R2ITH: The Industrial Innovation Network of Textiles and Clothing (Réseau Industriel d'innovation du Textile et de l'habillement) France General information Good practice s name R2ITH Réseau Industriel d'innovation du Textile et de l'habillement (Industrial Innovation Network of Textiles and clothes) Type of Institution It is the first network to integrate the requirements of a production chain and to associate the enterprises and the experts of the production chain, the training centres, the labs for research and development and the public authorities. The main purpose of the network is to sustain innovation and creation in all its forms technological, but also managerial, commercial, organisational, environmental and social and to permit the development of products, services and new processes. The Ministry emphasises to professionals the importance of industrial creation, of style or design, and of strategic marketing in making French enterprises more competitive at international level The aim of R2ITH is to promote the enhancement of competitivity of French industry (in this sector) at international level and for this reason, to: Registry Information - Stimulate innovation and the creation of more favourable conditions for the development and distribution of products, services and new processes in the market - Strengthen the cooperation between the different actors of the French production chain, through the networking of enterprises, resources centres and poles of competence - Enhance the emergence of strategic orientations addressed to public power in order to concentrate their financial support to priority activities. The network could: - Optimise the coordination of the production chain actors. The actors will be divided into excellence poles and they will be of national or European nature, and operate in the chosen priority themes. - Promote common innovation projects which put together industries, schools, research centres and technical centres (IFM, IFTH, CTTN). - R2ITH could take into consideration different important subjects: engineering of the production chain and its quality, knowledge management, product functioning and the lasting development cycle. 1
Members and governance The network, supported by 8 regional centres ( poles ), is based on a National Orientation Committee and Regional Steering Committees. The organisation of the activity of the network will be guaranteed by IFTH (French Institute of Textiles and Clothing), supported by its regional offices. - The Regional Steering Committees In each of the 8 regions, the Regional committee groups have industrial and technological competences, apart from the competencies of the Anvar regional offices and DRIRE ( Regional Direction of Industry, research of Environment, Ile de France). The committee is presided by an industrialist, and the Secretariat will be guaranteed by IFTH. The Steering Committee promotes projects, (in partnership with regional or national actors and which would be supported by the network) and guarantees a real connection between the different regional excellence centres (poles). There will also be a representative of the National Orientation committee - The National Orientation Committee Represented by Mme Élisabeth Ducottet, President of the company Thuasne, French leader of medical textiles, will be in charge of defining the strategic trends of the network, identifying the actions (common actions, studies, call for projects, training etc.) and labelling the projects when introduced. This committee is in charge of post-evaluation of the implemented projects. - The 8 selected regional centres Address C/O IFTH Avenue Guy Collonque 69134 ECULLY CEDEX France Web site www.r2ith.org E-mail Elizabeth.Ducottet@thuasne.fr michel.sotton@free.fr Contact person Mrs Elisabeth Ducottet President Sté THUASNE 118 rue Marius Aufan 92300 LEVALLOIS PERRET Tel : 01 41 05 92 92 Fax : 01 41 05 89 99 E-mail: Elizabeth.Ducottet@thuasne.fr Mr Michel Sotton General Secretary Tel : 04 78 83 21 88 E-mail: michel.sotton@free.fr 2
Beginning / duration Following the meeting organised on the 12 th of December, 2000 by Mr Jean- Pierre Balduyck, President of the textile group at the Assemblée Nationale, the State Secretary for Industry, Mr Christian Pierret, proposed the creation of a Textile-clothes Industrial Innovation Network (Réseau Industriel d Innovation Textile-Habillement - R2ITH), in which would participate, the French Institute of textile and clothes (IFTH), and all the actors involved in this sector: industrialists, research centres, schools, professional organisations and public services (DIGITIP, DRIRE et ANVAR). The R2ITH was set up on the 22 nd of January 2002. Christian Pierret inaugurated the creation of a new type of network, the industrial networks for each production chain, called to complete the networks of research and technology innovation (R²IT) created in the different technology sectors (transports, telecommunications, health technologies, materials, micro et nanotechnologies, fuel cell, water and environment, and Urban Civil Engineering). The Network animation has been committed to the French Textile and clothes Institute (IFTH) and its regional delegations. Development: On the 24 th of April 2002, due to the initiative of Mrs Ducottet, the 8 regional centres met in Paris and began to work together. The aim of this day was to introduce the competences and skills (know how) of each region as well as their projects, to define the workings of the network and its future perspectives. It is possible that the network will be enlarged to include sectors other than textiles in the future. Origin and history of the initiative Budget / financial allocation R2ITH benefits, in order to finance its projects, of a specific contribution, in addition to the existing means was made available: (Drire, Anvar, AAP "Performances", FAMI, Réseau Matériaux et procédés ), 2 M was available in 2002 for the technological platforms equipment and 3 M to support common innovative projects, in the framework of the new call for projects on innovation in consumer goods The amount of assistance requested for the projects: - 35% of the total amount needed Involvement of the industrialists: - currently 13% Involvement of the IFTH or of the DEFI (committee for the development of the clothing sector that collects fiscal taxes): - 17% - it is important to note there is a major participation by the IFTH. Laboratories and universities: - 2% (it is important to note that the laboratories and universities are present in 3 projects in this sample) Regional funds: - 32% (of which 20% is Federal and 12% is region). 3
Organisational structure The network, which will be supported by 8 regional centres ( poles ), will be supported by the National Orientation Committee and Regional Steering Committees. The stimulation of the network will be guaranteed by IFTH, supported by its regional delegations. The Regional Steering Committees in each of the 8 regions Main tasks: - promote projects, (in partnership with regional or national actors. These will be supported by the network) - guarantee a real connection between the different national excellence centres (poles). Composition : - President (an industrialist) - Secretary - Industrialists - Research centres - Engineering schools - ANVAR - DRIRE - DRRT The National orientation committee Main tasks: - identifying the actions (common actions, studies, call for tenders, training etc.) - to label the projects introduced. It is in charge of the post evaluation of projects implemented - define the strategic trends of the network, Composition: - President - an industrialist - General Secretary - Group of Professionals (Collège): - UIT, UFIH, Federation de couture - 8 industrialists representing each support centre ( pôle d appui ) - 2 textile manufacturers - Group of Qualified Professionals (Collège des personnalités qualifiées): - 1 University - ITECH, ENSAIT - IFM, CREDOC - Group of Administrators (Collège des administrations): - DIGITIP - ANVAR - DARPMI/DRIRE General Secretary of the Network Main tasks: - To promote projects implementation together with the Regional Steering Committees - To collect and diffuse information - To facilitate inter and trans - regional exchanges - To propose strategic partnerships 4
Facts and figures Operational offices (in the country and abroad) - pôle Alsace - pôle Champagne-Ardennes - pôle Ile de France - pôle Lorraine - pôle Midi-Pyrénées - pôle Nord-Pas de Calais - pôle Pays de Loire - pôle Rhône-Alpes General information related to technology area (product/market) Industrial sector/s of reference The textile - clothing production chain Geographical coverage of the initiative National - France Type of services provided - Information - Calls for tender either for single SME or groups of SMEs coming from single region or groups of regions (pole). Framework of the main activities In 2001: of the 26 projects presented 10 was approved by R2ITH and sent to the Ministry of Industry for final validation Projects are co-financed with public funds at a maximum of 30 50 %. Method for the supply of services Free on line Services on line Call for tender Main partnerships French Institutions and possible participation in European projects Relationships/integration's with developers of technology IFTH Main information related to the "network system" Type of Network Geographic area covered by the network National A strong regional presence: - Alsace - Champagne-Ardennes - Ile de France - Lorraine - Midi-Pyrénées - Nord-Pas de Calais 5
- Pays de Loire - Rhône-Alpes The primary 8 regions of the textile clothing production chain are represented in the network and develop one or more key sectors of excellence responsible for the progress of the state of art and to bring the leadership in innovation. Each leader region cooperates with the regions especially those having knowhow specific and accessory to the one of the leader regions in the considered sector. Relevant services of the network Type of services offered by the network to: Information Main information related to the "level of market orientation" Communication Communication Strategy - Communication projects (Brochures) of promotion of the network - Internet Web site. 6