The toy industry research association: an exemplary Center

"If there were no industry of toy, AIJU would be an Institute of technology of plastics", says Santiago Gisbert, Director General of AIJU. Indeed: If in any sector, the presence of plastics is omnipresent and almost monopoly with respect to other materials, this is the of the toy.

Logic problem: If IBI and plastics are the Kingdom of toys, what is IBC? IBI is the Kingdom of plastics. IBI, along with the towns of Onil, Tibi, Castalla, Biar is the so-called Valley of the toy. It may also renamed Valley of plastics.

It's nice to move around this small town with solera and observe the signs of the industries. They are not only toy factories. Transformation of plastics by injection and blowing, distributors of raw materials, manufacturers of color concentrates, moldistas... and a technology centre of great prestige. The seasonal nature of the toy industry has caused a strong downsizing, which resulted in the creation of large number of ancillary industries which, while not working for the toy, have managed to take their knowledge to work for other sectors. In particular, household goods, electricity/electronics and packaging. The area has to time a very high potential for transformation.

AIJU, the Research Association of the industry of the toy, related and allied, founded in 1985, is the epitome of culture in plastics of the people of this region in Alicante. With some 300 partners (only 55 per cent are toy, representing 98% of the total turnover of the sector) a staff of more than 40 people and an imposing building of^{3,600 m2}, AIJU, also known for technological Institute of the toyIt has become a European reference, despite having Spain as geographical sphere of action. However, supports partners in other areas, being Catalan the 15% of partners and the rest of Spain 12.5%. At the regional level, 35% of the companies of more than 4 workers are associated with AIJU.

AIJU has not only accompanied, but that has been the engine of modernization of the Spanish toy industry. As it not only provides services to strict industry of toy despite its name, the "technological" adjective is also short to encompass their activities. AIJU is a lot of not only technological services, oriented mainly, that Yes, the toy industry: market research, product research, consultancy from strategic financial and accounting course, through the quality and environmental. Help the implementation of the ISO 9002 to companies of 4 employees. Of course, all this accompanied by training in the most various fields.

Large number of projects

Collaborates with the University of Alcoy, where students of the career of Técnico mechanical engineer specializing in plastics (read toys) made their practices in AIJU. At the University of Alicante gives a postgraduate course on plastic materials. In occupational training, performs transformation of plastics courses commissioned by the Ministry of research of the Generalitat Valeciana, and with funding from the Social Fonso European imparts lessons on simulation in injection. Also, and most importantly, courses to measure for companies.

As such plastics, and beyond the laboratory test and engineering activities, surprisingly, the number of technological projects in which it participates (see table). Without wanting to be exhaustive, some of his specialties are the identification of plastics and PVC. Accession of EVA copolymers. Recycled (has a separation of plastics facility). Rapid generation of prototypes, important to be able to offer the product without the need to manufacture it until you get the seasonal opportunity.

Figure 1 A beautiful building of 3 floors and 3,600 m² houses laboratories, classrooms, equipment of first line and a children playroom.

Finally, AIJU conducts also information and documentation, and has a children playroom, where thousands of children each year undergo toys to all sorts of evils: is quality control more glued to the ground.

The better punctuated ESPRIT project

AIJU was established with funds from the IMPIVA and the Ministry of industry, through the Institute of small and medium enterprise Industrial (IMPI). Currently, it is financed with contributions from partners, direct services and public contributions from different administrations. It is also involved in European projects, type ESPRIT.

Within this framework, it has submitted to the last examination a project to develop a virtual toy company, including the activities of transformation and the workshop of tooling, has proven to be the better punctuated throughout the EU.

Visiting AIJU, one has the feeling of being before a well-ordered place and an institution with very clear ideas, optimally exploited resources and confidence in the present and the future. Not in vain, in 1996 revenues grew by 40% (without subsidies). It should not be time to play.