Benny Björkander is the CEO of RFR Solutions AB, a manufacturer of stainless steel constructions located in Landskrona, Sweden. Benny’s background is in ABB Robotics and he was CEO of a company manufacturing temperature sensors. He attended the ENRIITC Pan-European partnering event at Big Science Sweden on 8 February 2021 and sat down with us to share his experience of the event and further impressions on ENRIITC.

Firstly, thank you for your time, Benny. Could you describe RFR Solutions as a company?

We are a small company of about 48 employees that exclusively specialises in stainless steel designs and focuses on doing that at a level with high requirements. RFR Solutions is a rather niche company working with advanced designs and bringing them through a complicated manufacturing process directly to the customer. We have customers from big science to medtech, nuclear and defense industry. Our company does not go after simple projects; we rather go for the ones with high requirements in variable aspects. We realised that is what we do best.

Let’s talk about the Pan-European partnering event. What were the biggest benefits of the event for you?

When I started at RFR Solutions, I had not really worked with big science before. The partnering event was great to learn more about the business side of big science. In my opinion, working in big science is quite different from other business to business: you have to have a good understanding of the system to be a successful part of it.

Did the event have any impact on your business?

ENRIITC did not have any direct impact on sales. However, ENRIITC acted as a stepping stone to get better acquainted with the organisations, ILOs, procurement procedures, contracts and collaborations. It’s a longer process to build relationships in our business. You have to do it the right way by sending the right people the right formats. I think it’s a big step for companies to enter big science market and this event certainly took us further.

I wouldn’t say that that event directly has given us business, but it has been an add-on of our network and the understanding which we can bring into the next event and the one after that is taking us a step further again. We are playing the long game.

Speaking of networking, did you meet any potential new collaborators at the event?

There were new faces and I had a few meetings. In the end, those meetings didn’t lead to any new projects at the moment, but as I mentioned before, it was a good introduction to the wider industry.

Overall, I like the one to one meetings model. They are quite an efficient way of finding people, getting to know them and building relationships. It was a good experience.

What are the gaps in the current landscape for companies like yours to have a need for a network like ENRIITC?

I think it’s a lot about education. One needs to learn how the big science world works, how it ticks, how to find people and all that. There is also a certain political aspect about it: how different countries organise their business and at times there are also public co-investors. This national level knowledge is very valuable. Without that we can aim to operate in big science but it would only remain a wish.

How do you think others can benefit from ENRIITC?

As I mentioned previously, I see education as something that would be a benefit. ENRIITC could be that one-stop-shop for education on protocols and contacts. For a smaller company like RFR Solutions, it would save quite a lot of resources if there was a well-functioning network. A central place to build relationships with multiple stakeholders.

Thank you, I think that is very helpful to know. Anything else you wish to add?

I would like to mention, that if I look at a company at our size and level, it is a bit risky to only rely on business in big science. At the same time, it offers great additional value in competence and reputation: who wouldn’t want CERN in their client list?

• Find out more about the event here
• Find out more about RFR Solutions here

Jose Antao is the Portuguese Industrial Liaison Officer for CERN, ITER and ESRF. Previously a delegate at ESFRI, ERIC Committee and the Horizon 2020 Research Infrastructures Committee, he now works closely with a number of companies in the Big Science market. Jose kindly agreed to tell us about the impact that the ENRIITC project has had for him.

Thanks for your time, Jose. Firstly, could you describe your interaction with ENRIITC?

My interaction was not extensive, but significant. The majority of ENRIITC activities were completed during the pandemic, so most project workshops and coffee meetings were organised virtually. I participated in a number of them.

What did ENRIITC bring you? What impact has the project had for you?

I would split the impact into 3 broad areas:

1. Industrial Liaison Officers from different countries and for different infrastructures had the chance to meet, interact and learn from each other. In a time of pandemic-driven distancing, it was actually possible to be closer to some of these colleagues.
2. ENRIITC focused broadly on Research Infrastructures, and not only on Big Science organizations, with which I work directly. It was interesting to hear about different realities and put the expectations from each actor in perspective.
3. I could meet several Industry Contact Officers from organizations I don’t usually work with. It was good to sit at the same table and associate their names and faces to the organizations they serve. I believe several new ILO-ICO connections were made, which will strengthen the European industrial ecosystem around Research Infrastructures.

ENRIITC provided knowledge on how the systems of ILOs and ICOs is organised. I would be happy if, thanks to my engagement, companies I collaborate with get more contracts and Research Infrastructures find new suppliers to support their mission.

How do you think others can benefit from ENRIITC?

The lowest-hanging fruit is for ILOs and ICOs from Big Science organisations to pick. They have more similar interests and it will be easier to adopt practices and merge/enlarge the networks.

But the ENRIITC consortium is very diverse, and dividends will not be as obvious or immediate to non-Physics organisations in it.

The bright side is that the network is alive and people seem eager to continue working together. On every side, there is increased awareness of problems and possible solutions around the industrial relationships with Research Infrastructures. And a set of familiar faces to continue tackling those challenges together.

Which activity was most inspiring for you?

I really enjoyed the regular #ENRIITCyourCoffee sessions. ENRIITC filled the gap in the pandemic, providing a platform for us to have discussions and share best practices.

Great – thanks again for your time, Jose.

• Find out more about #ENRIITCyourCoffee event series here.
• Find out more Agência Nacional de Inovação.

The ENRIITC & CzechInvest workshop was a fantastic opportunity to discuss research infrastructure perspectives when engaging with industry as a supplier, user and collaborator. Speakers and panelists together with the 70 onsite and online participants exchanged on their experience, highlighting the importance of RI-industry partnerships for stronger scientific discovery, faster technological development and higher societal impact.

The event was jointly organised by the EU-funded ENRIITC project, aiming at strengthening the relationship between RIs and industry, and CzechInvest, the national business development and investment promotion agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Czech Republic thus giving a strong message on the importance of RI-industry collaboration to support European Research and Innovation.

Anne-Charlotte Joubert, the ENRITTC project coordinator, EU funding expert and grant officer at European Spallation Source introduced the ENRIITC project and its goal to build a permanent pan-European network of Industrial Liaison and Contact Officers (ILOs and ICOs) which supports industry to become a fuller partner of research infrastructures whether as a user, a supplier, or a co-creator.

She also presented one of the outputs of the project, a set of case studies on collaboration between research infrastructures and industrial companies.

Concluding on the importance of a platform like ENRIITC, she highlighted its importance to engage with the broad range of key stakeholders linked to the RI-industry community, thus supporting the European research and innovation ecosystem.

René Samek, a specialist in innovation infrastructures from CzechInvest, presented the environment for research, development and innovation in the Czech Republic and invited the participants to have a look at an exhibition of products of Czech startups from the ESA BIC incubator which CzechInvests runs in Prague and Brno.

Aleš Hála from the European research infrastructure ELI Beamlines headquartered near Prague presented how this laser research centre cooperates with industrial companies and how it offers the results of its research.

Representatives of two Czech companies, DEL (which supplies 3D models and equipment for hot chambers to the Jules Horowitz Reactor in France) and Vakuum Praha (which supplies vacuum chambers to, for example, CERN, ETH and ELI Beamlines) showed how they attracted the attention of these international research infrastructures and became their technology suppliers.

A lively discussion of representatives of five research infrastructures, moderated by Edward Mitchell, Head of Business Development from The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF).

Participants from European research infrastructures (Director General of EMSO, Juanjo Dañobeitia, Executive Director of CLARIN-ERIC Franciska de Jong, In-kind Procurement Adviser and Industry Contact Officer at GSI-FAIR, Sonia Utermann), national funding agencies (programme Manager at the Swedish innovation agency Vinnova, Maria Öhman), national business and investment agencies (specialist in innovation infrastructures at CzechInvest, Rene Samek) debated industry engagement models, with their advantages, their challenges, and looking at the drivers and solutions to bridge the gap from RIs to industry, and industry to RIs. The variety of the panelists coming from different horizons and scientific domains, brought a broad vision on the opportunity of collaboration and demonstrated that once the barriers are lowered RI-industry engagement can bring in many benefits both to the RI or the industry themselves, but also to wider society.

Dr Sonia Utermann works as the In-kind procurement and Industry Contact Officer at FAIR (the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) in Darmstadt, Germany. Inspired by ENRIITC activities, Sonia built a national ILO network in FAIR. Sonia kindly agreed to an interview with Sylwia Justyna Wojtowicz from the ENRIITC consortium.

Thanks for your time, Sonia. Firstly, please could you tell us about your interaction with ENRIITC?

I was involved in the ENRIITC project since the very beginning. I had noticed that FAIR could do a lot more to support companies from our shareholders’ countries. And because I didn’t know how to do that I had to find people that had this knowledge. The timing of ENRIITC was perfect, I had just started and was seeking knowledge and good practices.

Please can you tell us how the system of industry liaison works at FAIR?

We are actively working with companies. Germany cannot build FAIR alone, we need all of our shareholders involved in a system that would allow us to develop knowledge, give us support for the running costs and enable exchange of staff. FAIR shareholders are actually our partners. Regardless of how big the share is, every partner has an equal vote (Germany owns 70% of all shares and 1 vote, equally with countries owning only 1% of shares).

Is there a mechanism for geo-return in FAIR?

We are not an international organisation so we must obey German procurement law. We do not have a principal system of geo-return. We need to rely on the relation system with our partners and build an inside mechanism of support. We are making an effort to support small investors, who invest a significant budget in FAIR. We try to find industrial partners and human resources in those countries.

How can companies apply?

FAIR is accessible to any company, it is an open procedure. We use the EU or the German tender platform, but we ensure as much communication as possible is in English. If a company needs more time, we can grant it. Most tender specifications are in English. Also we prepared a step-by-step guide to the German tender platform for companies. Moreover, if a company contacts me, I will help them find opportunities at FAIR, not only in procurement but also in technology transfer and R&D projects.

How has ENRIITC helped you in your work?

For the very first time, I met people that were doing the same job. It was perfect timing as I was a curious beginner looking for information, and I found a lot of it in ENRIITC. I was inspired by the brokerage events, coffee meetings and discussion. I would say that I was a student and am now a graduate from the ENRIITC project!

ENRIITC taught me what the job of an ILO and ICO is, and how they do their job. The project inspired me to build a unique ILO network at FAIR. It started as a small system of communication and improvements and now is an official system of ILOs from shareholders countries, approved by the FAIR Council. Also, we are connecting with ILO networks from countries that are not shareholders of FAIR, using the ENRIITC community.

Hans Priem is Business Manager at VDL, an international industrial and manufacturing conglomerate with headquarters in the Netherlands. He attended the ESO “Instruments Industry” event on 7 April 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland, that was supported by ENRIITC. Hans kindly agreed to talk to us about his attendance at the event.

Thanks for your time, Hans. Firstly, what did you get out of attending the ESO “Instruments Industry” event in April?

The event was very useful for receiving targeted updates on what is going on in the field and also as a networking opportunity.

Did the event have any impact on your business?

Yes, the event did have an impact on my business in general. Not financially per se, but it was very useful to have an update on the scientific instruments, and helpful in terms of our assessment as to whether we could have added value in the field. It was also informative to see what was going on in a specific project and organization. This type of event is important for us to make informed choices; they’re also great for building international contacts.

What is the potential impact of this event on your business?

The impact of this event was that we gained access, or have more secured access, to relevant technology. Additionally, we were able to grow our network of potential collaborators.

Speaking of collaborators, did you meet any potential new ones at the event?

Yes, the ENRIITC event helped facilitate initial contact with other companies and national entities so that we could network and discuss future business opportunities. It is possible that I will do business with these new relations, possibly in the form of working with them in a consortium. As with all new partnerships, it takes time to get to know each other and build trust, but these sorts of ENRIITC events are great for networking before initiating collaborations, like setting up a consortium.

Great – thanks again for your time, Hans.

Thank you.

• Find out more about the event here
• Find out more about VDL here