SKZ model factory
Building bridges to the industrial future!
On May 25, 2020, construction began on the SKZ model factory – a flagship project with an impact far beyond the borders of Bavaria and Germany. The opening ceremony took place on November 9, 2022. The official move-in finally took place in February 2023.
In the industrial reality, manufacturing companies are mostly geared to deliver quality at low cost and high volumes. The processes are usually precisely organized and extremely stable. Thus, innovations often fall by the wayside in day-to-day business and there is little room for experiments. This applies above all to small and medium-sized companies, which strongly shape the plastics industry. Nevertheless, innovations are essential for future development and competitiveness as a fundamental component of economic growth.
“This is where the SKZ model factory comes into play: It connects the industrial and digital world to enable innovations in production, among other things. Concrete industrial tasks can be simulated here and tackled with a high level of expertise in an industry-oriented environment, away from series production. This creates space and time to test solutions and implement topics such as Industry 4.0 in a concrete way,” explains SKZ Managing Director Dr. Thomas Hochrein.
The new center, which was built in the immediate vicinity of the processing technology and the SKZ technology center in Würzburg, has over 4,600 m3 of usable space, with various sectors. Research areas such as additive manufacturing, injection molding, joining, gluing and surface technology or measuring and testing 4.0 (process measurement technology, non-destructive testing, component properties) are being advanced here. But activities in the areas of sustainability and circular economy, which are highly topical and have been promoted by the SKZ for many years, have also been further expanded. Cluster activities for technology transfer in the form of conferences, workshops or expert groups, as well as marketing, are also based in the model factory, thus enabling the transfer of innovative ideas into marketable innovations.
“Flexible open-space office environments improve cross-departmental and interdisciplinary collaboration. Short distances throughout the entire building increase mutual exchange and the efficiency of the SKZ as a service provider for medium-sized companies,” explains Dr. Johann Erath, project manager for the model factory. On the ground floor, there is also a daycare center for 15 children and a parent-child room to meet the flexible working world of tomorrow and the increasing demands for a better work-life balance. The SKZ is also leading the way here.
“The model factory has created the necessary know-how to ensure that Bavaria and Germany continue to occupy a leading position in the field of Industry 4.0 production,” says SKZ board chairman Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Bastian. ‘The model factory is a unique transfer center for research and development – here we show how tomorrow's work will be done,’ says Bastian.
SKZ locations
97076 Würzburg
Telefon: +49 931 4104-0
E-Mail: info@skz.de
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97082 Würzburg
Telefon: +49 931 4104-123
E-Mail: training@skz.de
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Köthener Str. 33a
06118 Halle (Saale)
Telefon: +49 345 53045-0
E-Mail: halle@skz.de
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Rauher Grund 9
72160 Horb am Neckar
Telefon: +49 7451 62457-0
E-Mail: horb@skz.de
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Woltorfer Str. 77, Halle G
31224 Peine
Telefon: +49 5171 48935
E-Mail: peine@skz.de
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Weißenbacher Str. 86
95100 Selb
Telefon: +49 9287 99880-0
E-Mail: ezd@skz.de
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Via Buonarotti 175
20900 Monza, Italy
Telefon: +39 039 281561
E-Mail: info@prochema.it
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Str. Iancu Jianu, nr. 26
500178 Braşov, Romania
Telefon: +40 268 412 559
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Muntazah Complex (Exit - 25)
Jebel Ali Village - Dubai (VAE)
Telefon: +971 4 8845001
E-Mail: info@skz-me.com
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SKZ – Welder Training Center
Frankfurter Straße 15-17
97082 Würzburg
SKZ – Technology Center
Friedrich-Bergius-Ring 22
97076 Würzburg
Tel. +49 931 4104-0
