The role of a technological development center lessons

The role of a technological development center: lessons for success María del Pilar Noriega, Ph. D. – Technical Director Dr. -Ing. Alberto Naranjo – General Director STI Global Forum, Washington, February 14 th, 2007 Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

ICIPC Background Ø On April 21, 1987, the "Foundation Rubber and Plastic Institute for Training and Research - "ICIPC" was founded as a nonprofit organization aimed at meeting the increase in competitiveness, productivity, quality of products and innovation of the industrial sector of plastics and rubber in Colombia. Ø The opening date for February 22 nd, 1993. activities Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho was

ICIPC Background Ø Its three founder members are the following Colombian organizations: The EAFIT UNIVERSITY, the Colombian Association of Plastic Industries, ACOPLASTICOS; and the Colombian plastic company, FORMACOL. Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

MISSION Short Statement Converting knowledge in wealth Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

ICIPC Driving Strategy Innovation in products and services of high added value in materials science, plastic products and polymer processing. Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

ICIPC Services Ø Formal education (M. Sc. Program with EAFIT University) and training (In house courses and seminars for the industry). Ph. D. Program currently in evaluation by ICFES. Ø Specialized consulting and technical advice Ø Lab testing and analysis Ø Projects of applied research (R&D) and technological development. Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Quality Assurance ISO 9001/2000 for all the services of the institute ISO 17025 for Lab Testing Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

ICIPC Resources Ø Technical Division: 13 Laboratories: highly qualified professionals (Specialists, M. Sc. And Ph. D. ) Ø Management Division: 7 professionals and support personnel Ø Intranet, PCs, workstations, specialized software, support library, specialized data bases, etc. Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

National Network U. P. B. CIDI Universidad EAFIT U. de A. Dpto. de Química ICIPC Universidad Nacional Medellín Universidad de los Andes SENA RCT COLCIENCIAS CTA PROANTIOQUIA ACOPLASTICOS Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

International Network USA GERMANY IKV IKT DIK Univ. de Wisconsin VDI ITALY ASSOCOMAPLAST Madison Group ECUADOR ASEPLAS ICIPC SPAIN CIDAUT Univ. del País Vasco Instituto de Nuevos Materiales CYTED Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Research Fields and Funding Ø Characterization and Ø Ø modification of polymer materials Product design Polymer processing Modelling and simulation in polymer processing Biodegradable polymer materials (new field) Ø Selling services to the industries of the plastics and rubber sector in Colombia and neighbor countries Ø Research grants from Colciencias and Sena in Colombia Ø International research grants: VW foundation, Cyted, etc. Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Research Fields and Funding Ø Since 1988 support is being received from GTZ, a German Technological Cooperation Society and later on, since 1996, from the Colombian government through COLCIENCIAS and SENA in projects of applied research, technology transfer and product development. Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Decisionmaking on Research Orientations and Services Ø Demand driven research and services: inputs from the companies, from the founder members, from the industrial associations, from the public sector, from pair institutes, etc. Ø ICIPC driven research and services: inputs from the strategic plan of the institute, from the state of the art searches, from the national and international networks, from visits to national and international technical fairs and specialized seminars or conferences, etc. Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

ICIPC driven research and services Patents P: in process - A: aproved - N: denied Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

ICIPC driven research and services Patents P: in process - A: aproved - N: denied Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

ICIPC driven research and services Trademarks P: in process - A: approved - N: denied Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Demand driven research and services Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Technology transfer to SMEs and big companies By means of the successful use of the international patents system and specialized data bases ( uspto, esp@cenet, PAJ, Science Direct, Dialog, etc. ), ICIPC has transfered know-how to the companies of the plastics and rubber sector in Colombia and neighbor countries for: Innovation in products and processes Technology transfer Technical monitoring of a specific industrial segment, process or product Ø State of the art in technology, products and processes Ø Ø Ø Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Evolution of CDTs (Technological Development Centers) in Colombia Action scenarios CDT Infrastructure resources CGT Source: COLCIENCIAS Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Evolution of CDTs (Technological Development Centers) in Colombia Strategic Position Infrastructure Resources Management Services Source: Colciencias Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Main learned lessons from a technological development center Ø Specialized competences (high level of Ø Ø education and skills of the researchers: M. Sc. And Ph. D. ) in a specific technological field are required, in our case, polymer materials and processing. Very close relationship to the industry, that the center attends, is necessary for success and for matching the supply and the demand. Portfolio equilibrium between applied research and technology transfer services for the companies is required. Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Main learned lessons from a technological development center Ø In situ infrastructure resources are very important for a center and key for knowledge generation. Ø In situ high qualified personnel is key for success and for guaranteeing confidentiality that the industry requires. the The profile of an employee at ICIPC: researcher (M. Sc. or Ph. D. ) + professor + consultant + social and marketing skills. Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Main learned lessons from a technological development center Ø National Ø Ø Ø and international networks in operation are extremely important: “win-win” clear agreements. Avoid “discovering the wheel” by doing state of the art searches prior to any research or technological service. Focused portfolio to avoid dispersed activities (driven by financial needs) A technological development center is a “technological based company”: on time delivery of products, quality control, contracts, customer satisfaction, among others, are required. Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

National and International Recognitions Ø ICIPC has a research group of “A” category in Colciencias (Colombian Institute for Science and Technology) Ø ICIPC together with Acoplásticos has become a study case at the Harvard business school (Nº N 9 -703 -437, 2003) Ø The GTZ (German Technological Cooperation Society) presented ICIPC as a successful case, in its publication of February 2003 “ICIPC – An example of successful cooperation between the industry and the science” Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho

Thank you ! Questions ICIPC headquarters in Medellín, Colombia Carrera 49 No. 5 Sur – 190 Medellín www. icipc. org Instituto de Capacitación e Investigación del Plástico y del Caucho