The beginning of the letter is of disagreement: “We want to express our firm rejection of the possibility that the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI) lose your character of decentralized organism. This change would imply, among other serious consequences, the loss of own legal status and administrative, financial and patrimonial autonomy, essential pillars for the fulfillment of its institutional mission ”, and it is signed by different managers of the body.
It continues: “If this modification is specified, the INTI could not prove its certification services, sign technological transfer agreements, establish development contracts, formalize technical assistance agreements and protect its intellectual property through patents, utility models, copyright and other legal instruments. Consequently, its relationship with the national productive and technological framework would be unable essential ”.
Created in 1957, the agency has been a key tool of the national state to accompany the industry, promote innovation, attend SMEs and promote productive development throughout the territory of Argentina. It has its own legal statute (Decree Law 17.138/1957), independent structures, regional centers in each province of the country and this allows it to make decisions without the need for direct approval of the Ministry of Economy. It has more than 40 specialized technological centers and 20 pilot plants to attend the industrial sector.
Why the concern expressed both by current and past managers of INTI, and also of businessmen of different size? Because the minister Federico Sturzenegger It has power to sign decrees for the delegated powers through Congress. Only until July 8. In this kind of accelerate of the final race, they have been suggested from the Ministry of Deregulation and Transformation of the Statea number of reforms that will directly affect the key organism for the Argentine industry.
“So far from the libertarian government, the INTI has already lost 736 specialized agents difficult to replace. Only in 2024, the institute meets the demand of 11 thousand clients and users, has more than 150 research and development projects (R&D) in progress and maintains more than 20 international cooperation projects. In the last 5 years it had a link with 75 countries,” explain managers of the agency.
But in addition, Inti is present in the daily life of all inhabitants. The INTI provided on average in 2022 between 170,000 and 180,000 different types of services throughout the country. From a laboratory test, a product certification so that it can be exported, technical assistance to register new products, processes or product development, scaling, among others. During the 2023–2024 period, he signed 66 technological development contracts with companies from various productive sectors.
Some cases. An example is the development of suppliers for the sector Oil and gaswhich includes the assistance and transfer of management technologies for the improvement of productivity and competitiveness for the main companies in the sector in Vaca Muerta and other deposits, including collaborations with YPF.
On the other hand, “the Inti has strengthened the Argentine sector of development, manufacture and maintenance of large vessels, focusing on promoting the national integration of large shipyards. For this, articulates work with all national and international actors, including certification agencies. Thanks to the capabilities of the capabilities of the capabilities of the Inti fire laboratory (Unique in Latin America) Insipual panels were developed that meet the required performance standards. As a result, it was possible to have a national certified product internationally, available for the entire naval industry, ”explains a high manager in the record.
Even as far as the internationalization of food industries is concerned, Inti intervenes, favoring for example the certification of products and processes according to international standards such as organic, biodynamic, Kosher and Halal. These business projects include comprehensive analytical support, labeling for global markets, technological development and innovation in food products, in addition to the optimization of production plants.
Within the renewable energy sector, agency experts designed a road map for the certification of the renewable origin of hydrogen, which will be fulfilling requirements with a view to their future export. “In addition, analytical capabilities were developed to measure hydrogen purity, addressing a critical aspect in the green hydrogen value chain,” adds another manager.
And he adds: “Inti developed a system to generate calibration certificates in digital format, which are legible by both humans and machines, a key initiative for the digital transformation of the national quality infrastructure. In addition, a new speed pattern was developed, which will give traceability to all the instruments of vehicle speed measurement in the country and also to companies and institutions of other countries in Latin America.”
Also in the area of health intervenes the Inti. In this case, the latest novelty is that it inaugurated the first public pilot plant of Active pharmaceutical ingredients (IFA) from the country and South America. This strategic infrastructure is aimed at strengthening technological transfer to the national pharmochemical sector, promoting local production of critical supplies for medicines and favoring applied research. And there are projects that include drug production with national pharmaceutical laboratories. And a long -term Holter that is already exported to Latin American countries.
How do you work in these cases? Inti accompanies companies in the manufacture of the first productive lots and, in many cases, in the design and implementation of their plants. Frequently, assume the research and development laboratory role (R&D) and pilot plant, and provide technical assistance in the initial stages of development and launch of new products, which usually have a high level of risk.
To achieve this, the Institute has instruments of public-private links, which are formalized through different types of contracts and agreements. These instruments define collaboration conditions, the value of technological transfer, intellectual property rights and results dissemination strategies.
Intervention. “In the last 10 years, we have maintained different cooperation actions with institutions, universities, cameras and other organizations from more than 70 countries – explains the expert of the institute, which asks not to be identified for work reasons.
Currently, Inti is recognized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as an expert in production management technologies, and that allows you to work with SMEs from Latin America and Africa. The agency is the National Institute of Metrology: Argentina is one of the 15 signatories of the International Metro Convention 150 years ago, and the INTI is part of the Inter -American Metrology System, which allows it to guarantee the quality of the measurements.
Sturzenegger has said that the State is not to control the private ones. But Inti is not application authority, so it has no police power. In many cases it is a technical tool to support application authorities. And it is useful when the participation of an independent third in validation is required, especially because of the capacities available in the institution that do not exist in the private sphere (the Laboratory of Elevator Components, by case, is the only one).
“By removing its characteristic of decentralized organism, Inti would be prevented from managing fund Bureaucratic logic incompatible with the deadlines and demands of financing agencies.
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