IWK – OST
Swiss university institute specializing in polymers, composites, and advanced materials processing for additive manufacturing
- CEO / Founder
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Frank Ehrig
- Team Size
- 51-200
- Stage
- Active
Technology & Products
Key Products
IWK specializes in component design and production in plastics technology, including injection molding, compounding/extrusion, composite technology/lightweight construction, and additive manufacturing. They also focus on sustainable solutions such as recycling, odor reduction, bioplastics, and chemical recycling.
Technological Advantage
CLAIMED: Leading Swiss research institution for component design and production in plastics technology with ~50 employees. Covers 8 research fields spanning the full value chain. VERIFIED: Founded 2005, based in Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland. Exhibits at Formnext 2025 (AM-focused) and Fakuma (plastics-focused). Partners with industry and public funding bodies (KTI/Innosuisse). DEFENSIBILITY: As a public research institution, competitive advantage derives from institutional infrastructure, academic talent pipeline, and long-standing industry relationships rather than IP-protected technology.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Provides Swiss industry with direct access to applied research infrastructure and expertise in plastics processing and additive manufacturing, reducing time-to-market for new materials and processes through university-industry collaboration — companies gain R&D capability without capital investment in specialized equipment.
How They Differentiate
IWK differentiates from larger national labs (Empa, Fraunhofer) through its regional DACH industry focus, full value-chain plastics expertise (from compounding through processing to testing), and direct integration with OST's applied sciences curriculum — enabling rapid student-to-workforce knowledge transfer. Unlike pure AM research centers, IWK's AM research is embedded within broader manufacturing capabilities including injection moulding and composites, enabling hybrid process development.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Industrial manufacturing companies in plastics, composites, and metals seeking applied R&D partnerships; SMEs and corporations in the DACH region requiring material testing, process optimization, and prototyping support.
Industry Verticals
Plastics Manufacturing; Automotive; Aerospace/Defense; Medical Devices; Consumer Goods; Industrial Equipment
Competitors
Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) – broader materials research mandate, national scope; Institut für Kunststofftechnik (IKT) at University of Stuttgart – German academic research in plastics processing; Fraunhofer IFAM – applied research in additive manufacturing and materials, larger scale
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Active exhibition presence at Fakuma 2024 (Oct 2024, Friedrichshafen, Germany — Europe's leading plastics trade fair) and Formnext 2025 (Frankfurt — AM/3D printing industry's premier global exhibition), confirming sustained industry engagement and visibility across two consecutive major trade fair cycles in adjacent sectors (plastics processing + additive manufacturing)
Major Milestones
2005 – Founded as the Institute for Materials Technology and Plastics Processing at OST; Exhibitor at Formnext 2025 (Frankfurt) – AM-focused industry presence; Exhibitor at Fakuma (Friedrichshafen) – plastics industry trade fair presence
Notable Customers
FREITAG® (partner in closed-loop recycling systems)