Actemium Cambrai and Actemium Arras teams worked together to help Durand Production convert a windscreen washer fluid production line into a hand sanitiser production unit.
In March 2020, when the management team at the Durand Production (CIPELIA Group) plant in Harnes, in the Pas-de-Calais department, gets wind of a call for projects launched by the French government to meet the shortage of Coronavirus protection products, it applies immediately. The advantage is offers is a blueprint for converting a windscreen washer fluid production line into a hand sanitiser production unit.
Durand Production now has a production capacity of 100,000 litres per day.
On 21 March, the automotive fluid manufacturer’s application is approved. Six days later, the first litres of solution are delivered. And very quickly, some 50,000 litres start rolling off the line every day, intended mainly for hospitals, nursing homes and the food chain.
In order to change its industrial model, Durand Production relied on the expertise of a long-standing partner – Actemium, the VINCI Energies brand specialising in industrial solutions.
Just under 10 years ago, Actemium Cambrai and Actemium Arras teams joined forces to install the windscreen washer fluid production line at the Harnes plant. “We split the work between us again. Actemium Cambrai handled the coordination, while Actemium Arras took responsibility for developing the automation systems and data logging,” explains Benoît Cuisset, manager of the Actemium Cambrai business unit.
100,000 litres per day
Durand Production had to adapt its manufacturing process to hand sanitiser, by installing an additional stainless steel tank among other things, so as to ensure a production capacity of around 100,000 litres per day.
“When it contacted us at the end of March, Durand Production had already conducted the required tests but it needed support with implementing the automation systems and securing the alterations to the tanks and packaging lines,” says Cuisset.
“Since we have extensive expertise in the automation systems in place, things got done in less than a week,” notes the manager of the Actemium Cambrai business unit.
17/06/2020
