solvay_live243_p02a04 somEdito

Dossier SolvayInnovationTrophy2006
104897
58
CHINESE HIREES PROJECT
THE CHASE IS ON
FOR CHINESE TALENTS
Pinpointing and attracting the managers
that will head up the growth
of the Group’s units in China is the aim
of this project. To achieve it, the Plastics
and Chemicals Sectors launched a
recruitment drive within several Chinese
universities. The purpose was to select
nine young Chinese who could show significant
potential, four for the Plastics Sector and
five for the Chemicals Sector. They would be
offered a two year training scheme to allow
them to adapt to the corporate culture,
both with regard to the Group’s technical
know-how and to its working methods.
2 650 candidates attended the information
session. An arduous selection process led
to a shortlist of twelve, nine of whom accepted
the Solvay offer. Eight of them have Masters
and one holds a PhD. The average age is 24.
To take on the Chinese market in the long
term, Solvay wants to put the values
of respect for the environment and social
conditions at the heart of its Asian culture.
That is why both the technical and human
qualities of the successful candidates are a
precondition for the Group’s success in China.
They will be the promoters of the company’s
sustainable development in Asia.
> Jose Martinez-Adam; Alessandro Bazzarini;
Michel Bokobza; Anna Calderini; Marco Colatarci;
Philippe Descamps; Marc Lahalle; Lana Lim;
Ariane Nemery; Fabrizio Ponte; Michael Thylmann;
Alain Vandenbussche; Joelle Verheyen; Gabriella Zafferri.
> CHEMICALS SECTOR
104514
MATERIAL SCIENCE COMMUNITY
AN ORIGINAL
INITIATIVE BECOMES
A SUCCESS STORY
This project set out to create an
international network of Solvay experts,
to promote and stimulate innovation
and the sharing of knowledge. This
community, recognised by the Executive
Committee, focuses on Material Science
and is the organiser of the “Solvay Science
for Innovation” conference. Organised
in concentric circles, around a core team
of around fifteen persons, its mission
is to provide and share throughout the entire
Group the most advanced and most
comprehensive knowledge in the field
of material sciences. In 2005, the Material
Science Community organised
the ”Molecules and Materials, go beyond
the limits” conference, devoted to
nanotechnologies and advanced materials.
140 of the Group’s researchers, from all
disciplines, as well as external experts from
universities, industry and politics were given
a platform, over two days, to exchange their
expertise and, via workshops, to generate
175 new ideas and over 30 development
projects. An unprecedented success story.
> Richard Thommeret; Vincenzo Arcella; Thierry Baert;
George Corbin; Francine Delplanque; Pierre Dewitte;
Celene DiFrancia; Serge Dupont; Johannes Eicher; Antoine
Ghanem;Anne Goldberg;Valerj Kapeliouchko; Karl Koehler ;
Marc Lacroix; Brigitte Laurent; Vito Leo; Xavier Lepot; Hans
Meyer; Ardechir Momtaz; François Monnet;
Ulf Preuschoff; Sunit Shah; Claude Thibaut de Maisières;
Vincent Thulliez; Les Turski; Eric Vandevijver; Pierre Winant.
> OFFICE OF THE COMEX
Management improvement
104710
SAFETY MANAGEMENT LEADED
BY SUBCONTRATORS
SAFETY ALSO
CONCERNS PARTNERS!
Safety is a permanent concern in a
production unit and that is certainly
true in Dombasle, France. An accident that
takes place on the site, whether the its
responsibility is of the Solvay personnel
or of a subcontractor, always appears in the
press as an “accident at Solvay”. Therefore,
to further drastically reduce the number
of accidents, Dombasle had the idea
to involve the subcontractors to a greater
degree. Putting the emphasis on the concept
of cooperation, Solvay has, fist of all,
involved the subcontracting companies
in the safety audit and set up a mixed team
in charge of safety. The participation of the
subcontractors in the safety team reduces
the time devoted to the control of suppliers
and generates an atmosphere of mutual
trust, to such an extent that now
subcontractors are those managing this
team, a cultural change that sent shock
waves across the local Solvay team.
Since then, a different external company
takes over the management of the safety
team on a rotating basis. Every quarter,
the team develops a theme, which is widely
communicated within the plant. Outcome:
a fourfold reduction in accidents leading
to sick leave.
>Olivier Houzelle; Isa Akbiyik; Atrick Bemsteiner;
Raphael Bouchy; Christophe Galindo; Joel Kob;
Jean-Jacques Merkel; Gilles Mikolajczak; Daniel Pularz;
Lionel Semin; Jean-Paul Viry.
> SBU SODA ASH