AIMPLAS is a Technological Institute focused on plastic sector, located in Valencia, is a private, non-profit Association, with over 550 associated companies (the majority of them SMEs). AIMPLAS’ fields of work are related to technological research and development on plastic materials & products and its transformation processes. AIMPLAS has offered its services to the Plastic industry sector since 1990, and has a permanent staff of more than 115 professionals with huge expertise in compounding, processing, recycling, product development and analysis of plastic materials for different sectors, such as construction, automotive, packaging and other traditional ones (i.e. agriculture). Specifically, it has a lot of knowledge and experience in the development and improvement of: polymeric materials (sustainable materials such as renewable, biobased,recycled, valorised ones; nanocomposites and nanoparticles functionalisation, advanced materials for example with electrical and thermal conductivity, high barrier properties, etc.; new materials for additive manufacturing processes, high performance composites, traditional raw materials); transformation processes (blends dispersion and reology, thermoplastic with fibres processing, thermoset resins curing, biopolymer processability, reactive extrusion, foaming, joining technologies for dissimilar materials without adhesives; and specific improvements in the transformation processes); and, new products development (intelligent and active packaging, multifunctional structures, functional printing, recycled based products, etc.).

AIMPLAS has a proven record of R&D successful cases in many EU projects under different funded programmes including 9 FP5 (1 as coordinator), 20 FP6 (5 as coordinator), 20 FP7 (10 as coordinator), 6 Life+ (3 as coordinator), 5 Eco-Innovation (3 as coordinator), 2 Leonardo and 2 Intelligent Energy Europe. Regarding CIP Eco-Innovation Programme, AIMPLAS coordinates 2008 project, ECO-RUBBER; 2009, RECYTUBE, 2010 ECOBIONET and 2014 RIGA projects, also participating in 2010 CAYLEY, 2011 THINFISH & SAMDOKAN, and 2013 DRIUS projects.
AIMPLAS balance at the end of 2014 was as follows: 133 ongoing R&D projects, 98 out of them were national ones, meanwhile the other 35 were at EU level. The most important projects were focused on packaging, building, automative and environment sectors.
AIMPLAS R&D activities are in particular focused on ensuring the successful knowledge transfer to the Industry in form of improved processes and formulations or value-added products that increase their competitiveness.
AIMPLAS has 1) an Environmental and Recycling business work line, which R&D activities are focused on the management of plastic waste, in the development of new recycled materials and reducing environmental impact; 2) experience in plastic recyclability and new applications for recycled materials and eco-design of plastic products and eco-label; 3) is an authorized intermediary as member of DIN CERTCO Certification Committee with companies that apply to obtain the compostability certificate; 4) recognized since 2010 by Der Bleu Engel in order to verify products according to this ecolabel.
The dissemination activities are of great importance within AIMPLAS main objectives, creating web sites, designing dissemination items such as flyers or posters among others, carrying out technical conferences and seminars, attending to relevant events at EU level as speakers, to fairs with its own booth. Leading these kind of activities in other UE funded projects.

Country: Spain

Organization Type: R+D institute

City: Paterna-Valencia 46980,C/ Gustave Eiffel, 4 Google map

Areas of Activities