Fundacion Labein - Mechanics Unit

• Country - Spain
• Town - Bilbao
• Web site - http://www.labein.es/

Fundacion LABEIN is a private, non-profit technological research & innovation centre, settled in Bilbao, Spain with 50 years of experience in supporting enterprises and administration bodies in their technological and innovation needs. The members of the foundation are regional administration bodies of the Basque country as well as around 30 enterprises (both SMEs and large ones) representing a number of industrial and service sectors from Spain, namely in Energy, Environmental and Construction, Automotive and Iron-Steel.

LABEIN support to their customers is carried out by means of RTD and Demonstration projects, Technology Transfer & Innovation projects, Technical Assistance, Knowledge Management Systems as well as Training and Dissemination activities.

LABEIN is field of activities are Iron & Steel, Automotive, Energy, Construction and Environment and Regional Development. LABEIN has a total staff of around 270 people with different background (technical, economical and social), 70% of them with high-qualified degrees and 27 doctors. About 30% of the researchers are Women. It is certified under ISO 9.000 for their research and service activities. Total turnover is about 18,5 M€ in 2003. More that 60% of the turnover comes from industry.

LABEIN is also part of a larger research group called TECNALIA. TECNALIA Technological Corporation has being created with the objective of contributing to economic and social development by using and promoting technological innovation. It has emerged by the net working of six non-profit-making private organizations coming all together by the end of 2002 to a total staff of 1.072 persons.

LABEIN is quite active in performing projects in an international environment. It is involved in 22 European projects from the Sixth European Framework Programme for research and development (FP6) - leading 6 of them. It has been or is involved also in 40 European projects from FP5 - leading 12 of them. In relation with other programmes, Labein is involved in 28 ECSC-Steel projects, 1 EQUAL, 1 ASIA-URBS, 1 ASIA IT&C, 1 e-Content, 3 INTERREG III B Atlantic Area (leading one of them) and 3 INTERREG III C.