Our network has two main fields of activity: managing joint projects in materials design and process development and optimisation, and organising technical workshops and conferences. This leads to clear-cut market-oriented R&D support. Furthermore, the North Bavaria Materials Innovation Net offers a platform for involving all departments of a company - from management to R&D to the skilled engineering worker level - in finding common solutions for the daily challenges of industrial practice.
Additional services are the organisation of fair and exhibition stands and investigations on the state-of-the-art of required technologies in preparation of projects. The goal of the working teams is to develop joint, novel solutions which go beyond the materials sector.
One of these solutions - the "Qualification Concept for Plastics Process Coordinators" – was awarded a prize by Kompetenznetze Deutschland in the competition "Network of Competence 2008 – Best Network Service".
The North Bavaria Materials Innovation Net bridges the gap between industry, science, and politics. Furthermore, it acts as a cradle for novel topics in order to strengthen the innovativity of regional companies.
The large scope of choices and activities creates synergetic effects, thus offering a wide product assortment to materials-based regional companies.

The materials competencies of the Centre of Excellence for New Materials are plastics, metals, ceramics and composites, and computer-aided process development. As the central theme applied to all materials is lightweight construction, target sectors are transportation and the engine-building industry and suppliers.
The range of services offered includes consulting on materials production, processing, and application; development and optimisation of production processes and techniques; materials and structural testing; and damage analysis.
The Franconia Plastics Network is focused on all aspects of processing plastics along the whole value added chain. It offers a neutral platform for cooperation between competing plastics market companies, offering them the chance to find common solutions.

• Ecologically efficient production of EPP blocks of previously unrealisable dimensions: This optimisation of the production process leads to a reduction of energy consumption by 50% and water consumption by 80%. Based on in-mould compounding technology, it has become possible to increase the long term load capacity of fibreglass-reinforced injection moulding components to a significant extent. This technique enables an expansion of the range of properties of injection moulded materials with the effect of reduced weight and costs or improved performance.
  
• Development of coloured crayons with a lead-encasing protective coating, resulting in an increase of lead stability of up to 20%.
  
• The novel Dry-Safe technology developed by STAEDTLER reduces solvent evaporation in coloured pens. Pens can be left open for up to two weeks without losing their writing capability.
  
• Design and realisation of a novel approach for professional development in the plastics industry. In this process, plastics experts are trained to become generalists with the goal of eliminating losses in efficiency between specialist departments and at company-spanning interfaces. The training is carried out with the scientific monitoring of the Business Management Research Centre for SME of the University of Bayreuth.