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B. Braun and University of Kassel enter into strategic partnership
University President Prof. Dr. Postlep emphasized: "Cooperations with innovative companies like B. Braun strengthen our university, because the companies bring current research questions to our scientists. The subsequent application of the results provides additional impetus for research and teaching." The cooperation focuses on research and development, human resources development and the promotion of young scientists. A central new joint project is the Plastics Processing Application Center on the university's premises. Furthermore, the cooperation has already been strengthened by the participation of B. Braun Melsungen AG in an endowed professorship as part of the UNIKIMS Management School. This has contributed significantly to the introduction of the part-time MBA General Management master's degree program in the coming winter semester. The scholarships financed by the Otto Braun Fund will continue to be a very important component in the promotion of young talent at the University of Kassel.
New application center for plastics
The establishment of a joint Plastics Processing Application Center is a key element of the cooperation. Investments totaling up to 2.6 million euros are planned until 2015.
"Plastics are an important material for B. Braun. As a manufacturer of medical devices, we place high demands on the quality and properties of plastics on the one hand, and on the other hand we have a great deal of experience in processing them," says Prof. Dr. Große. "The collaboration with the University of Kassel is an important step for innovation in this field."
"Thanks in part to a DFG-funded collaborative research center, materials engineering is one of the University of Kassel's key areas of expertise and future potential," said Prof. Postlep. "With the application center, we are entering into a strategic partnership with B. Braun that will further raise this profile."
Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Heim, head of the Department of Plastics Engineering at the University of Kassel, will be the scientific director of the new center. The aim of the application center is to link scientific research in the field of plastics processing with manufacturing applied in practice in medical technology. This includes, for example, the upscaling of laboratory tests and the optimization of processing methods. The cooperation is open to collaboration with other companies. The new center began work in January 2013, with trial operations starting in the fall.
The application center will be set up in the Engineering Sciences I building at Kassel University. The university is providing more than 300 square meters of space for it and will invest around 200,000 euros in infrastructure. B. Braun will be responsible for equipping the laboratories and will invest up to 1.5 million euros over two years. In addition, the company has pledged research and development contracts worth €300,000 per year for the years 2013 to 2015. Projects planned include process optimization (injection molding and extrusion), integration of new manufacturing processes (silicone injection molding), material development (active ingredient incorporation), special injection molding processes (multi-component technology) and quality assurance (manufacturing).
Information can be found at
www.uni-kassel.de/maschinenbau/institute/institut-fuer-werkstofftechnik
Info
Dr. Karl Guido Rijkhoek
University of Kassel
Head of Communications, Press and Public Relations
Tel. 05 61 804-2217
E-mail: rijkhoek[at]uni-kassel[dot]de
Mechthild Claes
B. Braun Melsungen AG
Staff Department Corporate Communications and Knowledge Management
Tel. 0 56 61 71-16 35
E-mail: mechthild.claes[at]bbraun[dot]com