b'Figure 5. Imerys Technology Innovation Center in Atlanta, GA, USA.they can bring a wealth of knowledge tominerals might unleash new benefitsGoogles rapid growth into on-line any new product development efforts. in end-use applications. They pair theirservices - and far-flung explorations knowledge with a customers industrialinto driverless cars and robotics - is a Of course, not all mining and mineraland market know-how to drive truetestament to the value of partnering companies are the same. Some localinnovation. Their Fiberlean technologywith companies, consortiums and or regional mining operations have heldis one example of where the Imerysindividuals in search of the next big to the traditional role of raw ingredientteam of scientists was able to pushidea. supplier to industry - and continue topast previous limitations. Might other play an important part in the supplyenabling technologies be far behind? In summary, there have been significant chain. What is emerging today is aadvances in minerals processing new breed of mineral supplier: theInnovation often occurs where weand manufacture that suggest tissue global, multi-mineral corporation withleast expect it. According to theproducers may have a reason to revisit the wherewithal to invest in staff PhDs,global management and technologythe use of minerals in their process. scientists, technologists, fully equippedconsultants at Accenture, innovationLikewise, multi-mineral companies laboratories and university researchthrives in companies where diverselike Imerys, with deep expertise in the agreements. They have built up theteams of experts can come together tofundamentals of mineral science - and resources needed to drive the nextgenerate new ideas.Companies thatthe scientific resources available to generation of mineral applications.rely on tried and true technologiessupport customer product development What isAnd they are hungry to share theirand their usual development partnersteams - are ready to help explore how emergingknowledge with market partners whomay do well with incremental productminerals might unleash new benefits today is aare looking for that next big thing. improvements, but rarely achieve truein end-use applications. FiberLean new breedgame-changing innovation.processing technology is one example of mineralImerys is one example of aof new thinking that could help improve suppliermultinational, multi-mineral companyCompanies that do succeed intissue manufacturing. Also, there are hungry tothat readily collaborates with customersdeveloping next-gen technologiessome less widely known minerals that share theiron product development. With aare those that proactively engagemay provide a pathway to significant knowledgelarge portfolio of industrial minerals,tech partners from all corners of theproduct development. When tissue with marketbroad experience in cellulose basedinnovation spectrum. They remainmanufacturers expand their toolkit of partners whomanufacturing and deep expertise inalways open to exploring new ideas.materials and approaches - and look at are lookingthe fundamentals of mineral science,Google is perhaps one of the bestopportunities through an outside lens for that nextImerys often partners with productexamples of this. What started out as- the world of whats possible can grow big thing. development teams to explore howa search engine company in 1996,exponentially.TISSUE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL91'