SMART ENDORSED WITH THE “EUREKA CLUSTER APPLICANT LABEL”

AFM Cluster and Mondragon Corporation lead the startup of SMART

The new Eureka Cluster on Advanced Manufacturing is supported by 9 countries

First Call for projects planned for December 2017

SMART, the new EUREKA Cluster Program on Advanced Manufacturing has been granted the “Applicant Label” with the support from Czech R., Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and Turkey.

At present, more than 135 organisations distributed among 20 countries have expressed their interest in participating in future SMART projects. The promoting industry will keep working to get other relevant manufacturing countries to support SMART.

SMART is a new R&D&I program in advanced manufacturing that will allow the execution of international high TRL projects (close-to-market). SMART projects will be led by the industry and will have national funding once approved by EUREKA.

After the Applicant Label endorsement the SMART team (lead by AFM Advanced Manufacturing Technologies and Mondragon Corporation) will start creating the structure and instruments to operate the cluster and plans to launch its first Call for Projects in December 2017. SMART is open to the participation of any organisation involved in advanced manufacturing.

EUREKA is an intergovernmental Network established in 1985 with the aim to promote the competitiveness of European industry. It is an international technology cooperation platform that provides support to market-oriented R&D&I projects, facilitating access to national funding to participating organizations.

It is estimated that SMART projects will add up to 50 million euros per year. At least two companies of two different EUREKA countries must participate in these projects, that typically count with an average participation of 5 organizations from 3 different countries.

SMART project has been possible thanks to the Spanish Driving Team (Aernnova, Airbus, B/S/H, Ensa, Grupo Antolín, Idesa, Navantia and Royo Group), as well as CDTI, SPRI and INNOBASQUE.

NOTE 1/2017

For further information please contact:

AFM CLUSTER
María Ruiz-Lopetedi, Director of the Communication Department, maria.rlopetedi@afm.es, 943 309 009 / 679 979 083.

MONDRAGON
Javier Marcos, Director of the Communication Department jmarcos@mondragoncorporation.com 943 779 307 / 630 082 375

ABOUT AFM CLUSTER

AFM Cluster is the organisation that represents advanced manufacturing interests in Spain. It comprises four industrial associations and groups nearly 400 companies with more than 12,000 employees and invoicing of over 2.2 billion euros. From its headquarters in San Sebastian and its office in Tianjin, China, AFM Cluster works to promote internationalisation, industrial development, strategic positioning and capacity-building of personnel in its associated companies.

The four related and synergetic sectors which AFM Cluster serves are the following:

  • Machine tools and advanced manufacturing technologies. AFM-Advanced Manufacturing Technologies is the original association that lends its name to the Cluster. Founded more than 70 years ago, it now has nearly 130 members who supply industry with machine tools and other manufacturing equipment, accessory parts and cutting tools.
  • Additive manufacturing and 3D printing. ADDIMAT groups nearly 60 companies operating in this new sector, which has become increasingly important for the aerospace, biomedicine and automotive industries, among others.
  • Hand tools, hardware, and industrial supply. ESKUIN represents about 25 companies that make hand tools and hardware products in Spain in accordance with the highest quality and safety standards.
  • Machining and metalworking. AFMEC represents machining and metalworking enterprises throughout Spain and counts more than 180 member companies. Its aim is to publicise and service one of the country’s key industrial groupings.

ABOUT CORPORACIÓN MONDRAGÓN

MONDRAGON is one of the largest business groups in Spain. In 2016, the group’s revenues totalled about €12,000 million, while its staff comprised 73,635 workers. The 268 companies and cooperatives in the MONDRAGON Group operate in such sectors as the manufacturing industry, finance, and retail, carrying out initiatives in the fields of knowledge, innovation, education and the promotion of new businesses. In the area of innovation MONDRAGON integrates 15 R & D centers, it has a total of 461 patent families in force and employs 1921 full-time researchers.

 

SMART

Tel.: +34 943 309 009
info@smarteureka.com
www.smarteureka.com

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