DuPont to co-locate research activities at the RWTH Aachen University
DuPont Performance Materials (DPM) strengthens commitment to interdisciplinary application-oriented innovation through landmark collaboration
Aachen, Germany, 26 February –DuPont Performance Materials (DPM) has announced that it will extend its existing partnership with the Aachen Centre for Integrative Lightweight Production (AZL) to a “Premium Partnership” and for the first time ever will co-locate its research activities on the RWTH Aachen University campus. The AZL is one of the university’s more than 260 institutes.
The decision to co-locate at AZL is part of DuPont’s ongoing commitment to collaborative research with academic institutions and industry partners with a view to matching market needs with commercially viable innovation. As the pioneer of polymer science with a legacy in innovation, DuPont uses science to create breakthrough solutions to address major societal challenges such as light-weighting.
DuPont is a founding partner of AZL, which was launched in 2012 to meet the increasing demand for mass production of lightweight, highly stable, chemically resistant components, mainly used for transportation-related applications. Co-locating on the RWTH Aachen University campus will give DuPont Performance Materials better access to the work of AZL research partners such as the world renowned Plastics Processing Institute (IKV). It will also foster further collaboration and ideas generation with other companies based on site.
“We are extremely excited that our excellent long-term partnership with DuPont is taking a step up to a new level. We believe that the proximity will be a rich source of inspiration for all parties involved and that DuPont can take better advantage of AZL and IKV´s research excellence and its scientific and industrial network to grow its business,” says University Professor Dr. Ing Christian Hopmann, Head of the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) and founding Professor of the AZL.
Co-location is an emerging collaboration model of increasing strategic importance. It deliberately brings together academic and industry research in a dedicated space to stimulate bigger and broader breakthroughs from a commercial, technological and human perspective that go beyond what can be achieved through traditional bilateral projects.
“Co-locating our activities in Aachen is a first ever in Europe for DPM and represents a paradigm shift in how we do research and new business development,” added Ernst Poppe, Business Development Manager DuPont Performance Materials.
DuPont Performance Materials (DPM) is a leading innovator of thermoplastics, elastomers, renewably-sourced polymers, high-performance parts and shapes, as well as resins that act as adhesives, sealants, and modifiers. DPM supports a globally linked network of regional application development experts who work with customers throughout the value chain to develop innovative solutions in automotive, packaging, construction, consumer goods, electrical/electronics and other industries. For additional information about DuPont Performance Materials, visit plastics.dupont.com.
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.
The worldwide unique lightweight competence network Aachen Center for Integrative Lightweight Production (AZL) of RWTH Aachen demonstrates significant lightweight expertise in research and development. The objective of the AZL is the transformation of lightweight design in mass production. With its partner institutes active in various fields of lightweight production technology (totally over 750 scientists and 1,100 graduate assistants) on the RWTH Aachen Campus, AZL regroups all the required know-how to help the composites industry develop tomorrow’s lightweight production technology. As a service provider partnering with companies in the field of lightweight production technology, AZL Aachen GmbH offers industrial services in engineering, consultancy and project management, networking and human resources marketing, among others. The AZL Partner Network consists of about 60 industrial partners representing the entire lightweight production value chain from the raw material producer, over molders, manufacturing equipment suppliers, Tier 1 and Tier 2 to OEMs, from SMEs to large multinational corporations, from Germany to Mexico, China or Japan. www.azl-aachen-gmbh.de
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