The origin of the Network for Surface Engineering in the Ostwuerttemberg Region (NORO = “Netzwerk Oberflaechentechnologie Region Ostwuerttemberg”) is the Cluster competition of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. With regard to this competition, WiRO, the regional economic development promotion association, developed and presented a concept aiming to give crucial support to the surface engineering industry and the numerous companies using its technologies by professional cluster management in the Ostwuerttemberg region.
At the end of 2008, “NORO” was rewarded as a project with strategic importance for the competitiveness of Baden-Wuerttemberg and its regions. Many actors joined the effort, led by WiRO, to win the State competition: Regional companies, universities and research institutes, education and training institutions, associations and chambers, economic development promoters and the city of Schwaebisch Gmuend. Their goal was to win subsidies from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg in order to strengthen Ostwuerttemberg as a surface-engineering location and to make the “Region for Talents and Patents” a State-wide center of surface engineering.
NORO was institutionalized on 13 July 2009, when a support association of 30 members initially founded the “Netzwerk Oberflaechentechnologie Region Ostwuerttemberg e.V.” as an incorporated society. Subsequently, NORO found a seasoned expert of this field, Dr. Frank-Detlev Koppitz, to head its actual operations as the Managing Director. Today, NORO counts more than 40 members and welcomes more businesses – from the Region and beyond its borders.
Info: http://www.noro-ev.net
The mission of NORO is to utilize a variety of opportunities and potentials all along the value-added chain in the surface engineering industry and to generate synergies between the individual actors.
Therefore, NORO offers solutions in a variety of ways: support for business cooperation and research projects, know-how and technology transfer, the acquisition and qualification of skilled employees, contacts to the political establishment and project initiators, as well as, cluster marketing in this field. Consequently, NORO members benefit from the association’s activities by revenue growth, cost reduction, innovation and joint marketing. One of its goals is “competencies networking” – bringing individual member companies together to help them improve their access to new and complex technologies through tangible and practical joint projects. A member survey identified various subjects of interest and activity, such as the replacement of yellow chromate conversion coating, surface cleaning before coating, measuring techniques in chemical-nickel processes and many others. Obviously, NORO also organizes company visits and tours, thus offering additional value to its members. |
