Elmarco begins construction of a unique research centre

05 Aug '08

4 min read

The Liberec company Elmarco, a leading producer of nanofibre materials as well as machines for their production, has begun construction of a new research and development centre.

The centre, currently in the early stages of construction in the Liberec North industrial zone, will cover an area of 1750 m2 and is being built to further progress the development of nanofibre materials, and in cooperation with global market leaders and top international universities, to widen the possible applications of nanofibre technology.

This is the start of a unique base for research and development in the Czech Republic. “The entire new research and development facility is co-financed from European Union funds through the OPPI (the Operational Programme for Industry and Innovation), in particular the “Potential” programme.

The total budget for the investment exceeds 190 million Czech crowns, of which 75 million will come from EU funds.” explained Ladislav Mares, Elmarco executive, representing the company's owners.

The Liberec company, currently world leader in technology for the creation of machines for the large scale production of nanofibres (super-fine fibres, approximately 1000 times finer than human hair), announced that as well as the research centre, a factory is also to follow.

“We are creating a unique centre for research, development and production of nanofibre materials and simultaneously for the development and completion of machines capable of producing nanofibres on an industrial scale.” Mr Mares went on to say. “The new plant construction project should likewise be co-financed from EU funds.

The planned investment into development and the production hall should ensure that the company's production capacity will increase markedly and thus push up revenues from the nanotechnology sector such that they approach the one milliard Czech crown mark.

By 2010, the number of employees should also have risen by 140, giving the company a total workforce of 310. However Mr Mares added that the main goal remained the retention of the company's tempo and its lead internationally in the field of research and development.

This unique research centre should be finished in approximately one year. The construction of the production hall will follow – modules designed for the production of individually developed technologies and nano materials, and for the testing of pilot plant and prototype production lines.

Research and innovation will be carried out together with all the leading universities with whom Elmarco has established cooperation.

Elmarco has successfully cooperated with leading Czech academic and scientific institutions (The Technical University of Liberec, AV CR, VŠCHT, Charles University, Prague) on the development of nano technology, and this year has also entered into an extensive programme of partner cooperation and joint research abroad.

Currently it is involved with research projects with the North Carolina State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA and the Stellenbosch University in the Republic of South Africa.

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