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ing knowledge up to date should it be necessary to start itup again in the future’ This has left the supply of SMC to thetraditional suppliers: Menzolit Vitroplast S.L. and ASTAR.13 La fábrica de Molins de HIMEL fue adquiriendo el totalprotagonismo en envolventes de poliéster en el seno del GrupoSchneider. Con ese fin se trasladó en 1995 a Molins la únicaprensa existente en las instalaciones de SAREL enSarre-Union.13 The HIMEL factory of Molins was gaining prominence inpolyester enclosures within the Schneider Group. To thatend it was moved in 1995 the only press Molins working inSAREL (Sarre-Union).In the context of HIMEL as a major SMC consumer, andas a producer of this composite, a series of improvementsrelated to this raw material should be highlighted. The CDTI(‘Centre for Industrial Technological Development’), part ofthe Ministry of Industry, granted HIMEL a credit of 20,2 milionspesetas (40% of the budget) to conduct the researchwork into ‘SMC from polyester resins and recycled fibreglass for electrical cabinets’. Another grant was awardedon 30 March 1995 for ‘the manufacture of polyester resinsthrough integral recyclin’ as part of the TECMA (IndustrialTechnological Action Plan). The aim of the project was to‘research and develop a system that would allow the integralrecycling of polyester waste after polymerisation’. RecyclingSMC was a pioneering project aimed at reusing faulty cabinetsand cabinets that had come to the end of their usefullife. The project did not ultimately take off as a result ofthe high costs of its execution. By contrast, highly notableimprovements have been achieved with polyester waste,indirectly achieving the same objective as the failed project:notable savings in the raw material.5.5.2 Qualitative and quantitativechanges in the production process5.5.2 Cambios cualitativos ycuantitativos en el procesoproductivoEn términos de industrialización se actuó en diferentes sentidos.El primero estaba relacionado con el montaje de unacámara para el mantenimiento del SMC, debido a que lasaltas temperaturas pueden acelerar su pérdida de características.Esto permitía una mejor regulación de los stocks.El segundo estaba relacionado con las formulaciones utilizadas,buscándose el equilibrio entre coste y rapidez depolimerización.In terms of industrialisation, action was in different directions.The first was related to the assembly of a chamber inwhich to keep the SMC, as high temperatures can speedup its loss of characteristics. This allowed a better regulationof stocks. The second was related to the formulationsused, seeking a balance between cost and speed of polymerisation.At a Group level, there was absolute trust in the polyesterrange and in the capacity for improved productivity at theMolins de Rei factory. In this context, it was planned thatthe SAREL factory would cease direct production, but notcommercialisation, of these products in 1994. At the Grouplevel, the Molins factory was enhanced. An example of this is347