The ceremony took place in Montpellier at the end of the outdoor hotel equipment trade fair, the European leader in this sector. Each year, the event attracts 20,000 visitors who come to glean the latest trends to integrate into their business. Managers of hotels, campsites, lodges and restaurants met there and attended the SETT d’Or for innovation, the trophies which reward the best technologies intended for outdoor hotels (HPA) . The HPA Federation of the PACA Region is co-organizer of the event which saw more than 50 companies compete for these trophies and see their creativity rewarded: infrastructure, equipment, leisure, applications, software etc., all technological advances which allow the sector to stay in line with new customer requirements.
Patented technology
Among the five winners of this competition, Grassoise STME FIRE, founded in 2021, belonging to DX Groupe (STME, STME FIRE, SUN and GO and Auberge Alpina – 60 employees, 9 ME turnover 2024). A gold Innovation SETT was awarded to them for CLEVER, their patented solution for automating their FIRE system (also patented). “This is self-protection against forest fires and specific risks, for all categories of buildings.” Guillaume Dujardin, project engineer at STME, developed the CLEVER solution. “FIRE makes it possible to slow down and reduce the spread of a forest fire thanks to the thoughtful installation of sprinkler masts, a pumping unit, a water reserve and an automatic controller. The CLEVER system allows this process to be automated, by triggering the FIRE solution without human intervention.” CLEVER is based on detection, prevention and protection. “Detection, with upstream sensors which will monitor environmental parameters (temperature, hygrometry, level of volatile organic compounds, etc.) to detect the presence of a fire. Then we model and analyze the trajectory of the flame front. And, from this trajectory simulation we will be able to activate certain masts as a priority. The system resumes the calculation at each change of variable. The objective is to provide the most targeted response possible.
The STME FIRE solution already equips around thirty customers, campsites, supermarkets, schools, universities and industrialists, in the PACA region and in the Landes.
Interface between forest and inhabited structure
“We specialize in forest fire protection. By being the interface between a forest and an inhabited structure. Our masts have a variable height depending on the vegetation, they can project water around thirty meters from radius, via sprinklers.” A self-sufficient water and energy solution. The proof of concept has been completed and all that remains is to market the solution. The four STME FIRE employees also developed internal software, Mentawais, capable of optimizing the positioning of the masts by taking into account the weather conditions on the hydraulic distribution on the ground. “We calculate the impact of the wind on the spray radius. Software that we have finished developing.”
Guillaume Dujardin continued: “It is important to push the thinking – and therefore the technology – to anticipate as much as possible the protection of property and people in view of the growing risk of forest fires.” Thanks to this trophy and the visibility brought to their solution, STME FIRE is beginning a marketing phase of its CLEVER solution and intends to continue working on internal research and development projects to protect ever more sites against the growing risk of fire. STME FIRE positions itself as a manufacturer and would ultimately like the installation of its solution to be subcontracted to trusted partners. The young company is already profitable and shows continued growth.
The SETT d’Or for innovation also highlighted these other technologies: Culbuto, a solar rotating composter; EcoludiK, an innovative connected screen designed for campsites, aimed at raising holidaymakers’ awareness of their water and electricity consumption; HabiLev’, a hydromechanical device allowing mobile homes to be raised almost 2 meters from the ground in the event of flooding and Gecko, the first miniature, intelligent, ecological and economical water heater. La Grassoise really ignited the jury!
