Sandviken-based Swedish steelmaker Alleima, a global manufacturer of high-value-added stainless steel and special alloys, has today signed an agreement with KTH, Sweden's largest technical university. The partnership aims to deepen collaboration in research and education, enhance scientific excellence, strengthen societal benefits, and increase innovative capacity in addressing the major challenges faced by society today.
Alleima, formerly part of Sandvik, and KTH have a long-standing collaboration in various fields including joint research and development activities, exchanges through industrial PhD students, study visits, and guest lectures. Alleima has also contributed an industrial perspective to the design of university programmes to better align with labour market needs.
The collaboration is now further strengthened through the strategic partnership as it will support both existing and new forms of co-operation between Alleima and KTH. Among other goals, the partnership seeks to deepen collaboration in the fields of materials science, chemistry, and chemical engineering – areas where both parties conduct research and development on an international basis.
"In close collaboration with Alleima, we can develop innovative solutions for leading research and education. In this way, we jointly contribute to a more sustainable society and accelerate the transition."
Björn Glaser, partnership manager director of Alliema.
"In close collaboration with Alleima, we can develop innovative solutions for leading research and education. In this way, we jointly contribute to a more sustainable society and accelerate the transition. The partnership ensures a secure supply of talent, access to knowledge and cutting-edge research, and enhances competitiveness and innovative capacity", says Björn Glaser, partnership manager director of Alleima, at KTH.
“It feels fantastic that through this strategic partnership with KTH we have the opportunity to further deepen the collaboration in research and education. This means that with joint ambitious research, we can increase the power of innovation in areas where the world and society today face major challenges “,says Tom Eriksson, EVP & head of strategic research, at Alleima.
KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm has grown to become one of Europe’s leading technical and engineering universities, as well as a key centre of intellectual talent and innovation. KTH is Sweden’s largest technical research and learning institution and home to students, researchers and faculty from around the world. The research and education covers a wide area including natural sciences and all branches of engineering, as well as architecture, industrial management, urban planning, history and philosophy.
"With joint ambitious research, we can increase the power of innovation in areas where the world and society today face major challenges."
Tom Eriksson, EVP & head of strategic research at Alleima.
The university has formal strategic partnerships with major global companies and public sector organizations that are particularly significant to its operations. These partnerships span KTH's entire range of activities and include mobility of personnel, talent supply and educational co-operation, research collaborations, and access to unique research environments.
Alleima develops products for very demanding applications and industries and has more than 900 active alloy recipes. These include products such as seamless stainless-steel pipes for the energy, chemical and aerospace industries, precision strip steel for appliance compressors, air conditioning and knife applications. Other examples are products for industrial electric heating technology, ultra-fine wires for medical technology and coated strip steel for fuel cell technology for cars, trucks and hydrogen production. Of the company's around 6,500 employees, around half work in Sweden and many of them are based in Sandviken.