Innovation Starts
with a Specific Need
Innovation often begins where existing solutions reach their limits. The development of our KARO® laboratory stretching machine is a perfect example. Many years ago, when we were looking for a suitable machine for research and development activities in our Technology Center, comparable approaches were available on the market. However, these solutions were either not freely accessible, technically insufficient, or simply not available for commercial purchase.
To create the capabilities needed for developing new film structures, materials, and processes, we decided to take matters into our own hands. Driven by a specific requirement, we developed our own laboratory stretching machine, initially intended exclusively for internal research and development activities at our Technology Center.
Customer Benefit:
Developed from real-world R&D challenges, enabling faster innovation, validated results, and a direct path to industrial application.
From an Internal Solution
to a Standalone Product
It soon became apparent that the challenges we faced were shared by many companies across the entire value chain. As a result, what began as an internal development project evolved into a standalone product that is now used worldwide by film manufacturers, raw material producers, universities, and research institutes.
Today, more than 80 installed machines demonstrate this success story. Companies such as FOROP Advanced Materials and PT Indopoly Swakarsa Industry use their own KARO® laboratory stretching frames for material and process development. At the same time, leading value chain partners including DOW and LyondellBasell rely on the technology to evaluate new raw materials and applications under realistic process conditions.
Research and Development
on a Global Scale
The importance of KARO® within the Brückner Group continues to grow. Across our Customer Innovation Centers around the world, it supports collaborative local R&D activities with customers and partners. Whether at Brueckner Group USA in Dover or Brueckner Group China in Suzhou, the laboratory stretching machine enables development projects to be carried out locally. This allows research results to be validated more quickly, new ideas to be assessed more efficiently, and innovation projects to be advanced closer to their respective markets.
A Prime Example of Our Role as a Solution & Engineering Partner
The story of KARO® illustrates how innovation emerges at Brückner. It did not always start with a commercial product strategy, but with a specific challenge that needed a solution. Combining engineering expertise with a deep understanding of production processes, we developed a machine that today helps accelerate research and development projects around the world.
Conclusion: When Innovation Creates New Opportunities
KARO® is much more than a laboratory stretching machine. It is an example of how a specific internal requirement can evolve into a solution that enables innovation worldwide. At the same time, it reflects Brückner’s role as a Solution & Engineering Partner in practice: identifying technological challenges, developing solutions, and creating tangible value for customers, partners, and the industry as a whole.
Innovation
in Practice
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