Lüdenscheid Plastics Institute
For the fifth time in a row, the Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid cluster has received the Gold Label award (Cluster Management Excellence Label – Quality Label), awarded by ESCA (European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis) on behalf of the ECEI (European Cluster Excellence Initiative). The renewed award is the result of a demanding auditing process, in the course of which the cluster strategy, member support via consulting, projects and working groups as well as the qualifications of the cluster team were evaluated in detail. The certificate was presented at the Berlin site of the Kunststoff-Institut by Helmut Kergel, Director of ESCA, to Sven Braatz, Chairman of the Board of the Kunststoff-Institut’s sponsoring company. As a member of the “go-cluster” program, the Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid was supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection through a pro rata assumption of costs.
“We are one of the oldest and, with over 400 members, one of the largest clusters, which is why we must be able to demonstrate professional cluster management. The Gold Label underlines the outstanding quality and excellence of the cluster management and confirms the Kunststoff-Institut as one of the leading cluster organizations in Germany and Europe,” says Sven Braatz, authorized signatory and sales manager of Hotset GmbH and chairman of the board of the supporting association Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid e. V. “The renewed award of the Gold Label shows that the Kunststoff-Institut has taken the right path with its cluster work, its strategic actions and continuous improvements with the transformation process,” adds Thomas Eulenstein, cluster manager and managing director of KIMW Management GmbH.
The ECEI GOLD Label “Excel in Cluster Excellence” is the highest seal of quality and is awarded to cluster management organizations that are characterized by a high level of professionalism and experienced cluster management. Cluster management organizations that have been awarded the GOLD label demonstrate their documented commitment to the continuous improvement of their organizational structures and routines for the benefit of even higher performance. As part of a comprehensive, two-day on-site assessment carried out by two independent ESCA experts, 31 underlying quality indicators are evaluated. These included the structure, governance, financing, strategy and services of the cluster as well as its appreciation among stakeholders and target groups.
The Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid cluster was founded in 1988 by entrepreneurs and is a well-functioning, constantly growing network geared towards sustainability. In the cluster, companies and research institutions from different sectors work on joint research and development projects, so-called company network projects, and organize educational offers for the members. By pooling the expertise of various companies and institutions along the technological value chain, the aim is to generate growth, employment and competitiveness among the players.
Picture from left to right, Helmut Kergel, Sven Braatz, Thomas Eulenstein
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