Model factory begins operation and opens doors for press and municipal council

In the labor of the Sustainable Packaging Institute

Dr. Ingeborg Mühldorfer

Approximately three years after the laying of the foundation stone, the third and final pillar of the Innovation Campus, the Model Factory, is now commencing operations. On Tuesday, representatives from the press and members of the Sigmaringen municipal council had the opportunity to see for themselves the state-of-the-art laboratories and other rooms. Numerous professors from the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University of Applied Sciences and their staff provided insights into their research activities on-site and vividly demonstrated how work is carried out in the Model Factory.

The Sigmaringen Innovation Campus consists of three closely interconnected areas: the Model Factory, the Innovation and Technology Center, and the Academy for Scientific Continuing Education. The project sponsor is the city of Sigmaringen, the project operator is WFS - Economic Development Sigmaringen GmbH & Co. KG, and the project partner is the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University of Applied Sciences. The latter now brings life to the modern equipped test kitchens and laboratories of the Model Factory, the centerpiece of the campus.

What happens inside

Dr. Ingeborg Mühldorfer, Rector of the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University of Applied Sciences, is very pleased that the Sigmaringen Innovation Campus is now a reality. "I am convinced that through close collaboration between the city, companies, and the university, it will make a significant contribution to strengthening the region's innovation and economic power," she said in her welcome speech. The companies are offered the opportunity to benefit from the university's expertise in engineering, economics, computer science, and life sciences, and to test ideas for new products and processes in the Model Factory together with researchers and students. Companies can also establish early contact with dedicated students and future young professionals. "Our students have the unique opportunity at the Innovation Campus to practically apply their knowledge during project work with industrial partners and gain insights into the thinking and working methods of companies," she added.

Prof. Dr. Matthias Premer is the Vice Rector for Research at the university. The Model Factory has already made a significant impact even before its opening, he said: "Some jobs have already been created because our researchers are conducting numerous projects there with funding from various sources, for which new staff have been hired." The research team has done excellent preliminary work and elevates the already broad research activities of the university to the next level thanks to the Model Factory. "Devices worth around 4.5 million euros are in the laboratories," said Matthias Premer. "All of this provides excellent conditions to work together with companies on innovative products and solutions for their specific problems." The main focus areas are energy and sustainability, as well as health, nutrition, and packaging.

The Innovation Campus in Sigmaringen

The goal of the Innovation Campus is to strengthen the innovative capacity of the regional economy, attract and retain highly qualified specialists, and increase the attractiveness of the location for companies through the development of a unique infrastructure. "We want to inspire and support local industry partners so that new jobs are created in Sigmaringen and the economic location is strengthened in the long term. We also promote young companies to nurture new ideas. The Innovation Campus thus forms the interface between the university and the economy," said Mayor Dr. Marcus Ehm.

At the Innovation and Technology Center, start-up companies have the opportunity to take their first entrepreneurial steps within a support system. The Academy for Scientific Continuing Education offers a broad, interdisciplinary range of advanced training and continuing education, creating a link between science and small and medium-sized enterprises. "The modern facilities are state-of-the-art. In the academy, we offer a wide range of seminars, workshops, and lectures—with the mission of supporting the local small and medium-sized industry through knowledge and information transfer from the Model Factory and the ITZ, and fostering joint projects," explained economic promoter Uwe Knoll.

Space for ideas – Location on the Conversion Site

At the end of 2017, the city of Sigmaringen acquired the land on the site of the former barracks from the Federal Agency for Real Estate Tasks for the construction of the Model Factory. The site is just a few minutes' walk from the Sigmaringen university campus.

The two-story building complex, consisting of an administrative wing and a rectangular warehouse building, was built in 1967 by the federal government as a clothing store. The reinforced concrete skeleton structure with a light well covers an area of approximately 50 by 45 meters. In the middle of the building, two modern seminar rooms were created for the academy, along with a spacious foyer, with the test kitchens and laboratories of the Model Factory facing west. In addition to extensive interior renovations, the building received two new external staircases, an elevator, and a wheelchair lift. Finally, the facade was visually enhanced with a steel mesh construction.

The Innovation Campus was awarded as a flagship project in the RegioWIN competition by the state of Baden-Württemberg. It is a joint project of the city of Sigmaringen, WFS – Economic Development Sigmaringen, and the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University of Applied Sciences. The total investment costs for the Innovation Campus amount to approximately 19 million euros. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Rural Development Program (ELR) support the project with about 70 percent of the total costs.