SKZ will concentrate its research activities in the field of fiber composites at its Würzburg site. Activities previously carried out in Halle an der Saale will be relocated there in order to specifically leverage synergies with the “Networked Materials” group based in Würzburg. According to the information provided by the organization, the merger of activities is intended to create a high-performance unit combining broad materials and process expertise. In recent years, materials expertise has been systematically developed in Würzburg, including in the field of thermosetting systems, while the team from Halle brings many years of experience in process engineering to the joint research work. SKZ indicates that this organization of work is intended to streamline the development of new solutions and accelerate their implementation in industrial applications. Thomas Zimmermann, head of the Networked Materials group at SKZ, emphasizes: "The merger enables us to integrate material development and processing technology even more closely. This allows us to develop new solutions much more efficiently and transfer them to industrial applications more quickly."
Halle remains a center for education and training
Educational activities in the field of composites will continue to be conducted in Halle. A significant portion of the equipment will also remain in operation at this location, as it is used for both research and education. This means that Halle will retain its role as the central hub for hands-on continuing education and training in fiber-reinforced composites.
According to SKZ, the site will be able in the future to allocate more resources to training skilled workers in order to meet the growing demands in the field of fiber composites and fiber-reinforced materials.
Broader cooperation between locations
SKZ announces a significant expansion of exchange between Würzburg and Halle. As stated, the first joint workshops have already shown that the two teams work effectively together. In the next stages, knowledge transfer between research and education is to be strengthened so that scientific findings can be directly incorporated into training and continuing education programs.
Carina Heinze, site director of SKZ in Halle, notes: "Through close integration with research activities in Würzburg, we can continuously update our educational offering and maintain it at the highest professional level. In this way, we ensure effective knowledge transfer for our participants."
Conditions for further development work
SKZ assesses that the launch of the joint activities confirms the potential of the new organizational structure. By making optimal use of the competencies available at both locations, Würzburg and Halle, the organization aims to create conditions for innovative work in the field of fiber-reinforced composites and for their efficient implementation in industry.
