Hydrométal France and Nerya: when non-ferrous metal recycling focuses on adaptive safety

benoit239
2 hours ago
4 min read

The digitisation of work permits is essential for improving safety and streamlining operations, especially in a demanding industrial environment. At Hydrométal France, a major player in non-ferrous metal recycling, this need was all the more strategic as the Dunkirk site had just started production. The company chose to equip itself with Tracks, Nerya's solution dedicated to the digital management of work permits, lockout/tagout and co-activity. Discover this deployment, which illustrates how appropriate digitisation can transform the organisation of an industrial site.

What is the JGI-Hydrométal Group?

The JGI-Hydrométal Group is positioned as the leading industrial partner in the design and deployment of innovative and high-performance solutions for non-ferrous metal recycling. With its long-standing expertise, the group, which operates worldwide, relies on a strong focus on research and development (R&D) to offer unique and often tailor-made processes.

The organisation defines itself as a major player in the non-ferrous metal recycling industry, offering a crucial alternative to landfill. JGI-Hydrométal's fundamental mission is to:

provide innovative recycling solutions for the recovery of non-ferrous metals;
actively contribute to the circular economy;
enable the sustainable use of natural resources.

The group strives to create added value from secondary materials derived from industrial processes while complying with the highest standards of safety, employee welfare and environmental norms.

Hydrométal France, located in Dunkirk and established in March 2021, is a key entity within the group. It is dedicated to the recycling of secondary materials relating to non-ferrous metals using hydrometallurgical processes. Its specific purpose is to give a second life to complex zinc-laden materials by turning them into everyday products, in particular by processing these materials for the production of zinc salts. The start of production in 2025 marked a major turning point in the organisation of the site and the structuring of its processes.

The issues and challenges of a new industrial site

The challenges involved in launching Hydrométal France, as a fledgling company in the high-tech industry, were manifold.

Early integration of safety: from the moment the site started up, the company had to ensure that its activities were resolutely safety-compliant. The main challenge was to organise the identification of on-site risks, a task intrinsically linked to the prevention plan.
Performance and dematerialisation: the launch of a new site was seen as the ideal time to introduce a new digital system. The aim was to dematerialise processes to avoid paperwork and office work, freeing up time for operational tasks.
Efficiency of interventions: the industry is constantly seeking to reduce non-value-added time (NVAT). Saving time in creating permits and monitoring the various sites was an objective for improving productivity.
Sustainable development: as a major player in the circular economy, Hydrométal is focused on sustainable development, which requires efficient internal processes and reduced environmental impact.

Why Hydrométal chose Nerya's Tracks solution: digitisation of work permits, risk analysis and co-activity

Hydrométal France chose Nerya's Tracks software, a solution focused on digitising work permits, lockout/tagout and co-activity, to address these challenges. This decision was driven by the software's suitability for Nerya's operational needs and methodology.

Software that adapts to real-world conditions: the key factor

The Hydrométal representative highlighted a sticking point encountered with other companies: their solutions were often ‘fixed’, forcing the factory to adapt to the software. With Nerya, the relationship is reversed: the software adapts to the company. The ability to quickly and naturally evolve Tracks allows the tool to be adapted to the factory, rather than the factory to the software. This tailor-made approach is at the heart of Nerya's commitment to offering fully configurable solutions.

Time savings, intuitiveness and reduced TSVA

Using Tracks has saved a huge amount of time in the day-to-day management of interventions.

The software is considered intuitive and makes daily interventions easier to manage.
It allows risk analysis and work permits to be digitised.
The equipment link feature is highly appreciated: when an area is defined on Tracks, the list of equipment appears automatically, making it much more intuitive to search for items.
Thanks to data entry accelerators and the digitisation of authorisations, the improved productivity of teams and contractors can result in time savings of 30 to 100%.

Expert support based on customer needs

Nerya's support was a key factor in the success of the project. Once we got to grips with the tool, the experience proved to be ‘wonderful’, with:

on-site presence from the start of the project;
attentive listening to business constraints;
responsive support by email and telephone;
a detailed understanding of industrial issues thanks to employees with operational experience.

👉Discover how the Eramet Group has improved the safety and efficiency of its maintenance operations with Nerya.

Nerya: a comprehensive digital ecosystem dedicated to industrial safety

Nerya is a software publisher that combines more than 20 years of experience with the dynamism of a start-up, specialising in the management of maintenance operations and industrial prevention. Their mission is to optimise the safety of maintenance operations by improving performance and offering comprehensive support. This ecosystem is built around three complementary solutions.

Tracks enables the operational management of work permits, lockout/tagout and co-activity, and manages the execution of work orders from start to finish, ensuring safety and compliance with operating constraints.

e-PdP, collaborative prevention plan management, digitises prevention plans for a smoother and more efficient experience. This software improves workload distribution and communication with external contractors.

SPS: maintenance shutdown management, SPS is an ERP add-on dedicated to teams to ensure the success of shutdown projects from start to finish.

The integration of Tracks at Hydrométal perfectly illustrates Nerya's philosophy: to offer industry-proven solutions while remaining flexible enough to meet specific customer needs. The aim is to ensure the legal and operational consistency of the document pyramid by interfacing with existing systems (CMMS, HR, etc.).

Key takeaways

Hydrométal France, a player in non-ferrous metal recycling, needed to quickly structure its new site in Dunkirk.
Security, dematerialisation and reduction of TSVA were priorities from the start of production.
The company chose Tracks for its flexibility and ability to adapt to internal processes.
The digitisation of work permits, risk analyses and co-activity has generated significant time savings.
The teams praised the intuitive interface and Nerya's expert and responsive support.
Nerya offers a complete digital ecosystem to enhance operational safety and industrial performance.