The Centre will do multidisciplinary research on next-generation manufacturing techniques. The idea is to create the basis that will enable Norwegian goods manufacturing industry to compete in global markets.
Few countries in the world are more suitable for modern goods manufacture than Norway. The Centre has the ambitious aim of increase the value of production per employee from one to four million kroner.
Comprises 16 companies
The Centre will be led from Trondheim and will have an industrial department on Raufoss, which will help to cement the Trondheim-Raufoss axis – a link that is already quite central in Norwegian goods manufacture. At the same time, companies from other parts of the country, such as Kongsberg and the Sunnmøre region, are also members of the CRI project.
All in all, the industrial consortium comprises 16 companies.
The automotive sector
Vehicle manufacture is one of the most advance mass production industries in the world. Norwegian companies compete in this sector, with an annual production of components to a value of between NOK 7 and 8 billion. When Raufoss Technology AS, for example, receives an offer to become one of three plants in the world to supply suspensions for a new model from General Motors, the company itself has to develop the product from scratch and at the same time describe the production process in detail.
Long-term projects
Norwegian Manufacturing Future will involve itself in a number of long-term projects, all of which will end up with a demonstration product. The Centre will share premises with SINTEF in Trondheim, and will also have its own department in Raufoss Science Park.
Continuous product development
In the course of the eight years during which the Centre hopes to keep going, participants will involve themselves in continuous product development, for example for the vehicle and engineering sector, the food industry, aviation, electro, defence, furniture manufacture and textiles. Just as important as the products themselves are the manufacturing processes and the value chains that underlie them.
Host institution: SINTEF.
Research partners: NTNU, RTIM.
Industrial partners: Elko, Helly Hansen, Pipelife Norge, Steertec, Teeness, Ekornes, Plasto, Nortura, Hexagon, Hydro Automotive, Kongsberg Automotive, Nammo, Raufoss Technology, Volvo Aero, Raufoss Industrial Tools, Mills.
Budget: NOK 160 million over eight years. Staff: 15–20
