Partners

Description of the company/institute: Private, independent and non-profit applied research centre of international excellence, employing 1,312 people (220 PhDs). TECNALIA is addressed by 7 business divisions, covering economic sectors of Energy, Industry, Transportation, Construction, Health and ICT. Industry and Transport Division is focused on the design, manufacturing, maintenance and end-of-life of industrial products and services, in the following strategic sectors: foundry and steelmaking, machine-tool, automotive, aerospace, aeronautics, railway, construction, de-manufacturing and food industry.

Role in DigiPrime: Mainly involved as Pilot provider in the Sector of Plastics and composites designing, testing and implementing value-added services focused on assisting decision making at the most critical stages or processes in the recycling of composites. Specifically, TECNALIA is working on the development of a digital twin of the compounding process and decision support services along the value chain for the treatment of composite waste.

Nationality: Spanish
Website: www.tecnalia.com
Contact:
mikel.nino@tecnalia.com
sergio.gil@tecnalia.com
begona.canflanca@tecnalia.com

Description of the company/institute: Envirobat España is an SME specialized in the managment of all type of spent batteries, including the withdrawal of OEM products.

We carry out different types of environmental studies, recovery and recycling of materials, with qualified personnel and experience in the waste sector. We work with the most important national producers, as well as with the main Compliance Schemes both national and European. We are members of the European Battery Recycling Association (EBRA), Entrepenurial Association of Batteries and Energy Storage Systems (AEPIBAL) and the Spanish Technological Platform of Batteries (BatteryPlat).

Role in DigiPrime: The main contribution of Envirobat España in Digiprime Project is to provide real data obtained by battery dismantling and testing. 

Nationality: Spain
Website: http://envirobatespana.com/
Contact: jm.perez@envirobat.es

VELTHA is an International Research Association based in Belgium, developing Research in the field of Sustainable Development and Circular Economy. The Associations chairs “Screen-lab, the Policy Lab for a Europe made by Circular Regions www.screen-lab.eu ” a think tank open to all regional stakeholders willing to co-create and implement policies enabling EU industry, SMEs and citizens to adopt a circular sustainable approach.

Veltha successfully participated in FP7 and H2020 projects and has strong skills in definition of value chains, synergies between different funds, project management, dissemination activities and preparation of the plans for the exploitation of the research results, including the management of IPR issues. Veltha promoted and managed the H2020 Project SCREEN (Synergic CiRcular Economy across European regioNs), in which 17 EU regions co-created and validated methodologies and tools to identify and exploit new value chains at regional and cross-regional level. Some of such methodologies are the basis of the service that are going to be implemented in the DigiPrime Platform

Role in DigiPrime: Veltha is leader of WP8 “Ecosystem building and open calls”, dedicated to the creation of an ecosystem with representatives of all the different stakeholders interested in the DigiPrime platform, that will register and become its first adopters. The ecosystem will be also the first environment target to spread the announcements of the two Open Calls the project will launch. Veltha also plays the role of product manager for the 3 services that are developed in T3.6, T3.7 and T3.9 and leads Pilot 5 , expected to involve 25 Regions and 150 companies. 

Nationality: Belgium
Website: www.veltha.eu
Contact: silvia.giannisi@veltha.eu

Description of the company/institute: IDEA Consult is a private research-based consultancy company, founded in 1998 and located in Brussels. 

IDEA Consult provides research-based consulting, where economic analyses are translated into policy advice and strategy development. All IDEA Consult experts have a strong academic and research background in a wide span of disciplines, ranging from economics and sociology, to engineering and environmental sciences. The majority of the consultants have several years of experience in both applied research and consulting, where virtually one quarter of the personnel has obtained a PhD, and all other consultants hold at least a master’s degree.  

IDEA Consult carries out policy relevant research and analysis and provides specific advice and strategic planning services, as well as monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment. IDEA Consult conducts research and provides policy relevant advice to international governments and institutions (such as the European Commission, the OECD, and the World Bank), federal, regional and local governments, intermediary organisations, and companies. Our knowledge areas include:

• Innovation, Competitiveness and Sustainability
• Labour market and social-economic policy
• Regional and urban development
• Real estate and territorial development

 IDEA Consult offers a wide array of services and expertise in the field of national and international research and innovation policy. These vary from (applied) research assignments to the involvement and support of strategic policy development processes in the areas or research and innovation. IDEA Consult has built up its knowledge and expertise around each of the stages of the ‘policy programming cycle’. We have developed a strong (working) knowledge of the European Framework Programmes for research and development, the European Research Area, Key Enabling Technologies, value chain analysis and smart specialisation strategies. 

Role in DigiPrime: IDEA Consult is a partner of the project and IDEA Consult will lead together with Politenico di Milano the development of the sixth pilot on “Circular innovation hubs integration” where supply services for circular economy projects will be merged. IDEA Consult also manages the Open Calls and co-designed the Circular innovation hubs integration service.

Nationality: Belgium
Website: www.ideaconsult.be
Contact: info@ideaconsult.be / vincent.duchene@ideaconsult.be 

Description of the institute: The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) (www.kit.edu) is a higher education and research organization with about 9,300 employees, 25,100 students, and a total annual budget of about 900 million Euros.

The Institute of Production Science (wbk) (www.wbk.kit.edu) is part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and has a staff of about 100 employees consisting of about 70 Ph. D. students. The wbk consists of three sections: Manufacturing and Material Engineering, Machines, Equipment and Process Automation and Production Systems.

Role in DigiPrime: The wbk Institute of Production Science has a broad experience in global production management and sustainable manufacturing through various research work. Within DigiPrime, it takes one of the leading roles regarding the scientific context and leads WP 3.

Nationality: German
Website: http://www.kit.edu/ | http://www.wbk.kit.edu/
Contact: Gisela.Lanza@kit.edu

Description of the company/institute: SimPlan AG is a company focused on digital twins and simulation models for different kind of industries and applications. SimPlan offers simulation studies, simulation software, applications for manufacturing systems control as part of MES systems as well as support, maintenance, training, and consultancy services in these fields. Major sectors served are automotive, chemical, intralogistics, semiconductor, transportation and machinery. SimPlan has affiliated companies in Austria, China, and Germany. With an annual turnover of about 16.5 M€ and more than 120 employees (2019, Group), SimPlan is a typical SME offering innovative and high-quality jobs for computer scientists, engineers and natural scientists. Since its foundation in 1992 SimPlan has conducted more than 1,200 projects in industry, with about half of these projects including research content. SimPlan is continuously developing software applications in the field of simulation and has experience in participating in research projects on European, national, and regional level. SimPlan owns a broad knowledge in the field of discrete-event simulation, agent-based simulation, virtual commissioning (emulation), digital twinning, and in various optimization approaches. Two focus points for current research activities are the integration of machine learning approaches with existing simulation and optimization software, and the improvement and sustainable deployment of digital twins.

Role in DigiPrime: SimPlan is leading a task on demand and supply forecast and is involved in the task on creating digital twins for circular economy processes. In this context, SimPlans focus in DigiPrime is on modelling twins for whole circular value chains exploiting supply chain simulation as well as value stream mapping and simulation.

Nationality: German
Website: www.SimPlan.de
Contact: sven.spieckermann@simplan.de

Description of the company/institute: flexis AG specializes in flexible information systems for supply chain management. With more than 20 years of experience in providing standardized software modules, the company offers customized solutions based on secure and proven modules. With seven locations worldwide, flexis AG is globally networked and acts as a close partner and support service provider for over 1,000 satisfied users, even after successful implementation. The focus of flexis is always on the customer’s continuous improvement process.
flexis’ Supply Chain Solutions are based on the flexis HYBRID Architecture. flexis’ modular, customizable solution modules, unique software technology, and numerous other services power intelligent ways to optimize processes – for a wide range of industries with national or international networks.
The primary goal of flexis is to create real added value together with our customers. flexis maintains long-term and trusting business relationships with customers and partners and contributes to their success with a deep understanding of the process world across multiple industries.

Role in DigiPrime: flexis will develop a software supporting production planning and control in circular value-chains, able to match the value stream of the production system with the de- and remanufacturing system implications. Challenging factors, such as the high volatility of the returned cores, the non-deterministic production process due to products state variability, and the uncertain demand from the aftermarket will be analysed and included in the planning.

Nationality: German
Website: https://www.flexis.com/
Contact: hansjoerg.tutsch@flexis.com

Description of the company/institute: C-ECO is a german-based service and consulting company developing business models for circular economy. By using digital technologies and operating a global network for reverse logistics and evaluation of used parts, the company offers all services for the circular economy from one single source. 30 employees with over 160 years of experience in remanufacturing industry ensure that circular products reach their full potential.

For the handling of used parts (cores) in the automotive aftermarket, C-ECO uses their established core management system CoremanNet. Every year, three million used parts are collected, run through a technical and commercial condition check, sorted, stored and are provided to our customers as the key resource for industrial remanufacturing. CoremanNet’s global network has more than 20 inspection centers on four continents.

Role in DigiPrime: C-ECO is the workpackage-leader for WP6 “Pilot Demonstration”. In WP 3/4 C-ECO is developing together with other partners digital-services to overcome information-asymmetry along the reverse-supply-chain to the benefit of optimized reman-production and reverse logistics. The CoremanNet infrastructure will be used within the project to demonstrate developments and services.

Nationality: German
Website: www.c-eco.com
Contact: Horizon2020@c-eco.com 

Description of the company/institute: EDAG Engineering GmbH is an automotive engineering specialist for vehicle development and plant realisation. More than 8.000 employees working for EDAG at 70 worldwide locations in all important international automotive markets. EDAG is the global leading independent engineering partner of the international mobility industry. Headquarter is in Wiesbaden/Germany. EDAG develops production-ready solutions for the areas automobile in high and low volume production, commercial vehicles and motorbikes. The range of services covers the entire supply chain, from the development process for vehicles and modules through to plant construction and low-volume production. 

Role in DigiPrime: EDAG represents the automotive sector in the cross-sectorial setup of value chains followed in this project. 

For this, EDAG provides a strong initial support in defining the specific requirements for the digital platform and in identifying possible future industrial scenarios for sustainable circular value networks. The main activity is testing and demonstrating the developed services within the framework of the pilots 1, 3 and 4. Looking at the manufacturing plants, scenarios for integration the reverse material flow are highly promising. Here, EDAG also supports the other partners with the identification of possible weak points, barriers and also improvement measures.

Nationality: Germany

Website: www.edag.com 

Contact: Silvestro.zammataro@edag.com

Description of the company/institute: The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 400,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2019). Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT provider, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, Industry 4.0, and connected mobility. Bosch is pursuing a vision of mobility that is sustainable, safe, and exciting. The Automotive Aftermarket division (AA) is part of the Mobility Solutions sector and provides the aftermarket and repair shops worldwide with modern diagnostic and repair shop equipment and a wide range of spare parts – from new and exchange parts to repair solutions – for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Its product portfolio includes products made as Bosch original equipment, as well as aftermarket products and services developed and manufactured in-house. About 14,000 associates in more than 150 countries, as well as a global logistics network, ensure that spare parts reach customers quickly and on time. The Bosch Electronic Service focuses on remanufacturing and repairing electronic components.

Role in DigiPrime: The Bosch Automotive Aftermarket division and specific the Bosch Electronic Service is mainly involved as pilot provider in the sector mechatronics and electronics, in Task 6.2 “Pilot 2: Mechatronics and electronics”. For this, they initially provide support in WP1 to define the specific requirements for the digital platform and in identifying possible future industrial scenarios. Their main activity is the testing and demonstration of the developed services within the framework of the pilots. Here they also support DigiPrime project by identifying possible weak points and by implementing improvement measures.

Furthermore, Bosch will support Task 3.5 “Sustainable value network and reverse logistics configuration” to develop a high-level simulation-optimization model to define the best reverse logistics configuration in order to maximize the economic and environmental performance of the cross-sectorial value-chain.

Nationality: German

Website: https://www.bosch-repair-service.com/de/willkommen/

https://www.boschaftermarket.com/de/de/index

Contact: Andreas.wenda@de.bosch.com

                      Viviane.burger@de.bosch.com

Description of the company/institute: INOTEX spol. s r.o. (Ltd) is a  small  private  technological  research,  innovation  and  technology  transfer  company specialised in wet processing of textiles, (multi)functional textile developments using new processing methods. 

The key strategy is to support implementation and transfer of the tailor-made research and technological development results into the practice by use of the own pilot production capacities (speciality chemicals and textile auxiliary agents production, low batch finishing and coating of textiles, special devices and instruments production). 

Role in DigiPrime: Inotex participates in the development of a service dedicated to Material Testing and Certification and in the Textile Pilot aiming to demonstrate the efficacy of DigiPrime’s platform and services and to support their use by textile companies.

Nationality: Czech Republic
Website: www.inotex.cz 
Contact: chybova@inotex.cz 

Description of the company/institute: SZTAKI (http://www.sztaki.hu) has gained a worldwide reputation in computer science, informatics, control, discrete mathematics, robotics, advanced information systems and networking. SZTAKI also performs technology transfer to the Hungarian industry and service sectors including SMEs.

The researchers involved in this project are members of the Engineering and Management Intelligence Laboratory (EMI) of the institute. SZTAKI EMI has a long-standing and continuous interest in models and solution methods for handling complex production, energy and business systems operating in uncertain, changing environments, with special emphasis on optimization, simulation, planning, scheduling, and cooperative networking.

Role in DigiPrime: SZTAKI is the leader of Workpackage 4 and the assignee of task T4.2 “Artificial Intelligence for prediction of product conditions”.

Nationality: Hungary
Website:
www.sztaki.hu/en
www.sztaki.hu/en/science/departments/emi

Contact:

gianfranco.pedone@sztaki.hu
richard.beregi@sztaki.hu

Description of the company/institute: Netcompany-Intrasoft is a leading European IT Solutions and Services Group with strong international presence and expertise, offering innovative and added-value solutions of the highest quality to a wide range of international and national public and private organizations. As of November 2021, Netcompany-Intrasoft became a member of the Netcompany Group, a Denmark located IT company founded in 2000. Netcompany is the fastest growing and most successful IT services company in the Nordics, owning vast technology experience and deep industry-specific knowledge, creating innovative solutions tailored to meet business goals.

Netcompany-Intrasoft employs more than 2,800 highly skilled professionals, representing over 50 different nationalities and mastering more than 30 languages. With headquarters in Luxembourg, Netcompany-Intrasoft operates through its operational branches, subsidiaries and offices in 13 countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Jordan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Romania, RSA, UK, UAE and USA.

More than 500 organizations in over 70 countries worldwide (Institutions and Agencies of the European Union, National Government Organizations, Public Agencies, Financial Institutions, Telecommunication Organizations, and Private Enterprises) have chosen the company’s services and solutions to fulfil their business needs.

Netcompany-Intrasoft’s expertise and strength lies in its proven capacity and successful track record in undertaking and delivering, complex, mission – critical projects. Netcompany-Intrasoft’s professionals have developed the ability to combine their technical expertise with thorough understanding of each customer’s individual business needs.

Role in DigiPrime: Netcompany-Intrasoft is responsible for the development of the project’s Data Traceability Services, as well as its Data Policy Framework. Both services rely on distributed ledger technologies to ensure data traceability and secure data exchanges in accordance with EU regulation. The same partner has also substantial contribution in DigiPrime’s platform architecture design and open-calls management. Last but not least, Netcompany-Intrasoft leads the task of the project’s Standardization activities.

Nationality: Luxemburg
Website: https://www.netcompany-intrasoft.com/  (Netcompany – Intrasoft)
https://www.netcompany.com/int (Parent Netcompany Group)

Contact:
john.soldatos@netcompany-intrasoft.com

Description of the company/institute: NTUA is the most prestigious and competitive academic institution for technical education in Greece. The DSSLab is a multidisciplinary scientific unit which conducts R&D, scientific/technical support and training activities addressing a wide range of complex research and application problems, indicatively including IT and DSS, Interoperability, Program & Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Training and Human Resources Development, Information Dissemination and Promotion, Energy and Environmental Policy.

Role in DigiPrime: NTUA leads the initial DigiPrime pilots’ analysis, as well as of the analysis of the related KPIs. NTUA also oversees the formalisation of the DigiPrime use cases, requirements, and generalisation to future industrial scenarios. Additionally, NTUA actively participates in the software/technical testing activities of the project.

Nationality: Greece
Website: www.epu.ntua.gr

Contact: digiprime@epu.ntua.gr 

Description of the company/institute: Atlantis Engineering is an ICT SME with a long-standing experience in offering services and bespoke products to the manufacturing industry, with emphasis on the decision support for the management and optimisation of production activities and assets’ life-cycle, and on the streamlining of various asset lifecycle management related processes (including predictive/condition-based monitoring). The company supports the clients in understanding and prioritising the manufacturing route through the implementation of an in-house developed CMMS. Atlantis is certified for quality management (EN ISO 9001:2008).

Role in DigiPrime: Atlantis is service developer that will provide its techno-logical innovations in decision-support and work on design, development and implementation of an Decision Support System for Circular Economy (DSS-DC) to define the best circular economy strategy under specific post-use product conditions.

Nationality: Greece
Website: https://atlantis-engineering.com/ 

Contact: milenkovic@abe.gr