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PROJECT SYNOPSES
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Introduction
‘Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the DNA of the European economy. They are the basis of our future growth and
prosperity. Why? Because, in Europe, that growth and prosperity must be based on knowledge and it is SMEs that are most capable of
turning knowledge into growth, of turning bright ideas into commercial success, of turning research into rewards. That is why they are
the essential catalyst in what we call the Lisbon agenda.’
Commissioner Potocnik
The European single market has opened up new markets for all firms, which Research for SMEs supports small groups of innovative SMEs in solving
means that competition is becoming increasingly stiff. In a globalising world, technological problems and acquiring technological know-how. Projects must
innovation has become the fastest way to conquer new markets, and to maintain fit into the overall business and innovation needs of the SMEs, which are given
existing ones. As a result, SMEs increasingly need to acquire new knowledge, to the opportunity to subcontract research to RTD performers in order to acquire
innovate and to internationalise their network of business partners. the necessary technological knowledge. Projects must render clear exploitation
potential and economic benefits for the SMEs involved.
Yet in today’s world, these activities are becoming increasingly specialised
and costly. This publication presents the achievements of 20 Co-operative research (now
Research for SMEs) projects completed under the Sixth Framework Programme
That is why the European Union is encouraging SMEs to participate in its (2002-2006). In total, these projects involve more than 200 SMEs. They
Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (RTD), illustrate the richness and diversity of the results that SMEs can obtain from EU
which is an excellent instrument to realise all these objectives at the same time. research projects and show how SMEs with little or no research capacity can
benefit from the Research for SMEs scheme.
The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) provides financial support for
transnational research for and by SMEs wishing to innovate and improve their Besides the SME specific instruments, research-performing SMEs with their own
competitiveness, by enhancing their investment in research activities to acquire research capacity can benefit from support in three major ways:
new knowledge for growth in Europe’s knowledge-based economy.
n Cooperation Programme
To encourage more SMEs to take part in the EU’s RTD Programmes, special n People Programme - Marie Curie Industry Academia
instruments have been developed for SMEs. Partnerships and Pathways (IAPP)
n Eurostars.
For a practical guide see the SME Techweb (http://ec.europa.eu/research/
sme-techweb) which will take you through the possibilities step by step. Further information on FP7 can be found on the following dedicated sites:
Under the current FP7 (2007-2013) there are two dedicated initiatives to n SME Techweb (http://ec.europa.eu/research/sme-techweb)
strengthen the innovation capacities of SMEs by providing the support they n www.ec.europa.eu/research/fp7
need to outsource research which is critical to their core business: n www.cordis.europa.eu/fp7.
Index
ICT & Electronics/Tourism
The project partners successfully developed Meanwhile, people working in the tourist
a prototype system, at the heart of which is industry checked out the professional
the Professional Mobile Workspace (PMW). workspace of the system. Among other
Through this, tour guides at the destination things, they were asked to check the data of
can provide a range of services to travellers, an arriving group of travellers, manage an ad
interact electronically with their back office hoc change, obtain information on a tourist
and access information on arrivals, flights attraction and find out about travel options
and accommodation, for example. for getting there, send a text message to Saint Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest.
group members telling them when and
Meanwhile, SMEs at the destination, where to meet, and make a complaint about
such as restaurants, event organisers and a hotel room.
tourist attractions can use the platform
Acronym: ALADDIN
as a marketing channel to offer services The testers rated the performance of the
and provide information to travellers in an system highly, and described the functions Full Title: Mobile Destination-Management
attractive and accessible manner. offered as desirable and helpful. According for SMEs
to the testers, the most important points Contract number: 17566
Twinned with the professional workspace concerning the information provided by the Call: FP6-2003-SME-1
is the ‘Mobile Travel Environment’ (MTE), system are its overall quality and whether or Starting Date: 01/08/2005
which is designed for travellers. In the MTE, not it is up to date.
Duration (months): 24
travellers can set up a profile so that they
receive information of interest about their Business benefits Total cost: € 1 800 768
destination. The application, which can be EC Contribution: € 1 299 200
accessed via the Internet and mobile phones, Even though the ALADDIN system is still in
also allows the traveller to search for points of the prototype stage, the project has brought Contact Person: Frank Schröder
interest in the destination and check out any about a number of benefits for the partners. ISO Software Systeme GmbH
special offers. In addition to this, the system For the technological SMEs in the project, the
E-mail: frank.schroeder@isoGmbH.de
has a map facility; if the phone also has a tools and software developed by ALADDIN
global positioning system (GPS) function, will help them to stay at the forefront of Tel. +49 698007100
automatic positioning can be triggered. new developments in their areas (mobile
business, tour operator software, etc.) Partners:
The prototype system underwent extensive 1 ISO Software Systeme GmbH (DE)
testing in three locations: Wildschönau For the SMEs that plan to use the service 2 Yellowmap AG (DE)
(Austria), Budapest (Hungary) and once it is commercialised, the system
3 Language Technology Centre Ltd (UK)
Stockholm (Sweden). During these trials, will help them to offer a better, more
participants acting as tourists were asked personalised service to customers and 4 Universitaet Stuttgart (DE)
to set up a profile, find and book a place make life easier for tour guides. 5 University of St Gallen (CH)
on a guided tour, find a tourist attraction, 6 Incoming Tourism Scandinavia ITS AB (SE)
navigate their way to certain locations, find All SMEs have benefited from an increased 7 University of Pannonia (HU)
and reserve a table in a restaurant and understanding of the potential of mobile devic- 8 Atlasz World Travel Idegenforgalmi Kft (HU)
check details of a return flight. es as a tool for both tour guide and traveller.
9 Tourismusverband Wildschoenau (AT)
10 FHS Kufsteintirol Bildungs GmbH (AT)
Good greases
The project partners produced a number of The system developed by the BIOMON
biolubricants during the course of the project, team greatly facilitates these tasks. As
all of which met the target biodegradability the tool is online, it can be accessed by
and toxicity requirements. Furthermore, people from all over the world. Users simply
most of them performed as well as or better enter information on their machine, the
than ordinary, mineral-based lubricants. industry involved and its environment, as
well as data from oil analysis samples. The
The gear oils showed the most impressive programme processes this information and
results. In addition to their biodegradability delivers a tailor-made maintenance strategy
and low toxicity, they offered a competitive to the client.
price/performance ratio and had better
gear-wear performance and load-carrying Since the end of the project, Monition, the
Acronym: BIOMON
capacity than already commercialised UK-based SME that runs the system, has
adequate mineral oil-based products. obtained funding to develop the product Full Title: Towards Long-Life Bio-Lubricants
further and add new features, including a Using Advanced Design and Monitoring Tools
Good results were also obtained for training module, to it. Contract number: 508208
biogreases for use in ball screws. Here, the Call: FP6-2002-SME-1
high biodegradability of the biogreases is Mike Burrows, Monition’s Managing Starting Date: 01/10/2004
a major advantage, as most of the grease Director, credits the BIOMON project with
Duration (months): 27
applied to these components ends up in enhancing the company’s standing in the oil
the environment. analysis sector. ‘It has set Monition apart Total cost: € 1 740 000
from the rest of the market. We are at the EC Contribution: € 870 000
Finally, the biolubricants designed for use in cutting edge,’ he explained.
bearings turned out to behave in a similar Contact Person: Harald Bock
way to the conventionally used mineral oils. The project has already generated new ROWE MINERALOLWERK GmbH
In terms of seal and lacquer compatibilities, business opportunities for Monition, which
E-mail: h.bock@rowe-mineraloel.com
this is important in meeting customer needs. has had to hire more staff to cope with the
increased workload. The increased income Tel. +49 635595410
With further funding, the company has also made it possible for the company
that makes the biolubricants could to invest in more sophisticated machinery, Partners:
commercialise these innovative products enhancing the services it offers still further. 1 Rowe Mineralölwerk GmbH (DE)
and start to sell them. Job security at the company has improved, 2 Instituto de Engenharia Mecanica e Gestao
as employees are no longer reliant on a small
Industrial (PT)
The other main outcome of the project was number of clients. All in all, the company is
a prototype online condition-monitoring now in a much stronger position to seize 3 Rodamientos Europeos Sal - FERSA S.A. (ES)
system. Those responsible for the mainte- opportunities as soon as they arise. 4 Shuton S.A. (ES)
nance of machinery need to know how often 5 A. Brito - Industria Portuguesa
they should analyse the lubricants in their Engrenagens Lda (PT)
machines, and must be able to interpret the 6 Fundacion Tekniker (ES)
results of these analyses correctly.
7 Monition Ltd (INTERNATIONAL) (UK)
Pictures © TEKNIKER
The aim of the BULK SUBSTRATES project The result of the project is a prototype BULK
was to develop a method of producing SUBSTRATES machine, which permits the
substrates which would eliminate the risk sterile production of mycelium substrate.
of contamination, reduce energy and water The new production method entails filling the
usage and require less labour. machine with the substrate ingredients and
sterilising them with steam. The mixture is
The project brought together 10 SMEs and then cooled and humidified with sterile water.
2 research organisations in 8 European The mycelium is added and mixed in once the
countries (including 6 EU Member States). substrate has cooled. Finally, the inoculated
The project partners included mushroom substrate is placed in bags.
growers as well as representatives of the
breweries industry, and companies which The entire process takes place under aseptic
produce moulds for pest control purposes in conditions within the machine and, crucially, Acronym: BULK SUBSTRATES
organic agriculture. the risky step of re-opening the bags by hand Full Title: Development of
to add the fungal strain has been eliminated. an Energy-Efficient Bulk Sterilisation
By joining forces, and with the help of Technique for the Production of Mycelium
EU research funds, this diverse group of ‘Everything is handled in the bulk machine,’
Contract number: 508645
companies was able to set about developing explained Mrs Verfaillie. ‘You also have a more
a better way of producing substrates. homogeneous product because it is mixed in Call: FP6-2002-SME-1
bulk, so the final product is more beautiful.’ Starting Date: 15/01/2004
Many of the partners had been thinking Duration (months): 30
about how best to tackle the contamination The reduced contamination risk and Total cost: € 1 945 520
issue for a long time. ‘We had it in mind for improved product quality are not the only EC Contribution: € 1 008 040
many years, but we are only a small com- advantages of the new machine. While the
pany so we couldn’t afford it,’ commented production of a batch of substrate took
project coordinator Magda Verfaillie of Bel- 72 hours using the old method, the new Contact Person: Magda Verfaillie
gian SME Mycelia. machine delivers a batch of filled, inoculated, Mycelia BVBA
sealed, contamination-free bags in just five E-mail: magda@mycelia.be
Between them, the project partners brought hours – a dramatic improvement. Tel. +32 92287090
a lot of ideas to the table. With the help of the
research organisations, they were soon able In addition to this, the new machine uses
Partners:
to turn these into a reality. much less water and energy than the older
production methods. Finally, the whole pro- 1 Catholic University College Ghent, Chemical
cess is far less labour intensive, allowing users and Biochemical Research Centre KaHo /
to save around a third on personnel costs. Chemisch en Biochemisch Onderzoekscentrum
Kaho Sint-Lieven (BE)
The machine is almost ready for industrial 2 Wam SpA (IT)
use, and the project partners are keen to
3 SACo2 NV (BE)
commercialise it and make it available to
other businesses in the mushroom and 4 Agrifutur Srl (IT)
mycelium industries. 5 Dingemans Mout NV (BE)
6 Tekoa Mushroom Farm Ltd (IL)
7 Myo AS (NO)
8 Fungi 2000 The Mushroommakers (NL)
9 Forest Mushrooms (IE)
Pictures © Shutterstock, 2009
10 Carlos Díaz Tarrago (ES)
11 Pilzgarten GmbH (DE)
© European Communities, 2009
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. 12 Mycelia BVBA (BE)
CADPIPE speeds up
design pipeline
Doing this entails vast amounts of detailed, The aim of the CADPIPE project was
expensive manual work as designers turn to speed up this laborious process, by
countless tiny details into moving, lifelike developing software capable of converting
objects with texture and lighting and shade. a wide range of CAD file formats into a form
Even manipulating simple shapes such as a where the data can be easily manipulated
circle or sphere is far from easy. by 3D visualisation tools.
The task is made all the more difficult by The 14 project partners came from 9
the fact that over the years, a multitude of countries and included companies with
http://cadpipe.vtt.fi/
already incorporated this improvement into prototype system uses data interchange
its products, making it one of the most software modules which can be operated
competitive electrophysiological platforms through a common interface. ‘Usually the
available on the market. machine just sends out numbers, but we
wanted to create some software that takes
The ION project also developed a Target the data, interprets it and generates a dose
Library, which provides detailed information response curve,’ explains Project Manager
on the ion channels which could be targeted Carla Caccia of Italian SME Newron. ‘It is not
by drugs to treat conditions such as just an analysis of data but a kind of artificial
Parkinson’s, depression and pain. Among intelligence that interprets the information
other things, the library contains information and gives guidelines and suggestions for the
on how the channels behave both in the next round of screening.’
laboratory and in the body (in vivo).
The different components of the system can
Acronym: ION
Another project outcome is the Chemical all be commercialised separately, and in some
Library. This is a collection of chemical cases this has already happened. Meanwhile, Full Title: A Sequential High-Throughput Ion
structures which are known to interact the project partners are looking for funding to Channel Screening System for Drug Discovery
pharmacologically with the ion channels refine and commercialise the entire system. in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders
featured in the target library. These libraries According to the ION team, the global value Contract number: 513190
are already being used by the pharmaceutical of the electrophysiology platform market is Call: FP6-2002-SME-1
companies involved in the project in their worth some EUR 268.75 million. The ION
Starting Date: 16/09/2004
quest to find and patent molecules that could partners hope that once commercialised,
one day form the basis of new medicines. the improved IONEP platform and the fully Duration (months): 24
integrated ION Sequential Screening System Total cost: € 1 744 920
The project partners also designed the ‘ION could capture just 8% of this market, worth EC Contribution: € 1 280 000
Sequential Screening Software’, a computer EUR 21.5 million.
programme that is able to estimate how a Contact Person: Carla Caccia
given chemical structure could interact ‘The ION project achievements may
Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA
with a specified ion channel target. In this represent a European solution capable of
way, it helps pharmaceutical companies increasing European competitiveness in E-mail: carla.caccia@newron.com
set their priorities for the synthesis of new this important but highly specialised field, if Tel. +39 0261034663
potential drug compounds and plan their further developed,’ commented Newron’s
experiments accordingly. Patricia Salvati, the ION Project Coordinator. Partners:
1 Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA (IT)
The Romanian SME that developed the ‘The ION project shares the objectives of
2 Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH (DE)
software has the relevant intellectual a number of EU policies, and in particular
property rights, an asset which is likely to be 3 SC IT Romania ITR Srl (RO)
to speed up the discovery of new drugs in
extremely valuable when the ION system is neurological and psychiatric disorders that 4 Nikem Research Srl (IT)
fully commercialised. affect millions of EU citizens,’ added Dr 5 University of Debrecen (HU)
Caccia. ‘Faster drug screening processes 6 Universita Degli Studi Di Firenze (IT)
All of these components are integrated into will contribute to both public health and 7 Institute of Pharmacology,
the ION Sequential Screening System. The social policy.’
Polish Academy of Sciences (PL)
8 Istituto Di Recerche Farmacologiche
‘Mario Negri’ (IT)
Pictures © Shutterstock, 2009 9 Politecnico Di Milano (IT)
SMEs (small and medium-sized Europe has a long and proud history of The techniques developed
enterprises) play an important role in producing and assembling top quality sub-
in the project have
the car industry by putting together modules for the car industry. However,
increasing competition from the rest of the already helped the project
the steering and suspension sub-
world, especially China and south Asia,
modules that make up our vehicles. partners to save money
means that European companies must
develop new technologies and more efficient and significantly boost
The ISSEA project helped European ways of working if they are to maintain their
their turnover.
SMEs working in this competitive status as world leaders in the fast changing,
sector to develop cheaper and better competitive car industry.
Shine a light!
High bandwidth communication via The growth in communications means there Working on MULTIWAVE has
optical fibres is set to get easier is an urgent need for new and more efficient
ways of transmitting data. In fibre-optic
helped the SMEs involved in
thanks to a new device developed by
the MULTIWAVE project. Currently,
communications, it is possible to send signals the project to improve their
from lots of different laser diodes down one
sending multiple channels down a
single fibre. ‘The basic idea is that you take the
products and so increase
single fibre requires multiple lasers. light of the different colours and put it into one their sales.
The MULTIWAVE device achieves the fibre,’ explains project coordinator Thomas
same result with just one laser. Südmeyer of the Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology. ‘Because it takes quite a lot of
money to have a fibre link from Europe to most of the components needed for the MUL-
The prototype device has been
the US, for example, you want to transmit as TIWAVE device, including the pulsed laser, spe-
presented at trade fairs and
much data as you can through it.’ cial photonic crystal fibres, specialised mirrors
conferences around the world, and a complex device that filters out unwanted
and aroused the interest of Setting up and maintaining such a system wavelengths. For their part, the research insti-
telecommunications companies as is extremely expensive. They comprise large tutions contributed expertise in pulsed laser
well as researchers whose work banks of lasers, with each individual laser technology development and telecommunica-
source emitting a different wavelength; each tions systems testing and development.
involves lasers. The project partners
wavelength corresponds to a channel. Each
are optimistic that the device will be
diode requires its own drive electronics and Over the course of the project, the partners
available on the market in just a few current and temperature controls. If ad- improved the various components of the
years time. ditional channels are needed, more diodes device and added new features to them
must be added to the system. Furthermore, before putting them together to create the
Meanwhile, working on MULTIWAVE backup diodes are needed to replace those MULTIWAVE device.
that stop working.
has helped the SMEs (small and
medium-sized enterprises) involved
‘The idea for the MULTIWAVE system is to So how does it work?
in the project to improve their get rid of all these different individual lasers
products and so increase their sales. and replace them with one laser system that ‘We start off with a pulsed laser,’ explains
The project also gave them the generates all the different wavelengths at the Kurt Weingarten of Swiss SME Time-Band-
opportunity to strengthen their links same time,’ says Dr Südmeyer. width. ‘If you have pulses coming out of a
laser at a certain repetition rate, say 25GHz,
with both commercial and research
The project brought together four SMEs and it turns out that 25GHz pulses correspond to
partners across Europe.
two research institutes from five European a bunch of individual channels in the wave-
countries. Between them, the SMEs supply length space.’
http://www.multiwave.eu.com
Normally, the pulsed laser would only gener- Even though the MULTIWAVE device is not
ate a limited number of channels in this way. on sale, the companies that created it are
However, sending the pulsed laser down already benefitting from their involvement in
photonic crystal fibres that have unusual the project. For example, Time-Bandwidth
optical properties creates far more channels. has improved the performance of its pulsed
‘If we do it right, we can basically create laser. The upgraded device is proving a hit
Acronym: MULTIWAVE
enough channels to fill the whole communi- with the researchers who have bought it.
cations range,’ adds Dr Weingarten. ‘We’re getting feedback that it’s the best Full Title: Cost-Effective Multi-Wavelength
pulsed laser system they’ve ever worked Laser System
Tests revealed that the MULTIWAVE with!’ exclaims Dr Weingarten. Contract number: 18074
device can transmit data as efficiently and Call: FP6-2003-SME-1
accurately as other systems used today for Elsewhere in the project, new features Starting Date: 01/11/2005
data transmission and testing applications. were added to the crystal fibres and the
Duration (months): 24
miniaturised mirrors and special filters were
Looking to the future perfected through the project. Total cost: € 2 087 499
EC Contribution: € 1 490 608
The various components that make up Dr Weingarten also highlighted know-
the device and are made by the project how transfer and networking as additional Contact Person: Thomas Südmeyer
partners are protected with a range of benefits of working on the project. ‘It was Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
patents. The device itself requires some a good project and we’re happy to have
E-mail: sudmeyer@phys.ethz.ch
further refinements before it can be fully been involved in it. We got to know some
commercialised, but the project partners are really good leading groups and companies,’ Tel. +41 446336825
optimistic that it will be ready for sale in the he comments. ‘It helped pull us into the EU
next few years. If successful, the market for scene and get us more networked with other Partners:
the device could be quite large. companies and institutes around the EU.’ 1 Eidgenössische Technische
Hochschule Zürich (CH)
Meanwhile the project team has been
2 Institute of Communication and Computer
busy presenting the new device at trade
fairs and conferences around the world. It Systems of the National Technical University
has generated high levels of interest, mostly of Athens (EL)
from the manufacturers of telecommunica- 3 Time-Bandwidth Products Inc. (CH)
tions equipment and people in engineering 4 Photon Laseroptik GmbH (DE)
departments. 5 Crystal Fibre A/S (DK)
6 SLS Optics Ltd (UK)
A new weapon
to combat counterfeiters
An innovative laser marking system
developed by the NAGINELS (‘Non The NAGINELS team
Counterfeiting is a major problem across a
aggressive internal engraving laser wide range of sectors. In 2007, 79 million
system’) project is set to strengthen ef- has patented the unique
counterfeit products, including clothes, jew-
forts to enhance traceability and tackle ellery and watches, cosmetics, medicines, technology and set up
counterfeiting in the pharmaceutical, toys and foods were seized at EU borders.
a new company called
perfume and luxury goods sectors. Naturally, the manufacturers of the genuine
versions of these items are keen to exploit Trackinside, which is
novel methods to help both consumers and
The NAGINELS technology uses devoted to developing
lasers to embed marks or codes inside customs officials spot the difference be-
glass and other transparent materials.
tween genuine products and copies. and commercialising the
Because the mark is inside the glass, new technology
At the same time, many sectors, including
it cannot be removed or altered. Large,
the pharmaceutical sector, are under growing
easily visible designs could help a
pressure to improve the traceability of their
customer determine whether a bottle products, from the start of the production
of perfume is the genuine article or a line to the moment of purchase.
fake, for example. Smaller designs,
invisible to the naked eye, could be NAGINELS offers a solution to both of these Together, they developed a laser marking
viewed with a special reader for trace- problems. The idea of using lasers to mark system that uses femtosecond lasers.
ability purposes. the interior of a piece of glass is not new;
however, until NAGINELS came along, it was These emit much briefer pulses of light than
The six small and medium-sized enter- impossible to mark thinner pieces of glass traditional lasers; the pulse lasts long enough
such as syringes or perfume bottles. This is to mark the material, but not long enough
prises (SMEs) involved in the project
because the lasers generated microcracks to heat it up and create damaging cracks.
have set up a new company, called
in the glass that quickly led to breakages. In this way, the laser creates marks which,
Trackinside, to develop and commerci-
when backlit, look like holograms.
alise the patented technology. Interest
The NAGINELS project brought together
in the NAGINELS system is high, and six SMEs and two research institutes in four The NAGINELS system can create tiny data
products marked with the exciting new countries. The SMEs include companies that matrices just 0.1mm by 0.1mm; these are
technology should be on sale soon. make lasers and optical devices as well as invisible to the naked eye but can be read
businesses involved in traceability and anti- with special scanners. These marks act like
At the same time, the SMEs are work- counterfeiting work in the pharmaceutical, barcodes and can be used to track an item
ing on a further project with the aim perfume and luxury goods sectors. through the production process.
of speeding up the process, so that it
can be integrated into production lines
more easily.
These marks could also be used to tell The device can either be sold on its own
customs officials that an item is genuine. As or integrated into a production line. The
they are too small to be seen with the naked project has generated a lot of interest
eye, they do not detract from the product’s from the three target sectors, with syringe
attractiveness. manufacturers, perfume makers and
designer watch makers all keen to see how
The system is extremely versatile, and can the system can help them.
also be programmed to draw logos in the
glass. These marks in a perfume bottle or The first sales of the system are imminent,
the glass of a watch face could indicate to a and the first products marked with the
customer that the product they are looking NAGINELS technology are likely to be on
Acronym: NAGINELS
at is genuine. sale in the not too distant future.
Full Title: Non Aggressive Internal
However, the NAGINELS team is not resting Engraving Laser System
Ready for the off! on its laurels; even as the first version of the Contract number: 512931
device enters the market, they are carrying Call: FP6-2002-SME-1
The NAGINELS team has patented the out further research with the aim of speeding Starting Date: 01/10/2004
unique technology and the SMEs have up the engraving process by a factor of 10.
Duration (months): 25
clubbed together to set up a new company The project partners expect the development
called Trackinside, which is devoted to of this upgraded version of the system to be Total cost: € 1 359 965
developing and commercialising the new ready in a couple of years. EC Contribution: € 735 345
technology. As shareholders, the SMEs will
be the first to benefit when the NAGINELS Counterfeiting costs European businesses a Contact Person: Axel Kupisiewicz
device starts rolling off the production lot of money; with the NAGINELS system, all TrackInside S.A.
line. They are also closely involved in the industries that package their goods in glass
E-mail: info@naginels.com
production process. have at their disposal a tool to differentiate
their products from fakes. Similarly, Tel. +32 43650243
European consumers will be in a better The Naginels® technology is now presented at
position to ensure that when they decide to http://www.trackinside.com
treat themselves to a new bottle of perfume
or an expensive new watch, they’re getting Partners:
the real McCoy, and not a poor imitation.
1 KST - KS Techniques S.A. (BE)
2 TBS - Total Brand Security Ltd (UK)
3 COSTET S.A. (FR)
4 SOLOS - Solos Identificazione
e Protezione S.R.L (IT)
5 Amplitude Systèmes S.A. (FR)
6 LASEA - Laser Engineering Applications (BE)
7 Université Bordeaux I - PALA (BE)
8 Université de Liège - Centre Spatial de Liege (BE)
Pictures © Shutterstock, 2009
Recto: Datamatrix written in a syringe
Verso: Readed code with grade A quality
An expensive problem
Millions of kilometres of pipeline criss-
Millions of kilometres of pipeline transport The PIPESCAN
cross Europe. Many of these pipes
oil, gas and other hazardous substances
carry hazardous substances such as oil technologies are now
such as solvents and acids, sometimes at
and certain chemicals, and checking high temperatures and pressures, across widely used commercially,
them for cracks and corrosion is both Europe. These pipes are prone to cracks
difficult and extremely expensive. Now,
and other, unforeseen
and corrosion.
a range of new technologies developed applications of the
by the PIPESCAN project is helping to To prevent this, the pipes are often coated
technologies are helping
make inspections more effective while with substances such as concrete. However,
significantly bringing down costs. if the coating is not applied properly, water to boost profits for the
can still get in and cause corrosion.
organisations involved
The project has been immensely suc-
‘So now you’ve got a double problem – still further.
cessful. The PIPESCAN technologies
you’ve got corrosion but you can’t see it
are now widely used commercially,
because it’s under insulation,’ explained
and other, unforeseen applications of Project Coordinator Aamir Khalid of indus-
the technologies are helping to boost trial research organisation TWI in the UK. The aim of the PIPESCAN project was to
profits for the organisations involved develop novel, more effective inspection
still further. Meanwhile, new pipelines The stakes are high. Left undetected, cracks techniques that would work through the
are continuously being laid, and the and corrosion permit hazardous substances coating, as removing and then replacing
fines for companies whose pipelines to leak out into the environment, where they the coating is the most expensive part of
leak are getting higher, so the demand could endanger the health of wildlife and the operation.
for low cost, reliable pipe inspection humans alike. If leaks occur, the companies
in charge of the pipeline face huge fines. The project brought together 12 partners
techniques is set to remain high for
in 4 countries. They include SMEs that
years to come.
Before PIPESCAN came along, inspecting manufacture inspection systems, research
the pipes for corrosion entailed removing organisations, companies which own
What’s more, the small and medium-
the insulating coating, checking the pipe for pipelines and a national public authority re-
sized enterprises (SMEs) and research damage and replacing the coating. sponsible for the safety of industrial plants.
organisations in the consortium are
now doing a lot of business with Doing this along the entire length of the
each other in a range of areas, to pipeline is prohibitively expensive, so small One problem – lots of solutions
the mutual benefit of all involved. On sections were checked and the results were
the research front, the partners have extrapolated to the rest of the pipe. However, The PIPESCAN project worked on a number
continued to work closely together even testing small sections of the pipe was of systems for inspecting pipes. One system
and are actively involved in a number expensive, and the system did not pick up uses a guided wave system. This involves
on damage in unchecked sections of pipe. removing a small section of insulation and
of other EU-funded projects.
Fig. 1
A common operation
Thousands of Europeans undergo hip
The hip is simply a ball and socket joint, with Once on sale,
replacement surgery every year. Now a the head of the femur (the thigh bone) fitting
new surgical device developed by the neatly into the cup-shaped acetabulum in
it will no doubt
RASPED project (‘Reverberating Abra- the pelvis. In a healthy hip, a cartilage coating increase sales for the
sive Single-use Piezo Electric Driven ensures that the joint moves smoothly and
without pain. Over time, arthritis can cause
companies involved in
Device’) is set to reduce the risks of
infections and other complications
this layer of cartilage to wear away, leading the RASPED project that
to painful and restricted movement.
linked to surgery. This is good news will manufacture and
for the SMEs (small and medium-sized Approximately 700 000 people have hip distribute the product.
enterprises) who make the device, and replacements in Europe every year. During
for the patients who will avoid the pain the operation, the surgeon removes the
associated with complications. damaged head of the femur and hollows out
the top section of the shaft of the bone; this
creates a space for the stem which supports
Since the end of the project, the proto-
the replacement ‘ball’ of the joint. Next, the
type device has undergone numerous
damaged tissue is reamed from the surface
tests to prove its safety and to demon- of the acetabulum, so that the hemispherical
strate that, in addition to reducing the replacement socket can be implanted. Additionally, re-usable devices can pose a
complication rate, it performs as well serious contamination risk; certain patho-
as, if not better than, the tools which The hollow in the femur is created by gens are not always destroyed with con-
are currently in use. The project part- repeatedly impacting a solid rasp against the ventional sterilisation techniques – although
ners hope to begin selling the device bone. While effective, this procedure carries a this type of cross-contamination is extremely
number of risks. Firstly, the repetitive impacts rare, it does provide further argument for the
commercially within a few years. In the
can occasionally cause stress fractures in the use of disposable rasps.
long term, the tool could potentially be
femur. Although this is relatively uncommon,
adapted for use in operations which it can lead to lengthened recovery times, The aim of the RASPED project was
require similar function. resulting in greater discomfort for the patient to develop a set of single-use devices
and a higher bill for the healthcare system. which would avoid these problems. The
Meanwhile, the project partners are project brought together 10 partners in 6
already benefiting from their par- As the rasps age they become less sharp, countries, including orthopaedic implant
meaning that more impacts are needed and manufacturers, metal tooling experts,
ticipation in RASPED; they are now
bone stress could be increased. Blunting medical instrument makers, packagers and
working together on further projects,
can also cause considerable heating to research organisations. These partners also
and the contacts made during the the bone which may cause ‘necrosis’; the worked closely with a panel of orthopaedic
RASPED project have opened up new killing of bone cells which are relied upon for surgeons, who provided valuable advice
business opportunities. fixation of the prosthesis. throughout the project.
Safer surgery
The result of this project is a set of hollow The RASPED device has the potential to
rasps and reamers which, according to save health systems considerable amounts
project coordinator, Dr Andy Taylor of British of money. Healthcare systems are under
SME, Finsbury Orthopaedics, ‘look like growing pressure to keep costs down while
sophisticated cheese graters’. The devices continuing to improve patient outcomes. By
are pressed from thin sheets of stainless eliminating the risks of infection from cross-
Acronym: RASPED
steel. This not only saves costs compared to contamination and reducing the incidence
current devices, but pre-clinical tests suggest of complications such as stress fractures, Full Title: Reverberating Abrasive Single-Use
that the devices will work considerably better the RASPED device will substantially reduce Piezo-Electric-Driven Device
than the traditional devices currently used. the costs of caring for patients who suffer Contract number: 513134
complications and infections following Call: FP6-2002-SME-1
Crucially, while traditionally used worn rasps hip replacement surgery, and will not Starting Date: 01/11/2004
usually require 10 impacts to hollow out compromise the quality of care given.
Duration (months): 27
the top of the femur, the new rasp requires
only 4. Measurements also showed that the Finally, many patients will avoid the pain and Total cost: € 1 420 000
new device’s improved flexibility generated suffering associated with complications and EC Contribution: € 734 479
significantly lower strain in the bone. Both infections, greatly improving their quality of
improvements mean that the risk of fractures life. ‘When this product comes to market, it Contact Person: Andy Taylor
is much lower with the RASPED device. will hold tremendous benefits for the patient,’ Finsbury Instruments Ltd
stated Dr Taylor.
E-mail: andy.taylor@finsbury.org
The rasp has received positive feedback
from the panel of surgeons and it is hoped Tel. +44 (0)1372360830
that the device could be on the market in
a few years. Once on sale, it will no doubt Partners:
increase sales for the companies involved in 1 Finsbury Instruments Ltd (UK)
the RASPED project that will manufacture 2 Nisaform S.R.O. (CZ)
and distribute the product. The project
3 Incerplast S.A. (RO)
partners aim to keep manufacturing costs
down so that use of the disposable device 4 Hunt Developments Ltd (UK)
will cost less than maintaining and sterilising 5 Cedrat Technologies S.A. (FR)
traditional devices. 6 Bester Medical System Sp. z o.o. (PL)
7 Molnlycke Health Care AB (SE)
8 Pera Innovation Ltd (UK)
9 Biomatech (FR)
10 University of Southampton (UK)
The raw materials for the STANLUB pro- From the environmental point of view,
cess are polymerised oils based on linseed the new biolubricants are not ecotoxic.
and rapeseed oils that are produced by However, they did not prove to be as
Belgian SME and STANLUB project partner biodegradable as the project partners
Vandeputte. had hoped.
Acronym: STANLUB
‘We developed a new process leading to On the biosolvent side, the products of the
two co-products, one for the biosolvent STANLUB process were formulated into Full Title: Development of New Bio-Lubricants
market which is mainly for paint formulation, aluminium pastes and decorative paints. and Coatings Using Stand Oils
and the other for the biolubricant market,’ Although these products were found to from Linseed, Castor and Tung Oils
explains Project Coordinator Carine Alfos of be similar to other ‘green’ solvents on the Contract number: 508753
the French Institute for Fats and Oils (ITERG). market, some problems remain (in particular Call: FP6-2002-SME-1
‘Economically it is very interesting because regarding yellowing and the hardness of the
Starting Date: 01/07/2004
in the same process you get two products coatings). Nevertheless, these results have
which are valuable in different markets.’ helped the project partners to deepen their Duration (months): 27
understanding of the production and drying Total cost: € 648 796
The innovative process was refined processes involved. EC Contribution: € 335 573
and tested at the pilot scale. Technical
tests covering a wide range of lubricant Contact Person: Carine Alfos
applications revealed that some of the …for a greener, cleaner future Institut des Corps Gras
STANLUB biolubricant formulations were
particularly well suited to metalworking. Many of the STANLUB project partners E-mail: c.alfos@iterg.com
Metalworking fluid is poured over the cutting are now working on a further EU-funded iterg@iterg.com
edges of machines such as lathes and saws project which aims, among other things, Website: http://www.iterg.com
to keep them cool and to lubricate them. to further improve the performance of Tel. +33 556360044
In fact, the STANLUB product performed biolubricants, decrease the costs of their
better than some commercially available production and promote their uptake in a
Partners:
products on wear and friction tests. The range of applications.
STANLUB biolubricants could also be used 1 Institut des Corps Gras (FR)
in railway switches. Meanwhile, the contacts made during the 2 Motul (FR)
project have helped to forge new business 3 Baraldi Lubrificanti S.R.L. (IT)
partnerships, thereby boosting the bottom 4 Zerowaste (FR)
line of the SMEs in the project. 5 Vandeputte Oleochemicals S.A. (BE)
6 Pewas s.r.o. (SK)
7 Toyal Europe S.A. (FR)
8 BFB Oil Research S.A. (BE)
Pictures © Shutterstock, 2009 9 Societe des Colorants du Sud Ouest (FR)
Aquaculture is the farming of marine Aquaculture can also help the economy by ‘Lower costs and higher
producing jobs in regions where other sourc-
products, both plants and seafood. yields will enable SMEs
It is taking off in a big way and es of income are scarce. The aquaculture
industry provides over 80 000 full and part- to expand production
nearly 50% of the world’s fish is now
time jobs throughout the EU and produces
being produced by this method. and ensure that Europe
1.3 million tonnes of fish products a year.
The development of aquaculture is remains a world leader in
a pressing necessity because with Currently, 90% of aquaculture production
turbot farming.’
the projected increases in population is taking place in Asia, so EU aquaculture
over the coming decades, millions needs to optimise production yields
to ensure a competitive advantage for
more tonnes of fish will need to be
European SMEs. The most popular fish in
produced to feed people. EU farmed-fish production at the moment appeal, is difficult to catch with traditional
are salmon, mussels, trout and oysters, but fishing methods, has a high market value
With the rise in demand for fish due heavy demand on these has meant that fish and is native to European waters.
to increased recognition of its health farmers are being encouraged to diversify
benefits and the concomitant rise in and produce more exotic fish such as sea Production costs, however, are high and
bream, halibut and turbot. there is increasing competition from turbot
population, traditional capture fishing
farmers in Asia. Improvements need to be
methods cannot keep pace with Diversifying into other species will keep made in EU production methods to enhance
demand. Scarcity of certain species the EC aquaculture industry competitive its yields and reduce production costs.
caused by overfishing means that rather than just producing already heavily With this aim in mind, TURPRO carried out
some species are now endangered. overfished and popular products such as a series of experiments including slowing
Aquaculture can rectify both the salmon. For example, the TURPRO project down the maturation rate of farmed turbot
focused attention on the aquaculture to test potential improvement in growth,
problem of growing consumer
production of turbot, an expensive marine and making a series of changes in water
demand and the endangering of flat fish traditionally regarded as a delicacy. temperature and quality to discover what
certain species by using controlled differences in quality this achieved. The
conditions to breed fish sustainably. project also carried out experiments in
Turbot from farm to fork processing methods.
Turbot is an ideal fish for aquaculture The aim was to identify what needs to be
producers. It is becoming more popular with done to create new, sustainable production
northern European consumers, although systems to improve the quality of farmed
it has always been eaten in the southern turbot along the whole production chain
Mediterranean. Turbot has a slightly ‘exotic’ from farm to fork. Specifically, this included
investigating the end quality effects of
environmental manipulation on turbot
growth, including exposure to light, and
different water temperature and quality.
Important results
to cut production costs
TURPRO consisted of eight partners from One of TURPRO’s most important findings
Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Nor- was that farmed turbot can have a shelf life
way, Portugal and the UK. They included of seven days longer than wild turbot: this
fishing research institutes, aquaculture will help SMEs in their transportation and
SMEs and universities. The team set about market opportunities.
systematically investigating the most impor-
tant factors in rearing farmed turbot. For ex- Isidro Blanquet, manager of of Portuguese
ample, one temperature experiment involved aquaculture SME A Coelho E Castro says,
Acronym: TURPRO
rearing young turbot at two different temper- ‘The TURPRO project gave us a lot of
atures for two months, resulting in a signifi- useful information about how to produce Full Title: Biological Optimisation
cant weight gain for the fish raised this way. quality turbot. That means we can give and Development of Processing Methods
Turbot of the same age reared at the same our clients correct information and improve for Turbot Farming
temperature showed no such weight gain. our customer relations based on trust and Contract number: 508070
This is a very important finding that will help quality. We have also improved many of our Call: SME-1 Co-operative Research
maximise farmed turbot yield for SMEs and techniques of fish management and that has
(all areas of science and technology)
first analysis figures show a possible 20% to resulted in better production. Participating
30% production gain if this method is used. in the project has definitely improved our Starting Date: 01/08/2004
production and our sales.’ Duration (months): 24
In a series of water quality experiments, Total cost: € 1 500 000
turbot growth was found to increase when Ultimately, TURPRO achieved its objective EC Contribution: € 750 000
water renewal rates were stepped up; a of making production more efficient and
positive indicator that poor water quality in cheaper. Its results will help EU SMEs
Contact Person: Prof. Albert Imsland
fish farms inhibit growth. Tests were also to reduce their costs and increase their
carried out to ascertain if constant exposure efficiency, making turbot easier to farm and Akvaplan-Niva AS
to light delayed sexual maturity in turbot, more available to consumers. TURPRO has E-mail: ai@akvaplan.niva.no
which is important to increase growth. produced a handbook for aquaculture SMEs Tel. +354 5625800
Results were not conclusive here, but further for this purpose.
tests will be undertaken in this area. Partners:
Professor Albert Imsland, of Akvaplan-NIVA
1 Netherlands Institute for Fisheries Research (NL)
Slaughter methods were also investigated in- AS Polar Envikronment Centre in Norway,
cluding both time of year of slaughter and meth- who coordinated the TURPRO project, 2 Llyn Aquaculture Ltd (UK)
od. It was found that stunning the fish with an says, ‘Lower costs and higher yields will 3 A Coelho E Castro Lda (PT)
electric shock lowered the quality and texture of enable SMEs to expand production and 4 Ecomares GmbH & Co. KG (DE)
the flesh, and also that flesh quality fluctuated ensure that Europe remains a world leader 5 Saebyli HF (IS)
according to the time of year of slaughter. in turbot farming.’ 6 University of Bergen Department of Fisheries
and Marine Biology (NO)
7 Zeeland VIS B.V. (NL)
These false alarms cost EU police Changing the frequency John Hallatt, managing director of the SME
forces and thousands of crime pre- Microwave Solutions, and coordinator
vention small to medium-sized enter- The frequency currently used for burglar of WaveShift, says, ‘All countries have
alarms in the EU is 10GHz. The EU wants an approved frequency of operations for
prises (SMEs) around EUR 3.3 billion
to encourage burglar alarm manufacturers applications such as burglar alarms, but
annually. Improving the efficiency and
to change this to the higher frequency of many countries have different allocations.
accuracy of burglar alarm systems 24GHz to improve performance quality and Therefore many countries have to make and
will save money and help to improve reliability. This would also free up the 10GHz get approved different versions for these
the current crime statistics in the EU frequency for other uses. different countries. Despite many years of
– now at more than 2 million house effort, no progress has been made to achieve
The WaveShift project was therefore cre- a harmonised frequency of allocation in the
burglaries each year.
ated to develop efficient sensors for burglar 10GHz frequency.’
alarms operating at the 24GHz frequency.
There is no doubt that having a visible WaveShift consisted of nine partners from This situation means added costs and it
burglar alarm fitted to your home or six EU countries – Belgium, the Czech Re- limits the free movement of goods within the
your business deters most poten- public, Germany, Poland, Sweden and the EU. The 24GHz frequency, which WaveShift
tial thieves. But some burglars may UK. The project was coordinated by the UK’s operates on, is already a harmonised band
Microwave Solutions Ltd, based in Sheffield, through most of the world, so creating low-
choose to take the risk of burgling a
England. With half a million euros in fund- cost sensors at this frequency will provide the
house or commercial premises if they
ing, the consortium were able to investigate opportunity to create a single product that
think no one will take action over the ways of developing better-quality burglar can be sold throughout the EU and beyond,
familiar sound of a ringing alarm.
without different versions having to be made The consortium is also continuing to
and approved for different countries. This will actively promote its product by attending
cut costs and open up the market. conferences and exhibitions and proceeding
with their own funding. John Hallatt says,
Up to now, 24GHz sensors have been too ‘Since the conclusion of the project we have
large and expensive to be manufactured continued to develop the concept using our
for the burglar alarm industry and have own internal funding to reach the current
been limited to professional equipment. stage. Further investment is required before
WaveShift has helped change this situation we can claim to be fully in production, but
by developing a universal microwave I am confident that the other partners are
Acronym: WaveShift
detector unit in the 24GHz frequency that making good use of the experience they
meets harmonisation needs and can be obtained from the project in their own fields Full Title: The development of a novel
manufactured in mass market conditions. of business.’ integrated super high frequency (SHF)
non-contact detector unit for mobility
Microwave Solutions had been actively detection and speed measurement
From concept to production seeking ways to fund this type of research Project ref: 16927
for several years before joining an EU-funded
Call: SME 1 Co-operative Research
John Hallatt says, ‘The outcome of the project. John Hallatt says, ‘I doubt if we
WaveShift project is a technique for applying would have been able to fund the project Starting Date: 01/09/2005
modern mass manufacturing techniques in ourselves within the timescales we achieved, Duration (months): 27
an area that has previously relied on high- so the EU funding certainly speeded up the Total cost: € 1.12 million
cost manual assembly. The techniques we development and may well have facilitated it. EC Contribution: € 580 000
have developed will enable the development
of products that will operate efficiently ‘We are working actively with three of the
Contact Person: John Hallatt
in the 24GHz frequency but which can project partners at the moment, who we
be manufactured using standard mass would have been unlikely to have selected Microwave Solutions Ltd
production techniques. This will lead to if they had not been consortium members. E-mail: johnh@microwave-solutions.com
improved profitability in the future.’ We are also talking to two others whom we Tel. +44 (0)8701223346
may well work with in the future. The project
The WaveShift consortium is now actively has certainly extended our relationships Partners:
developing the concept into a range of positively with other European SMEs.’
1 Microwave Solutions Ltd (UK)
commercially available products called
WaveShift, which has been trademarked in 2 Cube CZ S.R.O. (CZ)
Europe. The WaveShift super high frequency 3 Schaal Oberflachen & Systeme GmbH
sensor alarm system has received its first & Co. KG (DE)
commercial orders within the last month and 4 Linwave Technology Ltd (UK)
several others are expected before the end 5 RCD Radiokomunikace SPOL, S.R.O. (CZ)
of 2008.
6 System Monitorowania Alarmow Sp. z o.o. (PL)
7 Besam Production AB (SV)
8 Innowacia Polska Sp. z o.o. (PL)
Pictures © Shutterstock, 2009 9 Crif-Wallonie (BE)
Much discussion is currently taking The weather is one area of nature that human ‘Thanks to
ingenuity has never been able to control. But
place in the media on the proliferation
the two-year EU-funded WEATHER project
the WEATHER project
of hurricanes, storms, floods and other
extreme weather conditions in many
has taken this challenge forward a step and Meteodyn has confirmed
developed a wind alarm system that can
parts of the world. Tragic events such
predict when high winds are imminent so
its European presence
as hurricane Katrina, which destroyed traffic can be aware of dangerous weather on the railway market.’
parts of New Orleans in 2005, are conditions, thus improving the safety of
causing unprecedented disruption and vulnerable road and rail vehicles.
damage to infrastructure and property,
with wind alarm systems to reduce the
and devastating people’s lives.
Software techniques uncertainty of wind conditions in exposed
for risk analysis areas. They also devised a database to
It is believed that up to a third of gauge the effects of cross winds on vehicles,
traffic accidents on roads which are The project consortium consisted of 10 and developed methods to assess the risk of
especially exposed to strong winds, partners from four EU countries (Spain, accident in exposed areas.
such as bridges and embankments, France, Italy and the UK), plus the French
coordinator, Meteodyn. Eight of these, Meteodyn provided software programs for
are either caused by the winds or
including Meteodyn, are small and medium- the project that were able to analyse the
have high winds as a contributing
sized enterprises (SMEs) and three are risk of damage to different types of vehicle.
factor. At particular risk in these universities (Nottingham and Birmingham in The result was the Wind Alert System, a
areas are trains and high-sided the UK and Milan in Italy). scientifically designed alarm for road and
lorries and cars. rail transport in high-risk places, which uses
Meteodyn is a meteorology and wind alert sensors to measure wind levels.
systems company that creates software
Wind alarm systems are currently
for its customers in the meteorology field
in use, and some bridges do have
and more precisely, wind effects analysis. Sophisticated sensors
height restrictions to avoid wind- Some of its applications include numerical
induced accidents, but these are
for accident prevention
modelling, for computation of wind flow over
not part of a coordinated strategy. difficult terrains (such as mountainous areas),
statistics, and structures dimensioning. The Wind Alert System’s role is to predict
both winds and the risk of dangerous wind
The WEATHER partners decided on a pack- levels on exposed roads. This will allow risk
age of aims that included developing spatial- evaluation and ultimately save lives and
time wind models that could work together prevent damage to goods and vehicles.
The Wind Alert System has sensors that their profiles throughout Europe. ‘Thanks
measure wind levels and climate. It also has to the WEATHER project,’ says Jean-
built-in electronics including data logging, Francois Deshayes, ‘Meteodyn has con-
databases and software processing facilities. firmed its European presence on the rail-
The system will be used by operators of way market, especially in Spain together
exposed roads and worksites. with Geronica, and in the United Kingdom
as a result of our cooperation with the
Jean-Francois Deshayes, the commercial University of Nottingham.’
director of Meteodyn says, ‘The global
cost for Meteodyn on this project was There are many benefits for the other SMEs
EUR 247 000 spread over the two and a half involved in the project. As well as extending
years, so without the EU funding we would their knowledge and improving their networks,
not have been able to undertake the work.’ they now have the knowledge and expertise
to take on big new contracts. Madrid-based
‘The University of Birmingham helped us Geonica, as well as setting up data measure-
to find our other partners who were all very ment stations with Meteodyn in Italy and
keen to work on the project.’ France, is also working on railway security in
China and on a new seaport in Spain.
Acronym: WEATHER
Success boosts company profiles Jean François Deshayes says, ‘We have kept
up good contacts with all of our partners, Full Title: Wind Early Alarm System
This successful outcome of the project has particularly Geonica and the University of for Terrestrial Transport Handling
resulted in new orders for Meteodyn worth Nottingham with which we will continue to Evaluation of Risks
over EUR 100 000 for studies of the TGV work to make new business for the Wind Project ref:: 512862
train network in France. Alert System.’ Call: SME Horizontal research activities
involving SMEs
The WEATHER project has helped Me- Meteodyn’s collaboration with top
teodyn and the other SMEs involved raise universities during the project has also Starting Date: 01/09/2004
allowed it to get recognition from some of Duration (months): 24
the biggest rail networks in Europe such as Total cost: € 1 370 000
TGV. ‘This experience is also a big help for EC Contribution: € 906 000
our Beijing office, which opened in 2007, in
its discussions with the Chinese transport
Contact Person: Dr Didier Delaunay
ministry,’ says Jean François Deshayes.
‘They are interested in buying an important Meteodyn
study for a 1000km railway. We are hoping E-mail: info@meteodyn.com
for success in this negotiation!’ Website: http://www.meteodyn.com
Tel. +332 43862124
Meteodyn’s last partnership is with the
Direction Ouest des Routes (The French
Partners:
Western Agency for construction and
safety of roads), to carry out a first study 1 Geonica S.A. (ES)
regarding wind safety of the Cheviré Bridge 2 Politecnico di Milano (IT)
in Nantes. 3 University of Birmingham (UK)
4 Automatic & Telemetric Meteorological
Observing Systems (FR)
5 Etudes et Maintenance Industrielle (FR)
6 Nubila S.A.S. Di Anna Prodi E.C. (IT)
7 Campbell Scientific (UK)
Recto: Picture © Shutterstock, 2009 8 Alstom Transport S.A. (FR)
Verso: Vertical and horizontal wind field_Meteodyn; Wind Modelling with WT_Meteodyn © Pictures WEATHER
9 Lecinena S.A. (ES)
10 University of Nottingham (UK)
© European Communities, 2009
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
Interested in European research?
KI-NA-23479-EN-C
Research*eu is our monthly magazine keeping you in touch with main developments (results, programmes, events, etc.).
It is available in English, French, German and Spanish. A free sample copy or free subscription can be obtained from:
European Commission
Directorate-General for Research
Communication Unit
B-1049 Brussels
Fax (32-2) 29-58220
E-mail: research-eu@ec.europa.eu
Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/research/research-eu
Research can help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop new products and services or improve existing ones, yet
few SMEs have the funds or manpower to carry out research themselves.
The European Union is encouraging SMEs to participate in the Framework Programme for Research to help them meet their
research needs. Projects financed under this research outsourcing scheme provide the SMEs involved with an excellent
opportunity to improve their competitiveness by developing innovative products and services that put them at the cutting edge
of their respective sectors.
This folder features the results of 20 projects from the Co-operative Research scheme for SMEs that were funded by the EU
under the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), which ran from 2002 to 2006. They cover fields as diverse as energy, agriculture,
communications, the environment, medicine and music.
In addition to new products and increased sales, the SMEs involved in these projects report that participating in an EU-funded
research project enhanced their reputation, opened up new markets and provided them with strong links with both research
institutes and companies across Europe. Many of them have been well and truly bitten by the research bug and are now engaged
in further research projects, thus ensuring their company’s competitiveness well into the future.
ISBN 978-92-79-05202-6
DOI 10.2777/90943
ISSN 1018-5593