On the 7th November, the technology platform for manufacturing industries (PLATECMA), organised a workshop on product personalisation at the offices of SUAVINEX. The day’s goal was to analyse product personalisation from the viewpoint of manufacturing industries including ceramics, toys, metalwork, textile and woodworking, etc.

Various companies and experts on the subject met to talk about the importance of personalisation in today’s industry. The concept has formed part of the strategy of many manufacturers for the past 30 years or more and is now almost a prerequisite for the modern consumer. Personalisation is a key aspect of differentiation as it is influential in the consumer’s purchasing decision.

However, manufacturers need to remain competitive in today’s global environment and so personalisation must go hand in hand with Industry 4.0. Technology is providing manufacturers with the chance to offer personalised processes in line with market demands, without losing sight of the need to be technically and economically viable, as personalisation may be accompanied by increased costs.

The workshop was attended by more than fifty organisations including the State Agency for Research (AEI) and Royo Group, which is currently presiding over the platform.

Suavinex, Acrata cerámica, Unisa, Micuna and Ecus Sleep were on the roundtable, which was moderated by the journalist Miquel Hernandis. During the debate, companies had the opportunity to talk of their experiences with the personalisation of products and services and talked about the difficulties and hurdles they had to overcome.

The FORO TRANSFIERE event was also presented (for more details, visit https://transfiere.fycma.com). This is the only event in Spain that supports technology transfer between the public and private sectors.

Additionally, the CEO of Sisteplant, Ana Santiago, gave an overview of the current and future state of the private sector as regards personalisation and its links with Industry 4.0, highlighting the importance of technology to industry and the need to maintain a focused approach to its implementation.

The workshop was rounded off by a tour of the facilities at SUAVINEX during which attendees had the opportunity to see the company’s manufacturing process and how it has successfully integrated personalisation as part of the company strategy.

Vist Platecma’s website to view full documentation and a presentation of the workshop, as well as other industry and manufacturing news: (http://www.platecma.com/).