Innovation & Digitalisation

We continuously invest in sustainable innovation and use intelligence to make the working, living and process environments of our customers safe, healthy and sustainable.

General

In the Unica strategy, the Unica Innovation Center is a vital driving force for innovation in service provision, in the broadest meaning of the word. The team operates as a separate division that maintains its strategic focus on innovation. It combines the innovative capacity available within the Unica companies and attracts chain partners, customers and other market parties. It also independently develops services that tie in with the traditional activities of Unica.

Innovation is inextricably liked to digitalisation. Unica believes in the necessity of a digital evolution if we are to offer our customers and future generations a safe, healthy and sustainable future. Conventional applications will not be enough to overcome the huge challenges currently facing society. Innovation and digitalisation can make a positive difference. For that reason, every investment proposal includes a digitalisation component, and the revenue from digital sustainable propositions is actively monitored.

Developments in 2023

The digital evolution is also reflected in our own business operations. Various processes, including HR processes have been digitalised, we have created a digital learning environment and the gathering of data in the framework of sustainable business practice and EGS reporting has been digitalised. Digitalisation also plays a prominent role in our service provision. One eye-catching example is Building Insight, a cloud platform that allows the measurement and analysis of numerous building data as a means of mapping out specific sustainability potential. The fully digital platform was developed by the Unica Innovation Center, and is now and integral part of Unica’s regular portfolio.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) also offers us opportunities to broaden our services. Using machine learning, we can better predict disruptions and maintenance moments, to enable us to design and equip systems that perform better thanks to data. In 2023, this application was mainly employed in large refrigeration systems.

The solution we have developed for the remote testing of sprinkler systems was certified in 2023. Another solution introduced by us ensures that in the event of a fire, not all sprinklers are automatically activated, but are only triggered on the basis of heat, gas and/or smoke detection at specific locations. This application results in less water consumption and less (water) damage to buildings and systems. This innovation was patented by Unica in 2023, and supplied to one customer.

In 2023, we established a structured framework for the customer-oriented and futureproof development of sustainable innovations. In the form of a trend radar, we observe events taking place around us, and the impact we wish to deliver on such topics as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the energy transition and sustainability. We speak to customers and experts, consult technological databases and conduct testing using new digital applications. This is a continuous dynamic process that provides us with an insight into and knowledge of the areas in which there are clear opportunities for our business.

The innovation process is guided by the needs of the customer, taken as the central point of focus in developing potential new solutions. The propositions that emerge from that process generally involve a combination of areas of expertise at Unica in order to meet the need. In this way, the combination of innovation and digitalisation results in new concepts that tackle societal challenges in a new way.

A final important agenda item for 2024 is the further embedding of the Innovation & Digitalisation pillar in our ESG strategy and (in)direct compliance with the CSRD requirements.