Ilmenau (dpa/th) - Ilmenau continues to distinguish itself as a national science location. A new building was opened on Thursday, in which the departments of Fraunhofer institutes have moved. According to Thuringia's Science Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee (SPD), 25 million euros were invested in the project. Of this, the country contributed ten million euros in EU funds. Half of the remaining 15 million euros were borne by the federal and state governments.
The new building, which was built between 2015 and 2021, was opened by Tiefensee together with the President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Reimund Neugebauer. Tiefensee said that modern working conditions and laboratories have been created for more than 200 Ilmenau researchers that are intended to promote mutual exchange. The 18,000 square meter area also offers space for future expansions.
The departments of the Fraunhofer Institutes for Optronics, System Technology and Image Analysis as well as for Integrated Circuits have been established there. Tiefensee explained that the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft bundled future topics in Ilmenau, without which, for example, the energy and climate change would be technologically feasible. It is about the modeling and control of complex processes, also in industry.
With its optical industry, Thuringia is considered a German center for measurement and sensor technology. According to the ministry, there are seven institutions of the Fraunhofer Society in Thuringia, spread over six locations. These are Jena, Erfurt, Hermsdorf, Ilmenau, Arnstadt and Schmalkalden. They employ a total of 760 people.
