On August 1, 2017 China National Chemical Equipment (CNCE; also known as ChemChina) and Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (Fraunhofer) under Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft signed a strategic cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Munich. According to the MOU, the two sides will cooperate with each other in the fields of new chemical materials, intelligent manufacturing, automation and information technology.

As the largest application-oriented research organization in Germany and the Europe, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has 69 research institutions, involving various industrial applications including new materials, communication and electronics, automation, computing science and environmental science, etc. In 2016, it had a budget of about 2.1 billion euros and 6,762 technological innovations.

Fraunhofer boasts state-of-the-art technologies in the fields of smart factory solution, CPS physical information system, Internet of Things and intelligent robotic application. Therefore the idea is for Fraunhofer to provide CNCE with strong support in terms of upgrading of intelligent equipment manufacturing – something that will no doubt help its nascent Pirelli and Prometeon tyre manufacturing businesses.

According to the MOU, the two sides will carry out scientific research and technical innovation on the principles of “mutual benefit, stabilization, persistence, high efficiency and high quality”. And what’s more Fraunhofer plans to introduce more research institutions through the intranet of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and carry out more extensive cooperation with companies under ChemChina in the future.