Beneficiaries
The project includes the following beneficiaries:
OSO Hotwater AS
OSO was founded in 1932 as one of the first welding companies in Norway. Consequently, OSO has been a leading company within water heater development in Norway for more than 70 years. As a result, Norway has the most durable, operationally stable, environmentally friendly and most affordable stainless steel water heaters in Europe.
OSO’s storage water heaters revolutionized the Norwegian water heater market in the 1950’s by being twice as efficient per litre and thus saving half the space with an energy economic saving of more than 50 %. Storage water heaters became a success that was further developed during the following 20 years. The founders welding knowledge eventually resulted in OSO becoming the first mass-manufacturer of stainless steel water heaters in the world in the early 1970’s. This saved a substantial amount of resources through a weight reduction of about 50 % and also a considerably increased lifetime.
OSO introduced OSO ECO Foam insulation which reduced the heat loss of all standard water heaters by 30 %. The national energy economic saving through the first 5 years was 250 million kWh and for this OSO received the award for the Best Environmental and Energy Economic product in 2004 in Norway.
The Super Series was launched in 2006 and introduced a completely new and modern design. The insulation was better and all valves were factory mounted and covered by insulated lids. The OSO Super Series is the company’s flagship for future growth in many export markets, including UK where OSO is among the leading suppliers.
Siegert GmbH
Siegert's main business idea is to translate circuits for customers into well-fitting system solutions. The company has a broad technology basis, allowing it to optimise its technological products.
Siegert produces the following products:
- Hybrid circuits. Electronic modules printed on ceramic substrates, a technology in between semiconductor integration and discrete realization on PCB technology.
- Assembled PC-boards which form the basic structure of most electronic systems. By using Surface Mount Technology (SMT) the company has decreased production costs and the increased the packaging density.
- Sensors and thickfilm technology.
Hydrus Ltd.
Hydrus Ltd. is the successor of a Cyprus based manufacturer of water pumps and systems (ATMA pumps). The company was founded in 1987 as a family business and with rapid growth it has today become one of the largest manufacturing and exporting companies in Cyprus.
Hydrus' service to the field of pumping equipment begun with deep well vertical turbine pumps, a well proven product for which we have became one of the leading suppliers of great markets in Middle East and Africa. From this start the product range was expanded into a wide range deep well submersible and centrifugal pumps.
The company's continued growth is sustained by investments in the areas of engineering, manufacturing and service. Original and exclusive designs are developed and manufactured using advanced technology proven by laboratory testing.
During the 20 years since Hydrus' establishment, the company has been dedicated in the design and development of high quality pumping equipment with emphasis on establishing a flexible and versatile company using the latest management and production systems.
Theohalko Solar Energy Ltd.
Theohalko Solar Energy is one of the largest, fully automatically factory in Cyprus, producing complete solar water heater thermosymphonic systems.
The company manufactures hot water cylinders (both electric and solar) from 12L up to 1500L. These cylinders are manufactured internally entirely from copper and are under CE mark. As of 2010, the company has installed an Ultrasonic Full Plate Welding machine for the manufacture of Full Plate Collectors.
The company focuses on the following fields of technology development:
Solar Thermal
- Absorbers, coatings
- Collectors
- Storage tanks
Applications
- Open land systems
- On roof systems
Further
- Distribution (smart grids)
Thermia Värme AS
Thermia offers services ranging from development, production and marketing to sales, service and follow up in the area of heating, hot water and cooling. The company developed and produced Sweden's first heat pump with an integrated hot water tank in 1973, and has continued to stay in the lead of its technology field since then.
In 2007, the global research and development centre of Thermia was inaugurated, employing 30 engineers focusin on high-tech, energy-efficient solutions for the future.
Their development facilities comprise:
- one of the most modern climate halls in Europe
- A sound-insulated hall to measure sound levels (dB) in soft conditions (sound is absorbed by the surroundings)
- A sound-insulated hall to measure sound levels (dB) in hard conditions (sound rebounds from the surroundings)
- The latest equipment for development of mechanics and electronics
Ahlsell Norge AS
Ahlsell is one of Norway's largest full-scale wholesalers, with a unique selection of products for water supply, heating, sanitation and sewage applications, industrial applications, electrical installations, refrigeration and oil and gas installation, as well as tools and work clothes. The foundations for the company were laid in Sweden as early as 1877, and Ahlsell has been in the Norwegian market since 1986. With more than 200 departments, the Ahlsell Group is a Nordic industry leader in its field. Ahlsell Norge has 55 branches nationwide and about 1000 capable, helpful and experienced employees, ensuring smooth distribution of products and services to its customers.
Teknologisk Institutt as (TI)
TI is a non-profit, privately founded RTD organisation that has grown from a governmental institute into a highly competent private company. TI offers personnel with a high level of skills and expertise in a great number of areas, among others development of industry technological solutions and transferring new technology to SMEs and LEs in its fields of competence. TI's activities are divided into the following business areas: Materials Technology, Product Development and Production Technology, Environment and Safety, R&D EU programmes, Indoor Environment, Calibration, Certification and Training Services. TI's material laboratory is one of the leading laboratories in Norway, strongly supported by the specialists knowledge of employees. All tests performed, from raw materials to final products are in accordance with national or international standards.
The company is currently involved in several research projects within the EU 7th Framework Programme. These product and process development projects span in a wide area of technological sectors, and include among others ClosedFishCage (aquaculture), BioFoulControl (water technology), CleanCloth (innovative material technology), EcoWaterHeater (industrial design). TI is not an IPR holding or exploiting business.
CNE Technology Ltd.
CNE Technology Ltd. was established in 1997 and has since then become a National Centre of Excellence in the fields of laboratory services (testing, metrology and calibration), applied research and the supply of test and measurement equipment. It is based in Cyprus and operates from its privately owned facilities at the Ergates Industrial Estate in the outskirts of the capital Nicosia.
Its state of the art laboratories are fully equipped to offer a wide range of testing and calibration services under a strict quality system, which is accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 and certified under ISO 9001. CNE also develops and activately participates in a number of applied research projects both for the benefit of its customers and for its own development needs, targeting niche market demands.
In addition, CNE supplies and supports a wide range of quality test and measurement instruments and equipment, provides technical and scientific support on different fields of engineering including technical consultancy for CE marking and product certification and organises related training courses and workshops.
Fraunhofer Gesellschaft IFAM
The Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM) undertakes research and development work within two main areas: Shaping and functional materials and Adhesive bonding technology and surfaces.
The Department of Shaping and Functional Materials focuses on three core areas of expertise: Casting technology and light material technology, micro- and nanostructuring, powder technology and sintering technology. These areas are reflected in the organisation of IFAM's R&D activities into an activity traingle of materials - shaping - compoents and the following focus areas:Functional structures,casting technology,lightweight materials and analytics,biomaterials technology, sintered and composite materials, cellular materials.
The Department Adhesive Bonding Technology and Surfaces at IFAM offers industry qualified development work in adhesive bonding technology, plasma technology and paint/lacquer technology. The demand for these services comes from a host of companies in a broad range of industries, such as the vehicle construction sector - aircraft, road vehicles, rail vehicles, ships - and all their sub-suppliers, the machinery and plant construction sector, the electrical and electronics industries, household appliance construction and medical engineering as well as information technology and communications technology.
The UK Health & Environment Research Institute
The UK Health and Environmental Research Institute (UK-HERI) is a part of a non-for-profit Research & Technology Development Group employing 550 scientists and engineers, and containing nine individual institutes, each with a specific technological specialism and competence.
HERI develops advanced healthcare technologies and conducts applied environmental research. The company provides a total package of support to all types of companies, in particular small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This includes cutting edge services of research and development right from initial concept generation through knowledge and technology development and ultimately assistance with market stimulation and commercialisation.
As a constituted not-for-profit research organisation limited by guarantee, HERI also selectively chooses to co-invest with industry to help build techno-economic feasibility studies, and it is the company's policy to not hold intellectual property.