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last update:
08-03-2007

FACTORY is the EUREKA umbrella devoted to generating and supporting projects in the area of production.

• Changes in economy, society and technology call for innovative and flexible manufacturing organisations. Companies will have to carry out research and innovation in the integrated domain of technology, man and organisation -- the "FACTORY" -- to respond to market needs as well as to societal and environmental concerns.

 
• FACTORY projects strive for finding solutions to the industrial challenges in the following strategic fields (FACTORY scope):

 
• Products and Processes:

How to define a competitive production system to answer market needs?
 
• Key Technologies:

How to exploit emerging key technologies for products and processes?
 
• New Materials and Innovative Products:

How to adopt and improve production processes?
 
• Managing a Product's Total Life Cycle:

How to take advantage of ecological and recycling requirements?
 
• Managing Innovation and Knowledge:

How to base a competitive advantage on innovation and knowledge?
 
• Cost Controling:

How to control the financial benefit of innovation?
 
• Management in a Turbulent Environment?

How to be flexible in a turbulent environment?
 
• Managing Human Resources:

How to react to changing social behaviour?
 
• Considering the Environment:

How to develop environmentally friendly products and processes?

What is a EUREKA Umbrella ?

• Umbrellas as thematic networks within the EUREKA framework which focus on a specific technology area or business sector. The main goal of an umbrella is to facilitate the generation of EUREKA projects in its own target area.

 
• Umrella activities are co-ordinated and implemented by a working group consisting of EUREKA representatives and industrial experts, the FACTORY network. The working group meets on a regular basis.

What is the role of the FACTORY network ?

• The FACTORY network is a flexible communication network with the overall goal of helping to develop Europe's industrial competitiveness. The network supports European R&D by helping the member countries to:

 
• set up the projects
• find project partners
• assess the quality of projects
• organise the transfer of results.

What are the criteria for a EUREKA project ?

• The project must include independant partners from at least two different member countries.

 
• All partners must contribute based on a mutual agreement.

 
• The R&D content of the project must concern development or application of innovative technologies within the respective strategic fields.

 
• The project must result in a marketable product, process of service.

How is funding organised ?

• Responsibility for financial aid belongs to EUREKAs member countries. That's why, within the same project, some partners may be subsidised while others will have to repay loans. Of course, the procedures and time needed to obtain funding differs from one country to the next. Ask your National Project Coordinator for further information.
  
  
• Overview on National Funding Procedures

Additional Information

• More Information on EUREKA, the EUREKA Project Database, and project proposal forms can be found at www.eureka.be.
  
  
• Information on the EU Framework Programme for Research and Technology at http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html