Yet there was no way of predicting in 1984, when the "Auriplast" entity was actually created that this company would become one of the French jewels of the plastic injection and surface treatment of the 2010s. Several economic slowdowns had not spared the historical company, Sauvagnat, who started in 1852 with the manufacture of wooden... umbrellas! And with the tenacity of a handful of entrepreneurs the "new" Auriplast finally emerged in the mid-1980s by specializing almost entirely in the plastic parts conversion and surface treatment sector to serve the perfume and cosmetics industry, a choice which had been partly made, ten years ago. Which was the right decision!

Production Unit 1 : injection

As of 1984, the line is drawn. Six years later, the company integrates a second electroplating line. As of 2000, the factory takes advantage of large industrial investment plans initiated by Pierre Hemar, Qualipac’s current President with increased injection and electroplating production capacities, not to mention the revamp of the pre-treatment station for liquid effluents. In 2003, it receives ISO 9001 v 2000 certification. In 2007, new automatic assembly machines are installed. And in 2008/2009, a expansion of the factory of more than 12,000 m2 is undertaken with a further increase of electroplating and injection capacities without forgetting a strong automation program ("robotizing" would sound more appropriate) in the assembly shop.

"Clearly", explains Raymond Lozano, the factory’s Director, "industrial performance, for us, is synonymous with automation, efficiency (no additional costs), quality (not scrap), availability (no stops), responsiveness (no delays), and integration of new processes." The result: from €14 million in turnover in 1991, the factory will have achieved this year €70 million in turnover, along with a workforce increase of 140 to 560 and by converting some 1,700 tons of plastic each year!

Innovation at the heart of the process

This is probably what will surprise people the most when they visit the premises: a constantly buzzing industrial environment. Whether you find yourself in the assembly shop or, at the corner of a hall you will discover a fully equipped workshop comprising state-of-the-art robotized machines assembling several parts of a capping system for bottles at impressive speeds. The situation is the same in the electroplating workshop where you will see racks, also previously filled with robots, automatically conveyed to various dip stations.

Achieving everything or just about!

"Our innovation approach can be summarized in six points", explains Raymond Lozano: "Broadly, with new finishes, new looks and new material ... But also with new product functions (antibacterial, anti finger marks etc.), new design processes (more competitive, more innovative), with an ongoing commitment to find ways of reducing costs and deadlines, by expanding our current processes (colour electroplating, etc.), with new opening and conditioning systems."

And it is true that the plant in Aurillac like the other plants of the Qualipac Group can achieve about everything on plastic parts... Or almost everything! Marbled effects, 3D effects, effect pigments, metal over-moulding, antibacterial polymer, special lacquering, transparent metallization, (aged) "Vintage" effect, "constrained" opening systems for jars, advanced heat transfer etc.

Caps and/or bottle decoration and finishing, boxes, spray-caps (which in particular, has been one of the factory’s specialities for many years), decoration and finishing of lipstick and mascaras, skincare jars, Injection moulded inserts, Injection of massive transparent parts, bi-injection... It’s a comprehensive range.

"Obviously it is also through the automation of assembly and decoration stages that we’ve made tremendous progress", underlines Raymond Lozano. "Be it with glass/plastic or glass/metal sticking, all screen printing and hot stamping possibilities, sublimation, laser engraving, embossed decoration."

Production Unit 2

Controlling one’s environment

Productive investment which shouldn’t make us forget the huge sums invested in protecting environment. More than EUR 12 million in 10 years!

"It’s normal", underlines Raymond Lozano. "We use sensitive products. Concerning air, there is a vapour vacuum system above the plating baths, connected to wet scrubbers, that treat vapours before discharging them. A accredited laboratory conducts periodic measurements. Concerning water, a new building was constructed in 2000 to secure the waste water treatment (station). In spite of a steady increase in production for ten years, there has been a significant reduction in discharges of polluting substances in water and a reduction of the water consumption per sqm processed in electroplating. We have also developed a new cyanide-free silver range. And we have an active partnership with our suppliers of chemicals to reduce the environmental impact of our activities (replacement of hazardous chemicals etc..). As for our electroplated products, they are analyzed by an accredited laboratory to measure their content in heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury and total chromium )."

Concerning this electroplating technique the plant is working on a new technique called colour electroplating ... However “it’s too early to talk about it", we were told at the factory “but undoubtedly, it will be ground breaking”. To be continued...

QUALIPAC IN FIGURES

Turnover: €180 million (including 45% in the perfume industry, 30% in make-up, 12% in skincare and 13% in trading/promotional and accessories)

Number of employees: 2,700

Number of plants: 6

- Auriplast (Aurillac/France) injection, electroplating
 LMA (Château-Thierry/France) lacquering, vacuum metalizing, injection
 Qualiform (Oyonnax/France) blow moulding extrusion, screen printing, hot stamping
 Qualipac China (Shanghai) injection, varnishing, vacuum metallization
 Qualimetal (Hui Zhou/China) electroplated zamac parts
 Ipel Industria (Sao Paulo/Brazil), mascara, lip gloss, lipstick cases

Trading Activity : Qualipac America, Priminter