French companies team with Total for digital solutions

June 28, 2017
Total has launched its second Plant 4.0 start-up incubator, joined by Air Liquide, AREVA, Eiffage, Solvay, and VINCI Energies.

Offshore staff

PARISTotal has launched its second Plant 4.0 start-up incubator, joined by Air Liquide, AREVA, Eiffage, Solvay, and VINCI Energies.

The partners’ goal is to accelerate the deployment ofdigital technology in industry.

Following good experiences with its first Plant 4.0 start-up incubator last year, Total decided to open up the project to include other industry partners.

The open innovation approach seeks to identify start-up companies that offer practical, relatively mature industrial solutions that can meet specialist operational needs. These companies are then given the opportunity to test their technology, product, or service directly with their potential customers and are also put in contact with the incubator’s manufacturing partners.

Total and the other partners will in turn share their expertise with the successful candidates.

The company’s international call for projects focuses on four areas:

• Acoustic detection of leaks or anomalies

• Corrosion monitoring

• Non-invasive flow measurement

• Manual valve position displays.

Gilles Cochevelou, chief digital officer at Total, said: “Total works in an open innovation process with start-ups and manufacturing partners because we all face the same challenges. Building digital solutions together speeds up their deployment in our plants and industrial facilities.

“Digital tech improves safety and efficiency, while reducing costs. It offers a world of opportunities and could increase competitiveness in industry and for start-ups.”

06/28/2017