IRC network award to most successful exploitation of research results
Date: July 2005
Press dossier

Simtech Systems, a spin-off firm from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, and XC Engineering, an Italian SME, were presented on 29.6. with the Innovation Relay Centre network’s award for most successful technology transfer exploiting research results.

The award recognises their achievements in bringing new casting simulation software developed by VTT into use by small foundries in the Italian region of Lombardy. Using such software saves both time and resources, making such small foundries much more competitive.

Presented by Günter Verheugen, European Commission Vice President responsible for Enterprise and Industry, at the IRC network’s annual meeting in Brussels, the award is designed to promote the importance of transnational co-operation for European competitiveness. This is the focus of the EU-funded IRC network, which helps small firms across Europe gain access to the best available technologies.

The use of casting simulation software is widespread in Finnish foundries, with around 90% already using such systems. The ConiferCast system developed by VTT, with support from the EU’s R&D Framework Programme, allows the simulation of the physical phenomena which take place in the casting process, as molten metal cools to room temperature. It allows designers to experiment with different forms for metal components without the need to create real-scale pilots. VTT has now set up a spin-off firm, Simtech Systems, to license and install the simulation software in foundries.

“We had very strong co-operation with our partners in IRC Lombardy,” stresses Irja Ruokamo of IRC Finland, who worked with VTT, “which enabled the system to be promoted widely among the small foundries in Italy. This innovative technology is really needed by such foundries, and through the joint efforts of the two IRCs we helped them to find a way to make use of the software.”

“The software system is particularly innovative in its interface, allowing operators to use it without extensive training,” explains Angelo Gatto of IRC Lombardy, who worked with XC Engineering. “Small foundries generally do not have the resources to use such systems, but our client – acting as an intermediary – has helped even small foundries to benefit from the technology. Already this year the client has seen a dramatic increase in customers, and expects an overall increase of 20-25% in the number of customers they work with.”

“Our firm would not even exist without the help from the IRC network,” says Matti Sirviö of Simtech Systems, acknowledging that the spin-off firm was set up as a result of the IRC network’s success in finding partners to exploit the system. Indeed, ConiferCast and a related technology are also the subject of separate technology transfer agreements with other clients of IRC Lombardy and with clients of other IRCs.

And Alessandro Incognito of XC Engineering also underlines the value of the assistance from the network: “Through the IRC network we have succeeded in building partnerships far beyond what we could have done on our own.”

Background

The Innovation Relay Centre (IRC) network, part-funded by the European Union, is the world’s largest aimed at building technology partnerships between organisations in different countries. Primarily focused on assisting small firms, the network helps them access new and innovative technologies which can help them improve their products and processes, thus becoming more competitive and contributing to Europe’s overall economic health.

The network has grown in the ten years since the first IRCs were created. It now encompasses 230 offices in 33 countries, staffed by experts in technology transfer with local knowledge able to address the specific needs of local firms. But through the network they have access to technologies and expertise from across Europe and beyond.

The winners of the award for the most successful transnational technology transfer exploiting research results – and a parallel award for the most successful transnational technology transfer from industry – were selected by the European Commission from submissions from IRCs across the network. The criteria included the socio-economic impact, the enhancement of industrial process, and successful exploitation of R&D results funded by the EU.

Contact

Ms Irja Ruokamo, IRC Finland
Tel. +358 50 354 8200
irja.ruokamo@oulutech.fi

Mr Angelo Gatto, IRC Lombardy
Tel. +39 022 399 2970
gatto@cpi.polimi.it

For further information on the annual meeting or on the work of the IRC network in general, see the IRC website: http://www.innovationrelay.net/ or find your local IRC at http://www.innovationrelay.net/whoswho/

Ms Gudrun Rumpf, IRC Secretariat
Tel. +352 441012 2431
g.rumpf@ircnet.lu