New project strengthens the region's manufacturing industry through PTC

Innovatum Science Park, together with IUC Väst and Högskolan Väst, has been awarded the React PTC project by the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth and Region Västra Götaland. React PTC will strengthen the manufacturing industry in the region by making equipment available for new manufacturing methods and facilitating work on social, economic and environmental sustainability.

The project is one of nine projects in Västra Götaland that have received support from React-EU, part of the EU's Next Generation EU recovery package.

- The projects that have been granted funding are considered to have great potential to implement rapid, business-related initiatives in West Sweden after the pandemic," says Kristina Jonäng (C), Chair of the Regional Development Committee in a press release from Region Västra Götaland.

React PTC is based on three main tracks; an attractive, accessible and better equipped Production Technology Center (PTC). To ensure the future capacity of the manufacturing industry and contribute to increased social sustainability, the manufacturing industry needs to be attractive to a wider group of people. Therefore, the project will work with manufacturing companies in the region to find new ways of working and broaden the recruitment base to help increase diversity and skills in this part of the industry.

To facilitate the use of PTC resources

The goal of React PTC is also to facilitate the utilization of the resources available at PTC in knowledge, equipment and skills, also for companies that do not work with or have contact with PTC on a daily basis. This is done by offering companies the opportunity, based on PTC's resources, to adopt new ways of working and methods to be part of the transition, and increase awareness of sustainability as a competitive advantage.

For a better equipped PTC, the project will work to ensure that the equipment available at the PTC is relevant and up to date for the areas where research and development activities are conducted. In this way, the PTC can continue to be a strong and attractive arena for future development of more sustainable manufacturing processes.

- The manufacturing industry is facing a sustainability transition in all its aspects and it will be very interesting to see how we can facilitate this transition and further strengthen an industry in change, says Leif Johansson, innovation leader at Innovatum Science Park and one of those who, together with colleagues from IUC West, University West and Innovatum Science Park, have worked to secure the financing.