Grand Opening of the European Grinding Technology Centre (EGTC)

SAINT-GOBAIN ABRASIVES OPENS THE COMPREHENSIVELY EXPANDED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE AT ITS NORDERSTEDT SITE

Since 2001, the European Grinding Technology Centre (EGTC) in Norderstedt near Hamburg in Schleswig-Holstein has played a key role in the development of innovative grinding solutions, supporting the customers of Saint-Gobain Abrasives. Beyond the development of new process technologies for diamond, cBN and bonded grinding tools, the EGTC focuses on application research and exchange with experts and users, with the clear focus on providing advanced grinding solutions to customers. In recent months, the company has invested heavily in the comprehensive modernisation and expansion of the centre. At the grand opening of the new premises on May 30, 2022, the Management Board of Saint-Gobain Surface Solutions welcomed numerous partners and customers.

 

As one of the four Grinding Technology centres of Saint-Gobain Abrasives worldwide, the EGTC in Norderstedt is of elementary importance in the conception and investigation of innovative grinding solutions and technologies across all product families. Together with end users, machine manufacturers and various scientific institutions, new grinding solutions are developed and optimised here. Trend-setting customer-specific application projects are also regularly launched in Norderstedt. In addition, the EGTC enables a practice-oriented knowledge transfer for industrial machining processes with a wide range of seminar and training offers - supported by measuring technology, grinding machines of the latest generation and training technologies.

 

Extended range of tasks

With the comprehensive modernisation of the development centre, its area of responsibility is also extending: In addition to researching new grinding products and imparting expertise on all aspects of superabrasive and conventional grinding processes, the program will also be rounded off in the future by application technology training courses for cutting and grinding wheels and coated abrasives.

 

“Over the past two decades, EGTC has become a centre of excellence in advanced grinding technology, highly valued by our customers and partners”, explained Xavier Orlhac, Vice President EMEA of Saint-Gobain Abrasives, at the official opening of the new centre. “Here in Norderstedt, we bring together industrial users, machine builders, developers and our application engineers in a solution-oriented process to work together on the development of new grinding solutions. This combined expertise, close cooperation with partners from science and research, such as RWTH Aachen University, and equipment with state-of-the-art measuring and diagnostic devices have led to numerous innovations in recent years. With the modernisation now completed, Saint-Gobain Abrasives underlines the importance of the Grinding Technology Centre Europe in its international research and development network, aiming to make our customers’ processes safer, more efficient and sustainable.”

 

Strengthening the innovation and industrial location of Germany

The international significance also came into focus in the welcoming speech of Laurent Tellier, CEO of Saint-Gobain Surface Solutions. “The EGTC is our transversal, customer centric grinding innovation centre, not only for Europe but also for a global audience.”, said Tellier. “Initiatives such as these ensure that Saint-Gobain Surface Solutions continues to live up to its position as the innovation leader in its field and can offer its customers sustainable solutions tailor made for their specific needs. The combination of science and practice, therefore, not only ensures the strengthening of Germany as an innovation location but is of very significant importance, both for us as an internationally active group and for the future viability of important branches of industry that we serve through our customers and partners.”

 

The perfect location for internal and external knowledge transfer

Lutz Gaida, Head of the EGTC, additionally emphasised the role of the research site for the education and training of customers and the Group’s employees: “Our forward-looking machinery and modern training technologies and premises provide an excellent basis for building skills and passing on practical expertise. As such, the EGTC has become the recognised knowledge centre for end-users as well as for our colleagues from all over Europe.”

 

For more information on the new European Grinding Technology Centre, contact details and the current seminar schedule, please visit
https://www.nortonabrasives.com/de-de/service/grinding-technology-centre-europe .