Service and research institute for plastics technology: testing, failure analysis, surface technology, development and training
Kunststoff-Institut für die mittelständische Wirtschaft NRW GmbH (KIMW)
Lüdenscheid (institute headquarters) · Lüdenscheid (Polymer Training Centre)New on Amplifa
About the Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid
The Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid is run by Kunststoff-Institut für die mittelständische Wirtschaft NRW GmbH (KIMW), a private-sector service company for plastics technology. Founded in 1987 by 30 plastics-related companies together with the City of Lüdenscheid and South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, the institute sees itself as a neutral, practice-oriented contact point along the entire value chain of the plastics industry. Its range of services includes technical development, surface technology and coating, new materials, application technology, automotive and materials testing, material and failure analysis, recycling, material databases and interlaboratory tests, as well as vocational and further training, research and consulting on sustainability topics such as Corporate Carbon Footprint and Environmental Product Declaration. At the institute's headquarters near Lüdenscheid railway station, modern laboratories, testing facilities and pilot plants are available. In 2018, the five-storey Polymer Training Centre with around 1857 m² of usable floor space was opened, a boarding-school-style training centre for initial vocational training and further education. The supporting association unites more than 400 member companies from Germany, Europe and overseas; since 2018, the institute has also been the VDWF branch office North-West for tool and mould making.
- Site
- Lüdenscheid
- Processes
- Surface technology / surface coating, Testing (automotive and materials testing), Material & failure analysis, Recycling / application technology / material selection and development, Injection moulding (seminars/training, injection moulding expertise), In-mould decoration / film insert moulding (specialist conference, subject area), Tool and mould making (VDWF branch office North-West, consulting), 3D printing (subject area according to news/events)
- Materials
- Plastics
- Certificates
- Gold Label European Cluster Excellence Initiative (ECEI)
- Founded
- 1987 (asso
- Industries
- Plastics industry, Automotive, Tool and mould making, Construction industry, Recycling
- 01
Technical development / material selection
- 02
Application technology
- 03
Surface technology / coating
- 04
Testing and material & failure analysis
- 05
Recycling / sustainability
- 06
Vocational and further training
Materials & Processes
Plastics
The institute's core material: material selection and development, testing, failure analysis and recycling for plastics applications.
Locations
Lüdenscheid
DEInstitute headquarters with laboratories, testing facilities and pilot plants; near Lüdenscheid railway station, area
- Materials
- Plastics
- Laboratories
- Testing facilities
- Pilot plants
Lüdenscheid – Polymer Training Centre
DETraining and education centre, opened 21.06.2018; five storeys with 56 office workstations, training and
- Materials
- Plastics
- two machine training rooms
- two training rooms
- four meeting rooms
- large conference room
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface technology / surface coatingSurface | – | – | – | – | Plastics |
| Testing (automotive and materials testing)Testing | – | – | – | – | Plastics |
| Material & failure analysisTesting | – | – | – | – | Plastics |
| Recycling / application technology / material selection and developmentEngineering | – | – | – | – | Plastics |
| Injection moulding (seminars/training, injection moulding expertise)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Plastics |
| In-mould decoration / film insert moulding (specialist conference, subject area)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Plastics |
| Tool and mould making (VDWF branch office North-West, consulting)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| 3D printing (subject area according to news/events)Additive | – | – | – | – | Plastics |
Additional services
Quality & Awards
As a cluster, the institute has been awarded the Gold Label of the European Cluster Excellence Initiative (ECEI) several times, first in 2013 and most recently in 2025. Tests, analyses and interlaboratory tests are carried out in the institute's own laboratories with modern testing equipment.
| Evidence | Lüdenscheid |
|---|---|
| Gold Label European Cluster Excellence Initiative (ECEI) |
History
- 1987
Foundation of the Association for the Promotion of a Plastics Institute in Lüdenscheid by 30 companies together with the City of Lüdenscheid and South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences
- 1998
Renaming of the association to the supporting organisation Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid e. V.
- 2013
First award of the Gold Label of the European Cluster Excellence Initiative (ECEI); plans for the Polymer Training Centre presented
- 2015
Funding approval from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia of €2.8 million for the Polymer Training Centre
- 2018
Official opening of the Polymer Training Centre on 21 June; KIMW becomes the VDWF branch office North-West
- 2025
Most recent (fifth) Gold Label award from the ECEI