SKZ, German Plastics Center, is one of Europe’s leading institutes serving the plastics industry. Its scope of activity includes education, research and development, consulting services, laboratory testing and certification of plastic products, as well as management system certification for companies in this sector. The institute cooperates within an international network of more than 440 members. In the Polish market, SKZ is represented by Dopak. The institute’s offer is aimed at companies seeking support both in upgrading employee qualifications and in technology development, implementation of research projects, and verification of the quality and compliance of products intended for domestic and international markets.
One of SKZ’s core areas of activity is training for specialists involved in plastics processing. The institute indicates that skilled employees remain a key factor for competitiveness, product quality and smooth production processes. In conditions of labor shortages, companies increasingly need fast and targeted forms of training, also for career changers or people without prior industry experience. SKZ declares support in qualifying employees at different levels of advancement, from beginners to experts.
Broad training portfolio for the plastics industry
The training portfolio includes in-person training courses, live online courses, e-learning in the form of web-based training, and in-house training tailored to the needs of a specific plant. The thematic scope covers all major plastics processing methods, including injection molding, welding, extrusion, additive manufacturing and thermoforming. This is complemented by courses devoted to compounding, materials science, quality assurance, sustainability, recycling, digitalization, surface technologies and bonding.
Research and development with a focus on industrial implementation
SKZ also acts as a research and development partner for companies in the plastics industry. The institute focuses on the further development and optimization of materials, products and processing operations, as well as on issues related to metrology, digitalization, the circular economy and sustainability. As emphasized in the description of its activities, the research projects are strongly linked to industrial implementation.
One cooperation model consists of publicly funded projects. SKZ carries out around 100 such projects every year, mainly together with companies. The institute states that it uses national, regional and EU support programs that make it possible to obtain grants for research activities. In practice, cooperation may include jointly defining a project, identifying the most promising funding sources, preparing the application and implementing the work.
The second form is the so-called enabler projects, meaning industry-financed contract research conducted within a cooperation network. According to SKZ, these projects are practical, innovative, technologically advanced and aligned with the current state of the art. The projects are carried out jointly with several companies, which share the costs among themselves. Due to the absence of public funding, the results remain exclusively available to the companies participating in the project.
The institute also conducts conventional contract research aimed at solving issues specific to a given company. In this model, the results are available exclusively to the commissioning company. The scope of such work includes, among other things, testing, market analyses and the search for solutions, feasibility studies, process integration, as well as process and product development.
Testing and product certification for international markets
As an independent and neutral testing laboratory, SKZ has been supporting the domestic and international plastics industry for more than 30 years. In the institute’s laboratories, various groups of products used around the home can be tested and certified, from roofing and sealing membranes, through pipe systems, fittings and taps, to window profiles and pet accessories. Testing is carried out in accordance with various test methods and may include, among others, ageing tests, fire tests, weathering and UV resistance tests, as well as mechanical tests.
SKZ emphasizes that certification of plastic products can support trust in products and facilitate gaining market share. The institute’s testing unit is accredited in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and DIN EN ISO/IEC 17065. The scope of services includes product testing, product monitoring, product certification, expert opinions and damage analysis.
