On July 22nd, 2011 Prof. Volker Thole as a representative of Fraunhofer WKI and Dr. C.N. Pandey the Director of Indian Plywood Industry Research and Training Institute (IPIRTI) in Bangalore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for intensifying their scientific exchange and co-operation in the area "Technology of Wood-based Panels". The MoU was signed in presence of the State Secretary from the Ministry of Environment and Forest of India at the "Board of Governors Meeting" at IPIRTI Bangalore. The partners stated their willingness to co-operate in following fields:
1.) To co-operate in the WKI project "Bamboo – Driving force for the Indian Housing Industry"
2.) To co-operate in further R&D projects aiming at an effective utilization of lignocellulose biomass for the Indian (wood-)based panel industry and the housing and construction sector.
From September 16th to 24th 2011 Prof. Ulrich Schwarz and Andreas Gade as delegates of HNE Eberswalde made a delegation journey through northern India.They visited IIT Roorkee, FRI in Dehradun and participated at the "5th Panelexpo Exhibition International Technical and Congress" in New Delhi. The Congress was organized by the Federation of Indian Plywood and Panel Industry (FIPPI) and the International Trade and Exhibitions Events Pvt. Ltd. (ITEE). At this conference Prof. Schwarz presented plans for future co-operations in applied wood sciences and technology research between India and Germany and proposed joint R&D-activities. Representatives of all important public research organizations of India attended to Panelexpo. On September 23rd Prof. Schwarz and Dr. Pandey signed a MoU between HNE Eberswalde and IPIRTI at the Panel Expo Conference. The partners confirmed to work together on following topics:
1.) To develope energy efficient building constructions using renewable building materials
2.) To co-operate further in R&D projects aiming at engineered bamboo products.
The visits in both countries and agreements will improve the relationships between Indian and German network partners for the long-term. The journeys and activities in July and September 2011 represent an extremely successful start of the project. The partners are already working on joint proposals for new co-operations. Next year an exchange of students and research associate between German and Indian partner institutes will be established. The German partners will again be present in India on October 18th to establish further research structures with new partners from India. Hereby the participation at "The International Exhibition and Conference Art Joy of Wood" from 19 to 23 October is already scheduled. Further the Fraunhofer WKI and the HNE Eberswalde are active participants of the initiative "Germany and India 2011/2012 - Infinite Opportunities". The institutes will be involved with a Seminar/Workshop and an interactive facade cross section at the MOBILE SPACE METRO TOUR Travelling Exhibition across 7 metropolitans in India. The project activities are funded by the International Bureau of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and aims to investigate potentials for co-operations in the field of wood science and technology research between India and Germany.
Contact
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Schwarz
Phone: +49(0)33 34 - 6573 - 74
Email: ulrich.schwarz(at)hnee.de
Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Andreas Gade
Phone: +49(0)33 34 - 6573 - 89
Email: andreas.gade(at)hnee.de
Dr. Dirk Berthold
Phone: +49(0)531 - 215 - 5452
Email: dirk.berthold(at)wki.freunhofer.de
Source: Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Andreas Gade (HNEE)/Dr. Dirk Berthold (WKI)/Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Schwarz
