"With or without crisis, we encourage companies to innovate to remain competitive"

The Technological Institute of optics, colour and imaging (Aido) is defined as a non-profit private entity created in 1988 by the Valencian Generalitat through the Institute of medium and small industry Valenciana (Impiva). Its mission is to provide technological solutions to enterprises through industrial optics. Currently, the Center is a landmark in industrial innovation in the fields of graphic arts, Colorimetry, ophthalmic optics, machine vision, or laser, as explained in the pages of Interempresas its Director, Emilio Pérez.

Therefore a magnificent balance, the truth, if we take into account the evolution of Aido since its inception, that template was formed for slightly more than 34 people to 107 professionals and 1,200 member companies that today make it possible. In addition, our expansion is the result of a sustained growth in the time, something that does not happen from one day to another, and responds to a clear demand from service companies. That is why we were forced to rethink our facilities to provide a better service to our customers, incorporating new laboratories and facilities that benefit companies. In a few months, we inaugurated our new building of 2,000 square meters in which we albergaremos the areas of graphic and audiovisual arts, two of the most strategic sectors of our activity.

According to the forecasts of our Strategic Plan 2008-2011, Aido will close 2008 with a total of EUR 10 million income as well as a substantial increase of the template, which already reaches 107 employees. I think that we should not take better stock after 20 years of experience.

Broadly technology centers deliver on a key role in the promotion of industrial innovation. In fact, there is a technological centre practically for each industrial sector, which very specifically narrows its work. On the other hand, Aido is a technological centre completely horizontal, with polisectorial character who is concerned about the development and implementation of optical technologies in the industries wishing to improve their processes and final products.

Some of our most representative sectors are the graphic arts, audiovisual, automotive, aeronautical, art and restoration, biomedical, Commerce, ceramic, consultancy, container and packaging, renewable energy, lighting, engineering, machinery and assets of equipment, moulds and matrices, optics, paintings, plastic, chemical and ICT.

"We are capable of offering solutions to businesses through a same technology"

Due to their great versatility, the optical technologies may apply in different companies, enabling us to provide innovative solutions to various industry sectors. Our portfolio of clients includes companies belonging to 25 different industrial sectors and this is our major asset: be able to offer solutions to businesses through a same technology. Let me give you an example, the artificial vision is a technology that we are currently applying to control the quality of final products in the line of manufacture (control of defects) in own printing presses both containers, ceramics, food companies to control the reproduction of the color.

Encourage companies to continue to innovate and to continue to improve to remain competitive in the market. That is our great task, with or without crisis, but I recognize that in the economic situation in which we find ourselves is not an easy task. Companies know and are aware of that if they fail to innovate are losing value and responsiveness to its customers. Now is a good time to bet on the added value provided by the innovation adapted to the situation of each company in order to enhance our competitiveness and not lose market share.

Aido has recently obtained approval by the European Commission of the project 'batsgraph', included in the Community programme for the environment Life +. This initiative aims to address specific environmental problems that exist in the graphic arts industry and contribute to an improvement in the climate change. To this end, the project contains tools to implement proper techniques to reduce the volatile organic compounds (VOC) emission through surface treatment using organic solvents in the different printing companies. One of the reasons for this project is also contributing to the development of legislation on environmental policy.

Emilio Pérez.