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Celebrating 40 years of innovation

Two team members in a lab
Premier Tech

The year 2023 marks a significant milestone in our journey as we celebrate everything we have accomplished throughout our first century of history and the incredible potential that lies ahead.

We are committed to continue investing in our future as we build on the foundations and resources we have in place to fulfill the promise we make to our clients — to deliver value and help them achieve even greater success.

Innovation is core to this promise and is closely tied to our desire to keep reinventing ourselves. Maintaining our structured approach to innovation and fostering our partnerships with educational institutions and innovation centres allow us to deliver on the potential of our technology platforms and diversified expertise daily. It also showcases the difference Premier Tech makes in its various markets and industries.

— Innovation is core to this promise and is closely tied to our desire to keep reinventing ourselves. —

A structured approach to innovation

2023 is another big moment in our history as we celebrate 40 years of innovation since creating our first research team in 1983. At Premier Tech, innovation is more than just research and development — it is a state of mind.

Innovation is an ongoing process that we integrate into all aspects of our business, including our operations, organizational development, sustainability and business strategy. It drives our teams to come up with innovative ideas to improve our processes, optimize performance, and reinvent the way we do things to further enhance our efficiency and expertise.

— At Premier Tech, innovation is more than just research and development — it is a state of mind. —

250 people, $27M, 200 patents

Backed by a dedicated team of 250 people, an annual budget of some $27 million, and a five-year planning process, our structured approach to continuous innovation has led to major developments that have shaped our journey and helped us diversify into various verticals.

Premier Tech holds more than 200 patents, which reflect the technological advances our teams have brought to the industry.

Where utility meets desirability

Innovation is first and foremost a matter of looking beyond technological novelty. Over the years, we have used this approach to define our Innovation Model, integrating the key aspects to developing a strong commercial offering.

Our approach to innovation is centered around creating value, where the notion of value is based not only on technological mastery, but also on the concepts of utility and desirability. These concepts encompass both the tangible and intangible aspects of all commercial offers we develop and bring to the market.

Solutions that meet our clients’ needs

We strive to create innovative solutions that meet our clients’ needs while also delivering a unique and immersive product and service experience. That means working closely with our clients to understand the challenges and opportunities they face so that we can develop concrete, relevant solutions that create value for them and their customers.

— We strive to create innovative solutions that meet our clients’ needs while also delivering a unique and immersive product and service experience. —

Team members working in a plant

Innovation supported through partnerships

We recognize the importance of developing our ecosystem through strong partnerships with educational institutions and innovation centres. These partnerships provide us with access to leading expertise and the opportunity to work with world-renowned researchers, helping transform academic research into tangible solutions with real-life commercial applications.

Businesses and educational institutions fill complementary niches that are vital to the innovation ecosystem. Universities generate knowledge and skills through their students, while businesses put this knowledge and these skills into motion to develop products that meet specific needs.

To achieve balance in the innovation ecosystem, businesses and educational institutions must both invest in innovation infrastructures and teams, and cooperate with each other. With this in mind, Premier Tech makes a point of fostering meaningful interaction between innovation actors on both sides of the equation.

— Businesses and educational institutions fill complementary niches that are vital to the innovation ecosystem. —

Working with external partners, we have developed innovative, value-creating technologies that address highly complex challenges faced by people, businesses and communities. We also train new talents through internships and training programs within our teams and activities.

An innovative scholarship program

A prime example of this is our scholarship program for students in the graduate engineering programs at University of Québec at Rimouski. To date, scholarship recipients have worked on innovative projects in the field of industrial flexible and rigid packaging. Our support for universities comes full circle when the synergy it creates has a tangible and lasting impact on our technology offerings.

A team member working

The creation of a collaborative research and development hub

Another example of this kind of cooperation is the creation of the Innovation and Advanced Training Halls (HIFA — Halles d’innovation et de formation avancée), a collaborative research and development hub. HIFA is a joint initiative by businesses, educational institutions, and financial firms to support businesses making the 4.0 transition, both with the automation of their factory processes and their digital transformation.

The first project of its kind in Québec, HIFA will drive the development of new smart manufacturing and innovative packaging technologies. It will also help companies leverage their expertise and enhance their competitiveness. This long-term initiative will ultimately strengthen the innovation and training culture in Québec businesses.

— The first project of its kind in Québec, HIFA will drive the development of new smart manufacturing and innovative packaging technologies. —

At Premier Tech, innovation means creating value for our clients, our communities, and our planet. And it is by joining our passion for innovation to the way we master our technologies that we can make a difference. Innovation firmly anchors us, allowing us to envision a promising future that will take us even further.

*This story is from the Premier Tech Report 2023.