Norwegian industrial polymer research institute Norner (Stathelle; www.norner.no) said it has finished its new 4,600 m² Polymer Exploration Centre in Porsgrunn / Norway on the banks of the river of the same name. Staff focused on providing research and technology services along the entire plastics value chain are set to move into the new building and begin welcoming customers from the beginning of 2022.

Kjetil Larsen, CEO of the Nordic polymer thinktank since 2018 (see Plasteurope.com of 11.05.2018), said that with Norner’s “significantly more efficient” riverfront building that consolidates all operations under one roof, along with the institute’s participation in Future Materials Catapult Centre – a national test centre for materials of the future – Norway will be able to assert itself as a leader in the development of future sustainable plastics solutions.

Facilities at the site dedicated to technologies for producing polymers, rubber and composites will include labs for advanced testing of chemical and mechanical performance, pilot-scale units for new process technology and catalyst evaluations, and a variety of extreme polymer material performance testing activities. The centre will also focus on finding solutions for high-tech plastics processing, recycling, applications, and packaging.

Collaboration with companies active in the polymer field will be at the heart of the work at the centre, where technical tools share space with conference rooms for technology discussions. The labs and production areas have been designed specifically for working together, which Larsen said is crucial to nurturing innovation and promoting sustainable solutions for the plastics industry. With more than 40 years of experience in the sector, Norner currently works with companies in more than 60 countries.