ITER will be delivered through the collaboration of small and big companies putting together their resources, expertise and skills. A bit like a puzzle where the different pieces have to be connected in order to see the big picture. Every single piece matters no matter how big or small it is. Søren Bang Korsholm, Denmark’s ITER Industry Liaison Officer, has been adamant on the fact that “fusion is full of economic opportunities. All you need to do is scratch beneath the surface, get companies interested and bring them together”. And this is exactly what he did late last year with the help of the Danish Big Science Secretariat by organising a one day event in order to put in touch Danish suppliers with prime contractors from ITER and other Big Science projects like CERN, ESA, ESO, etc.
“At first, small companies feel intimidated because of the scale and complexity of the project. But once you start explaining the different angles they start getting more confident. They realise that they can make a contribution, learn through international collaborations and grow”. 30 Danish companies responded to this invitation and heard from Astrium Space Transportation (France/Germany), Walter Tosto (Italy) and CSL (BE) about their involvement in big scientific projects. The participants had the opportunity to hear about business opportunities in the areas of robotics, electronics, magnets, mechanical engineering and high precision machining. 55 bilateral business meetings followed, giving the opportunity to existing and potential contractors to explore future collaborations and pursue subcontracting opportunities. The event was a success because companies received feedback on the spot from those already involved in the projects and got to understand better the return they would receive in terms of growth and new markets.
For more information about the event contact Juliette Forneris at jfor@dti.dk
To watch the interview with Søren Bang Korsholm click here
To watch the company interviews on the economic benefits of ITER click here
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