Electrolux inaugurates innovation factory – announces new partners

Electrolux officially opens the doors to its new Innovation Factory – a creative, agile space designed to boost innovation through experimentation and new collaborative models. Five companies have been selected among 100 applicants to be the first partners which will help driving the innovation journey forward.

Yesterday, The Electrolux Innovation Factory was inaugurated in Porcia, Italy, as Electrolux first open innovation centre that will serve as a hub for working with external partners to accelerate innovation within products and manufacturing. The official ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by over 250 local and international participants.

“Shaping the Innovation Factory from an unused factory building into a state-of-the-art collaborative space in just a few months has been an inspiring journey,” says Ernesto Ferrario, Senior Vice President, Global Industrial Operations at Electrolux. “The opportunities for innovation are limitless – from increased focus on connectivity and advanced analytics to finding solutions that drives our vision of the smart factory.”

Ten companies were invited the day before the inauguration of the Innovation Factory to pitch their ideas to a jury. The following five companies have now been selected as the first set of Innovation Factory partners:

3DNextech: Develops innovative 3D printing technologies to make the production process more efficient and automated.

Aera: Develops technology that allows companies to be self-driving through a cognitive operating system.

DigitalViews: Provides a calibration system for correcting optical precision limits, learning the response model from inspection illuminators, and detecting anomalies independently.

LinUp: Develops systems for body monitoring with the aim of profiling the posture, movements and activities of employees while working in production.

ROLD: Develops innovative solutions in various fields (advanced mechatronics, intelligent devices, human-machine interaction and advanced materials).

“We’re very excited to have opened this innovative and collaborative space and we can’t wait to get started working on solutions together with our new partners,” says Andrea Corda, Senior Vice President, Global Connectivity and Technology.

In May, a public call for ideas was announced to find cutting-edge solutions from external players such as start-ups, SMEs and university spin-offs. This announcement, supported by business incubator Digital Magics, attracted as many as 100 interested partners from around the world on the theme ‘Smarter Appliances, Easier Operations’.

About Electrolux Innovation Factory

The Electrolux Innovation Factory is Electrolux first Open Innovation Center designed to accelerate innovation within Electrolux, both from a product and process perspective.

A collaborative program will connect employees and external partners, and enable them to create, share and accelerate innovation together.

Located at Electrolux Global R&D and Manufacturing Center in Porcia, northern Italy, the Innovation Factory will provide an agile, open environment where solutions can be tested instantly at production lines and labs next door.

Public calls for proposals and partners as well as specific project briefs will be regularly announced on the Electrolux Innovation Factory website: www.innovationfactory.digital.