Last news about IDEKO.
Turnover from projects transferring technology to the market accounted for 45% of the total last year
Staff numbers at the technology centre at the year end stood at 121, of whom 26% hold a PhD
The company also obtained the certificate accrediting the excellence of its R+D+i management model, one of the requirements that Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network (RVCTI) technology centres have to comply with in 2020
IK4-IDEKO the Basque technology centre specialising in Advanced Manufacturing, earned 10.2 million euros in 2018, and increase of 7.3% over the 9.5 million euros recorded in the previous year and consolidated its activity in the private sector, which is the source of almost half its turnover.
Of the revenue obtained last year, 55% came from R+D+i projects linked to programs promoted by various European, government and Basque institutions, while the remaining 45% came from technology transfer to the private sector, a datum highlighting the firm's closeness to the reality faced by companies.
“The results reflect our continuing support for the transfer of high added value technology to companies, and our commitment to being an ally that the industrial fabric needs to remain at the forefront of innovation and boost competitiveness”, said the managing director of IK4-IDEKO, Nerea Aranguren.
The company, which approved its annual accounts during the General Assembly held last 3. May in Elgoibar, also earned more than 9 million euros in orders and worked with 74 firms last year, of which 26 were new customers.
In the area of R+D+i, the company worked on 92 specialist projects, of which 29 are new, and took part in 163 transfer projects, with 64 being launched in 2018. Meanwhile, in the scientific production area, the company has 27 active patents and has applied for approval of 4 new ones at the close of the year. In addition, the technology centre was very active in the information field with 21 indexed publications and various articles presented at international conferences and several technical information articles.
The staff at the technology centre increased by 13 new posts to 121 people in 2018, of which 26% hold a PhD. In future, there will be 7 more additions of professionals who are currently studying for their PhD.
Commitment to excellence
Last year, IK4-IDEKO obtained a certificate accrediting the excellence of its R+D+i management model and later transfer to the market. The company successfully fulfilled the requirement in regulation UNE 166002:2014, confirming the quality and robustness of its innovation system. Obtaining this certificate is one of the demands that all technology centres in the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network (RVCTI) must comply with in 2020.
The competitive intelligence software, INNGUMA, developed by the technology centre, was a key element in obtaining the certificate.
Another item in the company's activities last year, and which will continue in the future, is engaging in setting up strategic alliances with other leading research centres working in industrial manufacturing. Important among these alliances is the collaboration agreement with the University of Bremen in developing innovative solutions in grinding, which takes place within the Digital Grinding Innovation Hub, the area at IK4_IDEKO engaged in research and development of innovative solutions in digitalization and industrial grinding.
The technology centre also has agreements with the ETH Zurich to further research into the thermal behaviour of machines, as well as the universities of Waterloo and Budapest in dynamic control of machines and modelling machining processes.
“We support setting up alliances as a strategic element in our research work, and we base ourselves on the principles of open innovation, which goes beyond carrying out occasional projects and proposes stable collaboration to advance robust and effective R+D+i”, says Aranguren.
In harmony with the BRTA
Centred on research and development of solutions aimed at industrial manufacturing, IDEKO is one of the technology centres forming part of the new Consorcio Científico-Tecnológico Vasco/Basque Research Technology Alliance (BRTA).
This new organisation will enable work to continue in increasing competitiveness in the Basque production fabric and promote cooperation as a response to the technological and industrial challenges of the future.
“The principles of cooperation and strengthening the position of the Basque Country as one of the high-innovation regions in the European Union that uphold the creation of the BRTA are in complete harmony with our strategic objectives, aimed at generating scientific and technological knowledge to develop manufacturing solutions that contribute to the competitiveness of the industry”, concludes Aranguren.
About IK4-IDEKO
The Basque technology centre, IK4-IDEKO has a track record of 30 years in the field of research, development and innovation of new technology applied to industrial manufacturing and production.
Founded to respond to the challenges posed by the high technological requirements of the machine tool companies in the Mondragon Corporation, at present it has over 100 researchers and a portfolio of more than 50 customers a year.
Its R+D+i activity is aimed at providing innovative solutions that contribute to the competitiveness of the company fabric and revolves around 4 research groups: Dynamics and Control, Manufacturing Processes, ICTs and Automation and Design and Precision Engineering
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