Cooperation between a North Rhine-Westphalian and a Finnish engineering cluster

The North Rhine-Westphalian engineering cluster "OWL Maschinenbau" and the Finnish "Intelligent Machines Cluster" are cooperating successfully. ZENIT GmbH as Enterprise Europe Network partner organised together with the Finnish colleagues a mission in March 2010 for the cluster manager of the engineering cluster OWL Maschinenbau to Tampere/Finland to meet several actors of the production technologies/engineering, intelligent machines.
The cluster OWL Maschinenbau has been organising the fair “FMB Zuliefermesse Maschinenbau” for several years. After the mission in March 2010 the representatives of the Intelligent Machines Cluster programme decided to cooperate with the cluster OWL Maschinenbau to exchange experiences, know-how and technological trends.

They visited the fair in 2010 and consequently decided to participate in the fair again in 2011. The participation in the fair was with a stand, bringing Finnish companies to the fair and providing speakers for conference, workshops, etc. In order to formalise and intensify the co-operation at cluster level they have become partner/member of the OWL Maschinenbau e.V. (association) in 2011.
The Finnish cluster has particular expertise with control and use of mobile machinery, especially when it comes to hydraulics and automation as well as with virtual reality technologies and simulation applications. They have achieved some significant benefits through technological applications and development work.This know-how is very valuable for the German region. The representatives of the Finnish Intelligent machines Cluster have transferred knowledge to the members of the OWL Maschinenbau cluster by implementing specific workshops during the “FMB Zuliefermesse Maschinenbau”. On the other hand the Finnish representatives could learn from the experience of the members of the OWL Maschinenbau.
The formal co-operation and technical know-how transfer between the clusters and their members is the first step. The common goal of both clusters is to bring German companies of the cluster OWL Maschinenbau together with Finnish companies to support their business, technological or research cooperation.

FMB Zuliefermesse Maschinenbau 2011