On 23 May 2011 the course was set in Alzenau for the new Fraunhofer Project Group for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKS. Walter Scharwies, Mayor of Alzenau, handed over the keys to the premises, n which preparations for a rapid commencement of work by the project group shall begin, to Prof. Gerhard Sextl, head of the Fraunhofer ISC in Würzburg, the parent institute of the new project group.

Two workshops in January and April 2011 made it quite clear: industry is very interested in an application-friendly research institute in the field of resource safeguarding. The intention to found a new Fraunhofer Institute, initiated by the association Materials Valley in the Rhine-Main region and pursued by the Fraunhofer ISC, has now reached its first milestone. On 16 May 2011 the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology gave the green light to an earlier start in implementing the measures and the Board of the Fraunhofer Society agreed to the foundation of a project group. This means that practical preparations can now be made for occupying the premises and employing staff. The quick course of action was made possible by the exemplary cooperation of all decision makers in the Munich Ministry for Economic Affairs, the Fraunhofer Society, the District of Aschaffenburg, and not least the town of Alzenau.

Alzenau has provided the future project group with an office building and grounds for potential expansion in a commercial estate. “We are glad to have received so much support from the town of Alzenau for the important topic of safeguarding raw materials,” says institute head Prof. Sextl. Mayor Scharwies was delighted: “I wish to thank the Fraunhofer Society. The decision in favour of our town represents a significant further development for Alzenau as a business location and for the region. I would also like to thank District Administrator Dr. Ulrich Reuter, who managed to get funding for the District of Aschaffenburg.” The District Administrator of Aschaffenburg Dr. Ulrich Reuter passed on the thanks: “Without the extraordinary commitment of Prof. Dr. Sextl, the support of the members of parliament Peter Winter and Karsten Klein, and naturally also the quick decision in the Bavarian State Government, none of this would have been possible.”

The group is considered to be the nucleus of a future Fraunhofer Institute. Gerhard Sextl is optimistic: “In the next few years we, together with the industry, will show that this really is a viable subject for an independent research facility in the form of a Fraunhofer Institute.” Using raw materials intelligently rather than wasting them – for this purpose, the project group will develop strategies and practically feasible procedures.

To this end the Federal State of Bavaria has approved a start-up funding of the plans to the amount of 5 million Euros for the first three years. Now the handymen will be in charge for the next few weeks in the existing buildings. The official foundation ceremony of the project group is foreseen for the autumn.