The Eurecat technology centre was at Transfiere, the multi-sector science, technology and innovation forum, where it showcased success stories, prototypes and research under development in the industrial, energy and nutrition fields and also presented its own model for leveraging the knowledge and results of the research it carries out.
The technology centre “promotes technology and sector initiatives in view of the need to build and structure innovation ecosystems and the importance of generating technology flagships,” says Xavier López, Eurecat’s Chief Operating and Corporate Officer. “This takes shape in technology hubs and infrastructures of excellence working for various sectors.”
“Our experts, researchers and multi-technology facilities enable us to collaboratively tackle complex challenges,” notes Joan Guasch, Eurecat’s director of International Development and Public Programmes. He underscores “Eurecat’s input and engagement in all initiatives to unlock business competitiveness and the wellbeing of our society through R&D and innovation.”
To this end, Eurecat “supports companies from innovation conception to pre-commercial scaling up” so that they can “successfully bring new developments to the market,” points out Àurea Rodríguez, the manager of Eurecat Tarragona.
One of the technologies Eurecat exhibited at the Transfiere forum is plastronics, a breakthrough which makes it possible to dispense with rigid electronic circuits and thus cut final part volume and manufacturing costs to generate a product with very high added value. This technology is crucial for digitalisation of new high-performance products in various sectors including healthcare.
Eurecat also unveiled its unique Atompowder technology which enables the manufacture of metal powder by centrifugal atomisation. This is extremely useful in additive manufacturing (3D printing), powder metallurgy, surface coatings and materials with a high sphericity index.
Visitors to the Transfiere Forum additionally had the chance to learn about Eurecat’s advanced manufacturing technology which allows parts to be manufactured by 3D printing reinforced with continuous carbon fibres. This significantly increases the component’s strength and reduces its weight. The technology has prompted the establishment of Reinforce3D, a new tech-based spin-off backed by BeAble Capital, and has already been successfully rolled out in several fields including aeronautics, the automotive industry and sports.
A groundbreaking circular economy trial Eurecat presented attracted considerable attention. It consists of a technological development undertaken with SecondSet which makes it possible to recover end-of-life tennis balls and use them to develop a sustainable and recyclable thermoplastic material which can then be reused to make products drawing on conventional plastic processing technologies.
Themed panel discussions and conferences
This year, Eurecat was involved in a number of themed panel discussions and conferences on innovation and technology held during the Transfiere Forum. Xavier López, Eurecat’s Chief Operating and Corporate Officer and a member of the IND+I Board, was one of the speakers at the roundtable on technological sovereignty.
Àurea Rodríguez, manager of Eurecat Tarragona, presented the TecnomiFood project, the network of omic technologies applied to innovation and industrial development of functional foods and nutraceuticals, at the session organised by the Spanish Federation of Technology Centres (FEDIT) on opportunities for business access to research strands and projects at technology centres.
Adrianna Nogalska, a researcher at Eurecat’s Chemical Technologies Unit, outlined the CARBOFORMIC project, a self-sufficient energy generator using formic acid produced by capturing CO2 as a source of energy, at the R+D+i Network Energy for Society (XRE4S) session on innovative energy solutions for industry.
Eurecat was at this preeminent R&D gathering in southern Europe held in Malaga on 16-17 February along with other technology centres from the Spanish Federation of Technology Centres network.
