31 Dec 2020, a beautiful number full of promise that turned into a year full of uncertainty
2020 has been marked by the pandemic of the new Coronavirus COVID-19 that has sown social and economic chaos in every corner of the world. We are grateful and very satisfied to end the year with the entire team healthy and working on a regular basis and with excellent financial results. It could have been much different.
During 2020, we have been focusing even more on product engineering, reducing the size of some of our high-power diode modules for Dermatology, Optical Pumping, and Material Processing.
We have developed a new technology within the Roll Forming application, achieving a direct diode approach with high E-O efficiency, a simple and economical optical design that is well suited to the application. Fewer bending stations are required, the profiling line is shortened, and manufacturing speed is increased.
We have added BriSCL, an Eurostars funded project, to our portfolio of Research and Development projects scheduled for 2021, achieving a ranking of 12 out of 500 applicants. We are very proud of this huge success which worth a celebration. The consortium is made up of Monocrom as coordinator, FBH, BFB, Raab Photonik and Jenoptik. The project is under strict confidentiality, and we can only disclose that it is a development of direct diode sources for Material Processing and Pumping with a much-improved brightness.
We successfully completed the SURCAR Project, a technological development for new automotive components with advanced functional finishes. We have developed a MOPA laser with short pulses (less than 2 ns) that allows the laser to be kept still and cover a surface without moving anything else. We use a galvo-scanner and an F-theta optics to achieve a pulse to each point of the sample with great repeatability, which allows to pass through each point as many times as necessary.
The difficulties and challenges raised by the pandemic situation have not crippled our collaborative spirit, and our commitment to the environment and our community. We have implemented a new waste and paper collection system, as well as, we have eliminated all plastic and replaced it with biodegradable products. We continue to stand for sustainable development and responsible waste management and cheer economic, social and environmental benefit.
Continuing with our social commitment, as every year at Christmas, we collaborated with Unicef, in its “Blue Gift” campaign , bringing vaccines, potable water and food to the most vulnerable children.
During this complicated year 2020, we have also joined another social project, the “Little big box”, a small box that generates big things; equality, dignity and social justice for more than 600 children and young people who participate in the Saó Project.
During 2020, we have improved our packaging, to make it more optimal and efficient. Because of our care for sustainability, we are now using the more accurate format and type of packaging for each delivery. Quality, we make sure that our products are well protected and sealed and arrive at their destination in the best conditions.
In 2020 we have expanded our distribution network to more countries by welcoming our new representatives in Germany, Turkey and Portugal.
We closed an atypical year with great effort and dedication to continue reaching our goals.