UNITECH Research and Development Center – Stord, Norway
Investing heavily in testing new ideas
UNITECH will establish a new Research and Development Center (RDC), with its own technology dock.
“We have new ideas we would like to test and commercialize, often in cooperation with others,” says Project Director Liv Kari Eskeland.
UNITECH sees great potential in utilizing their technology across many sectors, from subsea to maritime and marine.
“We are all in the midst of green and environmentally friendly changes to our industry. Like all others we believe it is necessary to develop and change the production methods and range of our products. Being able to transmit the technology expertise we have between various areas is key,” says Project Director Liv Kari Eskeland.
Eskeland also believes it is important to participate with other groups: “We will take advantage of the established collaboration arenas which NCE Maritime CleanTech has created; both nationally and internationally. We will participate actively and are open for cooperation, both in our base area and in other areas we have expertise.”
Investing big in a Research and Development Center (RDC)
Bernt Hellesøe, founder of UNITECH, has specific new ideas that are ready to be tested. This is the reason why UNITECH is working actively to establish the new Research and Development Center in Sunnhordland, Norway. The ideas are to be taken from the drawing board to the test laboratories where new products and product cooperation can arise.
Eskeland highlights that UNITECH is quick to initialize production after successful pilot testing. She adds, “UNITECH has extensive experience in working with innovative technology and materials that is in contact with seawater. Subsea technology is an interesting technology to transmit to other areas and it is this development UNITECH is planning to speed up with the new Research and Development Center. We are looking at the whole supply chain structure and more effective work and production processes for implementing into projects. Troubleshooting and simplification in processes are always in focus.
The expertise is found all along the west coast of Norway
Eskeland is particularly interested in the results that can occur when a skilled worker and craftsman is working with innovative engineering in a center like this in Sunnhordland. “This is absolutely the right thing to do now. There are losses along the road when production is transferred to Asia. To invest in our region makes it possible to use the available, and not to mention, the good skills we will find here.”
As of today, UNITECH is working with several possible alternative options for localizing the center and is looking forward to being able to confirm its decision in the very near future. The planned facilities need up to 20-30 acres of land; it needs to accommodate both a dock and the Research and Development Center, as well as providing transportation routes between these facilities. It will be exciting to follow the progress of this new addition to the UNITECH group of companies during autumn.
