HP Composites confirms its leadership on the composite materials market with the achievement of 10 years of activity.
Since the beginning of its activity in 2010, HP has managed to conquer the podium in a complex market segment, raising the tricolor flag around the world.
A very uphill path that of the Ascoli company which changed course in 2014 when the company's management was replaced, laying the foundations for what has been called "the second spring" of the composites district.
Over the years, the skills and professionalism have been capitalized, new production technologies have been developed, lasting partnerships with various internationally renowned car manufacturers have been established, the number of human resources employed has grown and the number of production plants has increased ( 5 factories for a total of about 22,000 square meters)
Let's take a leap forward and arrive today in a historical moment that is not easy to face where we are witnessing a strong contraction of the labor market.
The data tell us that in the 1st quarter of 2020 the Marche companies hired 26.8% fewer staff, compared to the same period in 2019. Total recruitments in the region recorded a greater decrease than all the others in the center In Italy and in Ascoli Piceno from January to April 9,722 fewer hires were hired (5.2% less than in 2019) to which is added the closure of 593 businesses.
HP has always traveled against the trend trying to safeguard its collaborators even in this delicate period. In fact, from March to May no administration contract was suspended, on the contrary, their reconfirmation during the lockdown gave everyone the opportunity to access the support of social safety nets from Covid.
From the beginning of 2020 to date, no. 106 resources (of which 58 in post-emergency) and the hiring of other n. 70 resources by the end of 2021.
The conclusion is that HP has reached the quota of 600 total employees (direct and temporary).
Professional training has always been one of HP's added values, and the consequent growth of human resources within the company is mainly due to this factor.
The internal training school has developed a specialized training program in the Motorsport and Automotive sector precisely to meet this need.
In 2020 alone, 5 courses were activated, in maximum safety and in compliance with the ministerial protocol, with the participation of 67 people. Of these, 34 have already continued their collaboration with HP.
For HP, the value of human resources does not end in the company and it is precisely for this reason that with the collaboration of the Municipality of Ascoli it has devised an initiative, which is part of the welfare provision plan as provided for by the metalworking industry CCNL applied in the company, the relaunch of the activities and shops located in the Ascoli area. HP has given employees the opportunity to choose to support the territory through nominal vouchers, for a maximum value of € 200 (as required by the CCNL) to be spent at the businesses that have chosen to join the initiative.
HP Composites cares deeply about the future of young people in the area, so much so as to create a bond that allows active collaboration between the business world and that of universities through the exchange of knowledge and the implementation of common projects is essential for promoting economic growth of the territory.
In fact, various initiatives have been activated aimed at the training of new generations: a Post Diploma Course for the training of technicians with highly specialized knowledge and skills in the composite materials and INDUSTRY 4.0 chain organized in collaboration with the ITS of Recanati which will take place at the IIS “Fermi - Sacconi- Ceci” of Ascoli Piceno and a Postgraduate Course, intended for students with a three-year degree in science, on Composite Materials Engineering organized in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Marche. In addition to these two projects, a degree course on Composite Materials Engineering was also launched at the Polytechnic University of Marche, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and a post-diploma high-level specialization course "Smart Technologies and innovative materials".
At the end of 2019, several innovative projects were developed focusing on environmental issues, more topical than ever. One of these projects is the MARLIC which sees the involvement of HP, 5 Italian research institutes and 20 companies. The initiative aims to build in the next two years an applied research center for innovative composite materials which will be based in Camerino called MARLIC (Marche Applied Research Laboratory for Innovative Composites). MARLIC will aim to become a national and international reference point for advanced composite materials by carrying out research and development, technology transfer and training on biocomposites and re / downgrading technologies. Recently, the topic of recycling has attracted the attention of HP. Lightweight materials, so useful both for reducing fuel consumption and emissions and for increasing dynamics and driving pleasure, have their dark side.
The CIRCE project (circular economy model for carbon fiber prepregs, i.e. a circular economy model for carbon fiber prepregs) comes to life from the desire to develop this theme at the end of 2019. HP together with three other industrial partners Alci, Base Protection and Petroceramics and the Cetma research center has launched this path which has as its ultimate goal that of enhancing an industrial waste such as untreated carbon fiber waste, to transform it into raw material to be used in different applications. CIRCE is the first program that will provide a solution to the issue of material recycling. Being innovative means not stopping, always being able to propose a product or service that competitors do not have, and at the same time conceiving oneself as an innovative subject even outside the business, promoting actions and visions that have a positive impact on those who work in the company or live in the area . Market needs are evolving and it is during these changes that it is necessary to remain competitive. From this need, the agreement between the Ministry of Economic Development, the Marche Region and HP Composites was born, which provides for an investment program for research and development of innovation.
The program provides:
investments in research and development for € 9,698,800, of which € 7,177,112 supported by HP Composites, € 2,230,724 as a contribution to the expenditure granted by the Mise and € 290,964 as a contribution from the Marche Region.
The project aims to develop a new technology for the processing of composite materials that allows to maintain high standards of performance and quality through the introduction of new production technologies and the implementation of advanced industrial automation processes, with the creation of an innovative pilot line for intelligent, flexible and sustainable manufacturing.
This will allow HP to reconfirm itself as a leader in the sector through the industrialization of production which will lead to the production of composite material components at competitive prices as well as allowing the growth of suppliers who, by company choice, are based in the Marche.
These new technologies will allow the development of new industrial automation methods characterized by advanced process intelligence and multitasking that will improve the man - machine relationship as well as the safety of the workplace.
Despite this, the employment potential would not decrease but on the contrary it would lead to an increase in supply which, with a domino effect, would trigger specific training demand with positive employment repercussions throughout the territory.