Last news about IDEKO.
The technology center approved its accounts for the past financial year on Friday at its annual General Assembly, where it also announced Rafael Lizarralde as Nerea Aranguren's successor as general manager.
IDEKO starts a new stage with a 7% increase in its income and 53% coming from R&D projects to improve and optimize the productivity of the business fabric. The remaining turnover, 47%, has been the result of its own research work.
A 7% increase in turnover, a 20% increase in the number of members and the achievement of research projects of high value for the industrial sector are some of the data and milestones that endorsed and consolidated IDEKO's growth in 2023.
The technology center, a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), presented its accounts for 2023 at its annual General Assembly on Friday 24th May: a total turnover of 11.1 M€, representing a 7% increase compared to 2022's 10.3 M€.
Of the income, 53% (5.9 M€) came from the private sector, from the transfer of R+D+i projects to improve and optimize the productivity and competitiveness of the industrial fabric and sectors such as aeronautics, energy or machine tools; and 47% (5.2 M€) from technological research and innovation work, to transfer the results of research to the company, divided between initiatives carried out with the support of programs of the Basque Government (23%), European institutions (20%) and the Spanish Government (4%).
European projects completed in 2023 such as InterQ, Serrano, Level-Up, Cogniplant or Fibremach, in which IDEKO has played an essential role in the development and optimization of technologies for a more digital and ecological industry in the transition towards zero-defect production.
IDEKO will present part of the results obtained in these initiatives at the next International Machine Tool Exhibition through different presentations in the program of talks at Innotech and also at its stand located in hall E15 in pavilion 1.
In addition, the technology center increased its revenue from technology
transfer to companies by 16% in 2023 with a high demand for precision
solutions, robotics, digitalization and Artificial Intelligence.
“Artificial Intelligence applied to manufacturing, precision machines and processes, simulation and digital twins, active and intelligent components, processes for parts and strategic sectors and robotics continue to be our main areas of research and are opening doors to new markets”, said Nerea Aranguren, general manager of IDEKO.
In this line, with the aim of continuing to promote R&D&I in advanced manufacturing, last year the research center invested 800,000 euros in new infrastructures and equipment. Of particular note is the start-up of a laboratory for the development of research projects in the field of precision, more specifically in artificial vision and non-destructive inspection technologies, and the provision of new equipment for the robotics laboratory.
2023 has also been a year in which IDEKO has promoted environmental sustainability. IDEKO has implemented significant improvements in the energy efficiency of its facilities, achieving a notable reduction in the environmental impact associated with its energy consumption. The organization has carried out an exhaustive calculation of the organizational carbon footprint, covering scopes 1, 2 and 3. This analysis has enabled it to identify opportunities for environmental improvement in its activities and to explore the circularity of materials. In the field of research and development and innovation for sustainability, IDEKO has stood out for its participation and leadership in projects focused on reducing vibrations, improving quality and increasing precision. The incorporation of digital technologies has been key, allowing the simulation and virtual optimization of machines and processes through digital twins, thus contributing to environmental efficiency in advanced manufacturing and in the machine tool industry.
Scientific and personal excellence
During 2023, the technology and research center also made a significant leap in terms of scientific excellence with 30 indexed publications and an increase of 16% compared to 2022, while the number of active patents remains at 39.
IDEKO also brought the most important metrology congress in Europe, the
3DMC, to the Basque Country for the first time from 26th to 28th September, in
collaboration with Tekniker, which attracted the world's
scientific-technological elite in this industrial field. And throughout the
year, its research staff was very active in disseminating information at
important forums specializing in the center’s main lines of research, such as
JEC World, CIRP and Euspen.
In terms of personnel, the number of IDEKO members grew by 20% in 2023 with 22 new members compared to 2022, while the total workforce stands at 133 people. To this figure must be added a team of 11 people working in the center's investee companies. In addition, important initiatives that contribute to work flexibility and the welfare of IDEKO's workers are maintained, such as the opening of offices in Zamudio and Zuatzu, the introduction of teleworking or collaboration with universities and academic institutions at national and international level in the field of training for master's degree and university degree students.
On the other hand, IDEKO has its own equality plan that ensures that all people who work at the center or aspire to work there have the same opportunities for recruitment, training and professional development.
Change of leadership
La Asamblea General también fue el escenario del anuncio oficial del relevo de Nerea Aranguren en la dirección del centro tecnológico a partir del 1 de agosto dando luz verde a una nueva etapa para IDEKO.
The General Assembly also served as the official stage for the announcement of Nerea Aranguren's replacement as head of the research center, effective August 1st, marking the beginning of a new era for IDEKO.
Rafael Lizarralde, currently Director of Technology Development and
Transfer at the technology center, will be the new General Manager, replacing
Aranguren, who will become the General Manager of Mondragon Corporation's
Machine Tool and Industrial Automation divisions: Danobatgroup and MIA.
Nerea's promotion to General Management is a recognition of excellent work. In the coming years IDEKO will focus on continuing the transfer of advanced technology to the industrial sector, with the aim of generating innovative solutions that boost business competitiveness and give rise to new products and lines of business.
The entity is committed to strengthening its position as a key strategic partner for industrial companies. This implies a constant effort to attract, develop and retain talent, with a broad industry and market perspective that facilitates the integration of new technologies into the business environment.
Thanks to digitalization and the implementation of cutting-edge technologies such as machine vision, robotics and data analysis, IDEKO is gaining ground in attracting the technical interest of the younger generation. The technologies under development are designed to be especially attractive to young talents currently in training, thus ensuring a promising future in the technological field. We want to give continuity to the work carried out at the people level, strengthen relations with the surrounding universities and reinforce our value proposition with new attractive working conditions such as multi-location or cross-stays", Lizarralde stressed.
With a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Navarra and a PhD from Mondragon Unibertsitatea in the development of a Model for the Evaluation and Selection of New Technologies in a Manufacturing Technology Centre, Lizarralde has spent more than 33 years of his professional career at IDEKO, where he joined in 1991 to carry out his final degree project.
Since then, he has held a variety of positions, ranging from research activity to the management of the mechanical engineering, research and technology development and transfer departments, a position he currently holds.
Always linked to the world of manufacturing, he is the coordinator of the Intelligent and Connected Machines node of the Basque Digital Innovation Hub (BDIH), and represents IDEKO in the scientific and market committees of BRTA, in forums and associations such as the Hegan aeronautical cluster, in national and international relations with relevant research bodies in the field of manufacturing, and in relations with strategic clients in relevant sectors such as aeronautics, capital goods, energy and railways.
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