Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PRS (PRS, an industrial repair system for large series of reusable plastic articles in a circular economy)
Reporting period: 2020-11-01 to 2021-10-31
Companies from different sectors use hundreds of millions of plastic articles of recurrent use, called Returnable Transport Packaging or RTP (pallets, crates, boxes, layer-pads…) mainly for logistics and transportation. Those articles, when broken, are discarded and replaced with new ones because there is no viable solution to repair them.
There is a request for solutions to cost effectively repair those plastic items, in big quantities, systematically and guaranteeing their quality and strength. This is because those broken items replacement mean very high costs for companies and municipalities, as well as the generation of large amounts of waste and the consequent impact on the carbon footprint of their activity. This is a big problem in EU in terms of both business (€7.2 billion/year) and environmental costs (410,000 Tonnes/year RTPs plastic discarded).
Plastic Repair System 2011 (PRS) has developed and patented an innovative technology that allows to repair those goods recovering the functionality, aesthetics and resistance but at a fraction of the cost of a new one (70% cost savings). We repair articles by adding our own formulated plastic thread material to weld the broken parts.
SMEI Phase2 project PRS has allowed our company to reach these goals: (i) to fine-tune, automate and test new industrial processes to improve repair quality assurance and competitiveness; (ii) to improve our plastic welding thread, that has permitted better repaired parts quality traceability, make work orders more flexible and to lower the environmental cost due to the materials; (iii) to develop an international partner network for commercial scaling; (iv) to increment the number of potential international clients; (v) to design the customer service processes and materials; and (vi) to update IP, business and exploitation plans, filing two new patents and attracting new financing.
This project has contributed to turn PRS into the leading company in the plastic repair service circular economy and is right now helping our clients to decrease 3.71 Kg of CO2 emission per Kg of plastic item repaired, compared to the next best alternative which is recycling and substitution.
There is a request for solutions to cost effectively repair those plastic items, in big quantities, systematically and guaranteeing their quality and strength. This is because those broken items replacement mean very high costs for companies and municipalities, as well as the generation of large amounts of waste and the consequent impact on the carbon footprint of their activity. This is a big problem in EU in terms of both business (€7.2 billion/year) and environmental costs (410,000 Tonnes/year RTPs plastic discarded).
Plastic Repair System 2011 (PRS) has developed and patented an innovative technology that allows to repair those goods recovering the functionality, aesthetics and resistance but at a fraction of the cost of a new one (70% cost savings). We repair articles by adding our own formulated plastic thread material to weld the broken parts.
SMEI Phase2 project PRS has allowed our company to reach these goals: (i) to fine-tune, automate and test new industrial processes to improve repair quality assurance and competitiveness; (ii) to improve our plastic welding thread, that has permitted better repaired parts quality traceability, make work orders more flexible and to lower the environmental cost due to the materials; (iii) to develop an international partner network for commercial scaling; (iv) to increment the number of potential international clients; (v) to design the customer service processes and materials; and (vi) to update IP, business and exploitation plans, filing two new patents and attracting new financing.
This project has contributed to turn PRS into the leading company in the plastic repair service circular economy and is right now helping our clients to decrease 3.71 Kg of CO2 emission per Kg of plastic item repaired, compared to the next best alternative which is recycling and substitution.
WP1: NEW AUTOMATION PROCESSES, PRODUCT & INTERNAL VALIDATIONS
In this work package it has been studied the viability and testing the feasibility of several automation process on: plastic items damage asses and classification, repair quality automatic inspection, pallets dismantling, layer-pads new repair process and small cracks repair by heat.
Another objective reached has been to be able to better trace when a plastic part has been repaired using our improved plastic thread. We have selected and tested new materials and new formulations. Regarding product traceability by RFID (Radio Frequency) technology, it has been implemented the three phases: hardware definition, hardware installation and system verification.
The results obtained have been the incorporation of the machine line to produce our own plastic thread; new materials and formulation mixes have permitted to obtain a plastic thread with better impact resistance mechanical properties; a successful pilot project for data capture and processing for a future I4.0 Manufacturing.
WP2: DEVELOP PARTNER NETWORK FOR COMMERCIAL SCALING & ON-SITE VALIDATIONS
The goal has been to obtain agreements with local companies in different countries for future expansion.
The following activities have been done:
- A suitcase with repaired samples kit for show and demonstrations.
- Small workshops have been visited to become part of PRS Repair Workshops Network.
- Three Subsidiaries have started its activities in 2019-2021: Termens (Lérida-Spain), Benifaió (Valencia-Spain) and Puebla (Mexico).
- Three new Subsidiary will be launched in 2022.
PRS has also visited new plants of clients to increment the number of different references than can be repaired.
The results obtained have permitted PRS to substantially increment the number of references to be repaired, and to provide repair clients carbon footprint savings certifications.
WP3: DEVELOPMENT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE PROCESSES
The goal has been to develop procedures and materials to:
- Allow our Subsidiaries (PRS Delegations) to carry out commercial, marketing, service and post service tasks.
- Allow our own internal Workshops Network to provide service and post service tasks.
We have reviewed our service processes and carried out ISO 9001 and 14001 audits.
A set of materials (videos, brochures, leaflets, etc.) and tools (tutorials, applications, procedures) have been designed to carry out commercial, service and post service tasks.
We have defined our strategy to tackle CO2 emissions.
WP4: IPR, EXPLOITATION, BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATION UPDATED PLANS
The objectives have been to guarantee the protection of our technology and expertise, as well as to draw the first way to exploit it, while guaranteeing that enough financing is available to accomplish the goals indicated in the business plan.
Our business plan has received a substantial update, resulting in a new Strategy Plan.
The results obtained in WP4 are:
- Two new patent requests were placed, and existing patents, utility models, and trademarks were extended to other countries.
- A Communication and Communication actions plans were drawn, and communication and dissemination results KPIs measured.
- An updated Business Plan.
- A dossier and elevator pitch for investors.
WP5: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
For project management, monthly Administrative & Technical meetings have been held. Technical meetings have been held independently.
The risk and quality indicators have been updated. Each WP leader has identified the risk indicators and has continuously monitoring the technical progress.
PRS's CEO and Board of Directors have designed and have continuously updating a plan to train people and to incorporate new staff.
The results of WP5 have been:
- Finalization of the SMEI Phase2 Project and its activities.
- Project risks and quality indicators
- Defined a Human Resources Plan and incorporated key staff
In this work package it has been studied the viability and testing the feasibility of several automation process on: plastic items damage asses and classification, repair quality automatic inspection, pallets dismantling, layer-pads new repair process and small cracks repair by heat.
Another objective reached has been to be able to better trace when a plastic part has been repaired using our improved plastic thread. We have selected and tested new materials and new formulations. Regarding product traceability by RFID (Radio Frequency) technology, it has been implemented the three phases: hardware definition, hardware installation and system verification.
The results obtained have been the incorporation of the machine line to produce our own plastic thread; new materials and formulation mixes have permitted to obtain a plastic thread with better impact resistance mechanical properties; a successful pilot project for data capture and processing for a future I4.0 Manufacturing.
WP2: DEVELOP PARTNER NETWORK FOR COMMERCIAL SCALING & ON-SITE VALIDATIONS
The goal has been to obtain agreements with local companies in different countries for future expansion.
The following activities have been done:
- A suitcase with repaired samples kit for show and demonstrations.
- Small workshops have been visited to become part of PRS Repair Workshops Network.
- Three Subsidiaries have started its activities in 2019-2021: Termens (Lérida-Spain), Benifaió (Valencia-Spain) and Puebla (Mexico).
- Three new Subsidiary will be launched in 2022.
PRS has also visited new plants of clients to increment the number of different references than can be repaired.
The results obtained have permitted PRS to substantially increment the number of references to be repaired, and to provide repair clients carbon footprint savings certifications.
WP3: DEVELOPMENT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE PROCESSES
The goal has been to develop procedures and materials to:
- Allow our Subsidiaries (PRS Delegations) to carry out commercial, marketing, service and post service tasks.
- Allow our own internal Workshops Network to provide service and post service tasks.
We have reviewed our service processes and carried out ISO 9001 and 14001 audits.
A set of materials (videos, brochures, leaflets, etc.) and tools (tutorials, applications, procedures) have been designed to carry out commercial, service and post service tasks.
We have defined our strategy to tackle CO2 emissions.
WP4: IPR, EXPLOITATION, BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATION UPDATED PLANS
The objectives have been to guarantee the protection of our technology and expertise, as well as to draw the first way to exploit it, while guaranteeing that enough financing is available to accomplish the goals indicated in the business plan.
Our business plan has received a substantial update, resulting in a new Strategy Plan.
The results obtained in WP4 are:
- Two new patent requests were placed, and existing patents, utility models, and trademarks were extended to other countries.
- A Communication and Communication actions plans were drawn, and communication and dissemination results KPIs measured.
- An updated Business Plan.
- A dossier and elevator pitch for investors.
WP5: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
For project management, monthly Administrative & Technical meetings have been held. Technical meetings have been held independently.
The risk and quality indicators have been updated. Each WP leader has identified the risk indicators and has continuously monitoring the technical progress.
PRS's CEO and Board of Directors have designed and have continuously updating a plan to train people and to incorporate new staff.
The results of WP5 have been:
- Finalization of the SMEI Phase2 Project and its activities.
- Project risks and quality indicators
- Defined a Human Resources Plan and incorporated key staff
What characterizes PRS and distinguishes it from other artisanal approaches is that PRS repair plastic items, from any place and anywhere and in any amount, allowing to reuse them as if they were new, and at fraction of the new item cost.
Those are the characteristics that pushes our solution beyond the actual state-of-the-art:
- Technical advantages: our patented process is industrialized so it is possible to offer short delivery times, for large quantities and to guarantee mechanical, tightness and aesthetics quality.
- Economical advantages: the cost of the repair is around 1/3 of the price of new goods, permitting customers large cost savings.
- Environmental advantages: by repairing with PRS system, it is saved lots of raw plastic material tons per year; furthermore, we help decrease dramatically our clients their CO2 footprint.
- Towards a Circular Economy model in which PRS is the pioneer in repairing.
Regarding the contribution for industrial companies and society:
- To extend our repair service to cheaper products due to processes automation.
- To effectively develop new technology for the repairing of new items.
- To develop parts traceability to provide our clients useful data for industry 4.0.
- To help companies to improve their Returnable Transport Packaging (RTP) environmental
Those are the characteristics that pushes our solution beyond the actual state-of-the-art:
- Technical advantages: our patented process is industrialized so it is possible to offer short delivery times, for large quantities and to guarantee mechanical, tightness and aesthetics quality.
- Economical advantages: the cost of the repair is around 1/3 of the price of new goods, permitting customers large cost savings.
- Environmental advantages: by repairing with PRS system, it is saved lots of raw plastic material tons per year; furthermore, we help decrease dramatically our clients their CO2 footprint.
- Towards a Circular Economy model in which PRS is the pioneer in repairing.
Regarding the contribution for industrial companies and society:
- To extend our repair service to cheaper products due to processes automation.
- To effectively develop new technology for the repairing of new items.
- To develop parts traceability to provide our clients useful data for industry 4.0.
- To help companies to improve their Returnable Transport Packaging (RTP) environmental