GLACIER wins GREEN CIMES award for its ecological innovation
Since January 2024, a new facility has been established in the Saint-Étienne region: HEF Photonics Saint-Étienne.
This state-of-the-art plant serves as the Group’s technological showcase in the field of photonics, providing a dedicated platform for production, R&D, and the industrialization of innovative processes.
Green innovation wins CIMES award
On the occasion of the general assembly of the CIMES competitiveness cluster (Creating Integrated Mechanical Systems), active in the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes and Nouvelle Aquitaine regions, the GLACIER project was awarded the GREEN CIMES trophy for meeting key environmental criteria. GLAss Cutting and Removal is a femtosecond laser-based process that enables precision glass cutting and the removal of thin films from optical glass. Designed as a resource-efficient solution, the process reduces energy consumption and aligns with a 4R approach by minimizing glass waste during cutting.
This recognition highlights our ongoing commitment to developing greener and more efficient technologies. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our partners — Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne, MANUTECH USD, and VISIOSHAPE — for their valuable collaboration and expertise. We are also grateful to our funding partners — the French State, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, and Saint-Étienne Métropole — without whom this project would not have been possible. With their support, we continue to innovate for a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future.