Four years ago, ERT introduced the slogan “Innovation Effect” associated with the acronym of the ERT logo. At that time, it defined objectives that aimed to position the company as a reference in innovation and an innovation policy that involved and strengthened the relationship with its strategic partners: customers, suppliers and partners in science and technology.

According to Fernando Merino, director of innovation at ERT, this change was crucial for the jury to realize that ERT sees innovation as a strategic process. “The jury valued the innovative alignment between ERT's strategic vision, policy, innovation lines and projects well. I think that ERT's capacity to associate its entrepreneurial vocation with a new design centered on innovation became clear.

However, this innovation process is not only reflected in product and process development. ERT is also concerned with investing in projects in areas such as marketing and management, demonstrating why, for ERT, “innovation is not based on consulting revenue to respond only to a standard, or to a set of R&D projects ”stresses Fernando Merino.

The COTEC-BPI PME Inovação award is one of the most prestigious awards in Portugal with regard to innovation, and is therefore awarded by the President of the Republic. In the words of the director of innovation at ERT, “it is a great honor” to have been recognized with this award. “On the other hand, we feel that it enables us to reach other levels of development and, therefore, allows us to explore the strengthening of the company's competitiveness”, assures Fernando Merino.

ERT and Fibrenamics have collaborated on several innovation projects over the past few years. This synergy has had very positive results, contributing to the improvement of ERT's positioning in the market, which is increasingly competitive.