"In the region of Aachen a worldwide unique concentration of plastics-know-how has been established.

Facts about the ""Plastic-Innovation-Centre Aachen"":

• Four highly qualified institutes carrying out practical orientated projects of sientific interest apart from basic research. Because of the scientific approach the institutes are not in direct competition with the companies participating on the free market, but they complement one another.

• An educational concept not only bringing forth technical experienced young people, but also supporting engineers (Technische Hochschule/University of Technoloy and Fachhochschule/technical college) and technical staff in the sphere of crafts by the ability and readiness to found own companies.

• An bilateral interchange of information between the institutes and the companies.

• At present about 20 highly qualified companies serving interesting market segments successfully have themselves organised in the INTRA e.V. in order to represent a direct contact as network of Aachen's companies. These companies are a part of the approximately 60 spin-off-companies of IKV. This organisation is completed by the mould and machine manufacturer dfm in Düren.

The innovation centre for plastics offers mutual project revisions of industry and craft in cooperation with institutes of university, in which both the simulation and the practical convert can take place. Because of this network's new methods, machines and materials are permenantly arising which will create further numerous high-tech-jobs.

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