JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #54 - January 2010 - 11

COMPANIES Dedienne Multiplasturgy® Group marches on Dedienne Multiplasturgy® Group can face the future with serenity. A new organisational setup reinforces group synergies and offers a whole new dimension to one of the top specialists in high-performance polymer processing, who can demonstrate no shortage of projects in the composites sector and beyond. n 2007, after 60 years of uninterrupted organic and external growth, the Dedienne Plasturgie Group was confronted with the decline in the mobile telephones sector in France, and suffered a significant drop in revenues. This new situation forced the Group to revise its strategy and set its sights on other sectors. The fruit of this reflection was the birth of the patented concept: “Multiplasturgy®”, which rapidly took hold and now features in the name of the Group. I the field of high-performance polymers. The Multiplasturgy® concept is registered as a trademark and logo. An original stance Dedienne Multiplasturgy® Group was officially launched on January 1, with a totally revamped organization built around 5 poles of activity, two Multiplasturgy® (“multiple plastics processing”) units and its know-how in Machined parts in HPP including DuPont™ Vespel® The first level of the new organization constitutes the poles of expertise, which are in fact industrial units handling one or more processing and decoration processes for plastic or composite materials. These know-how in areas such as five-axis machining of composites or the production of metal moulds. Our ambition is to expand our skills range in the framework of our Multiplasturgy® approach, in order to be able to offer our customers new solutions for addressing the issues of metal/plastic replacement. JCM: What place are composites likely to occupy in the medium term at Dedienne Multiplasturgy®? P-J. L.: The need for lighter structures is one of our growth drivers. This is one of the reasons why composites are increasingly popular. There can therefore poles are intended to serve as benchmark players in their particular field of expertise. The Group is currently organized into five poles: high-precision machining, injection moulding & decoration, thermoforming & stamping, surface treatment & metallization, and electromagnetically-compatible products. The second level incorporates the Multiplasturgy® units. This level is based on two entities that are capable of acting in the capacity of co-contractors for equipment manufacturers by proposing solutions based on plastic and/or composite materials. These entities focus on the Group's target markets: Dedienne Automotive® for the automotive sector and Dedienne Multiplasturgy® for the other sectors. By pooling the offerings and skills of its operational units, the Group is capable of be no doubt that composites will assume a major significance over the medium term within the Group alongside highperformance polymers. JCM: You are actively involved in FiMaLin. When will we see the first applications that are capable of supporting your growth? P-J. L.: We are looking to a horizon of 2 to 3 years for the first applications involving continuous-fibre composites. As far as reinforced compounds featuring short or long fibres are concerned, the first applications are expected within 1 to 2 years. AN INTERVIEW WITH PIERRE-JEAN LEDUC, CEO, DEDIENNE MULTIPLASTURGY® GROUP JEC Composites Magazine: Composites are at the heart of your strategy. What are your ambitions in this respect? PIERRE-JEAN LEDUC: Our objective is to focus our development as a priority on the field of thermoplastic composites since this is a field where we can build on our Group skills, particularly regarding highperformance thermoplastic resins and our No54 January 2010 / jec composites magazine

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #54 - January 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #54 - January 2010