70 subjects per year
• High-tech tools (ICP-OES equipment) to carry out over 50,000 tests per year and deliver rapid results
• Pilot workshop to reproduce, study and analyse all the industrial processes.
Objectifves:
• Improve existing processes (in the light of environmental constraints and European legislation)
• Test new products
• Lend technical support to Group subsidiaries
• Provide indicators to measure performance, safety, cleanliness, and the use of good practice
Examples of specific missions:
• Building and assembly monitoring of the Gabès 2 factory in Tunisia
• Replacement and industrial modifications to cellar washing in various Group factories.
The Analysis laboratory
To ensure that its products are of consistent quality TIMAB has implemented a control process for all of its analyses. These are conducted by the Analysis laboratory, where every month 7 analysts perform 4,000 to 5,000 tests on raw materials and finished products.
The laboratory has AAS and ICP equipment for the analysis of major elements (P, Ca, Mg, Na, etc.) trace elements (Zn, Cu, Mn, etc.) and undesirable substances (Cd, Pb, As, Hg, etc.).
TIMAB applies quality control at every stage:
• Production
Analysis of raw materials, grain-size control, humidity and pH, percentage of active elements, water and citric solubility, reactivity, heavy metals, insoluble substances.
• Loading and transport
Control of final loading phase, state of ship, loading and unloading monitored by security company, sampling, carrier vetting and observation of Qualimat standards, documentary checks, cleanliness checks on container before loading, sample retained from each lorry load for 6 months.
• Storage
Quality charter, verification of storage facility, bag inspection, sampling, batch number, product identification.
