THE EXPERT'S VIEW
It was around 1981 that a person brimming with vision like Iñaki Goenaga decided that the modest laboratories of the Armeria Eskola technical college in Eibar, Basque Country, had to take a qualitative leap to be up to the standard of the research that the future would be needing.The result was the foundation of IK4-TEKNIKER, a risky bet at that time, but the right step, and as it turned out, an indispensable move.
The reason is that IK4-TEKNIKER today is an R+D centre in the front line in research in areas like Precision Engineering, Advanced Production Technologies, or Micro- and Nanotechnologies, and is part of IK4, one of the principal European R+D Alliances. Over 30 years have passed since then and our work has produced a consolidated centre that is a benchmark in technological research.But if we have learnt something from our own history it is that in research it is essential to be a step ahead of events and to work in the right direction before the market demands it.
That is why IK4-TEKNIKER is facing another of those decisive moments in its history, and once again it has decided to rise to the occasion and equip itself with modern premises that will meet its needs and allow it once again to be one step ahead, so that it can set itself up as an R+D centre capable of responding in a dependable way to the demanding challenges of research in the 21st century.
Our main asset for this is our good know-how that we have built up over decades and which we will be taking with us wherever we go. If we add these splendid new facilities to this, it is clear that they are going to enable us to do even better what we already know how to do well, and to have the capability for addressing fresh, more ambitious challenges. We can state categorically that at IK4-TEKNIKER we are facing a before and an after.
With this solid base and over the next few years we are in no doubt that we must continue to be very close to companies and their problems, and to specify together with them the technological and innovative solutions that will enable them to go on competing. And as part of being totally geared towards the companies, in addition to the application of advanced knowledge, our strategy is to be increasingly better in this range of technologies that comprise our expertise; that way we can give the companies clear added value that sets itself apart and which will enable them to be better positioned to successfully compete on the international markets. On this road the trust that the companies have placed in us is crucial; we have been accompanying them for years as their top R+D partner.
For all these reasons an R+D centre like IK4-TEKNIKER must be constantly evolving while maintaining its beloved hallmarks of rigour and innovation and while committing itself to areas of specialisation by which the market has recognised us for many years, like Precision Engineering, Advanced Production Technologies, or Micro- and Nanotechnologies. What these new facilities enable us to do is to resolutely further our specialisation in these and other technologies with the market in mind. In short, to go much further in our quest for excellence in applied technology.
That way we will be able to address our main challenges, which could be summarised in more market, more relations with companies and more and better technological solutions. With this aim in our sights, the new facilities are going to enable us to reinforce our offer in terms of quantity but above all in terms of quality. The new laboratories broaden our possibilities significantly and they are going to enable us to go beyond our offer to the machine-tool, energy, aeronautical, automotive, scientific equipment, ICT, transport, health, etc. sectors, as we will be detailing below.
And in this respect, we are organising a number of visits by sector and by company, so that they all have a chance to gain a clear idea of IK4-TEKNIKER’s enhanced potential for collaboration, development and co-operation with its client companies and new companies.
Because there are many of us who are convinced that the main keys for getting out of the crisis, or at least to be able to sail these rough seas safely, are technological innovation and internationalisation. The world is growing and the market is the world. Those companies with sufficient innovation in their products, exporting companies or ones with multiple locations are competing very well and winning market share.
So the role that IK4-TEKNIKER can and should play is of crucial importance. We are a valuable agent enabling companies to innovate in their products and processes thanks to our highly specialised knowledge.We are their ideal travelling companion in this ongoing struggle that the international markets are subjecting us to.Whoever does not move quickly will get left behind.
For this exciting challenge we also have an invaluable ally, the IK4 Technological Alliance of which IK4-TEKNIKER is a driving force member. IK4 is the ecosystem thanks to which we are going to be capable of maximizing our contribution to companies by offering the best for their interests, and sharing with the IK4 members infrastructure and knowledge to serve our clients. As this sharing of infrastructure and knowledge is a mutual aspect, the clients of other R+D centres in the IK4 alliance are set to benefit, directly or indirectly from this new infrastructure.
We are aware that much work still lies ahead and that we have to assume our responsibility as a key player in the competitiveness of the Basque economy. For this we have the invaluable edge of our experience gained throughout 30 years of work well done and cutting edge facilities on the highest level to enable us to face the future with assurance. Let’s get going!
