The former university development center of the University of Groningen won the Groningen Enterprise Award in 2014. In the meantime XPAR Vision with its advanced sensor and robot technology, has been the world market leader in optimizing the quality of glass bottles and jars in the glass industry for 20 years. With the accession of XPAR Vision, Innovatiecluster Drachten counts 19 high-tech companies from Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe.
,’’Cooperation pays off, especially in the Northern Netherlands, and these companies show that municipal and provincial boundaries don't matter when it comes to innovation,’’ said brand-new Smallingerland Mayor Jan Rijpstra. On his second day at work, he welcomed the Groningen high-tech company. ’’With the accession of XPAR Vision, the group of companies gets a firm foothold in Groningen. This shows that the time of catching each other's flies in the Northern Netherlands is definitely over.'' In his own words, Rijpstra is an enthusiastic supporter of innovative economic development. ''In industry, the technological change of our time comes together and cooperation is something you just have to do! Look for example at the new polymer printer purchased by the joint companies of Innovatiecluster Drachten. Making new things is what it's all about.''
Off the beaten track
According to chairman Binne Visser, the Groningen company's innovations fit in well with the other companies of Innovatiecluster Drachten. ,,XPAR Vision has mastered the production of glass packaging at a very high level with its software, sensors and robots. That is only possible if you encourage your engineers to think and design outside the box. With that quality, XPAR Vision is not only a logical partner for our companies, but also an example for many companies in the Northern Netherlands.’’
Denying boundaries
Economy alderman Paul de Rook of the municipality of Groningen wholeheartedly supports that. ,,Joining Innovatiecluster Drachten not only helps the company further, but certainly also the entire region.’’ With that northern scale, the Groningen alderman feels that the name of the business cluster no longer covers the load. ,,Thanks to the Innovation Cluster, companies in the North know how to find each other better. After all, knowledge is one of the few things that gets bigger when you share it. This way of working together and denying the boundaries that are perceived by some in the Northern Netherlands are settled by these companies. I hope the ICD grows quickly.’’
Dare
According to Paul Schreuders, CEO of XPAR Vision, creativity and above all daring are preconditions for being innovative. ,,In addition, you have to be practical and, in our case, talk to customers a lot. For example, we give a lot of application support to customers, because by using our stuff properly, the next sale can be realized.’’ Schreuders values interactions with customers because they lead to new ideas. ’’By joining the Innovatiecluster Drachten, we hope for interactions with other high-tech companies, where there will be mutual enrichment and eventually acceleration in development.''
‘Lubricating robot’
The Groningen-based company is currently developing a special robot that will reduce the amount of glass needed to package food. Now, glass containers are about 30 to 40 percent thicker than actually needed. ,,This so-called ‘lubricating robot’ prevents glass, during production, from sticking to the molds for d ever packaging. As a result, the glass packaging does not become thicker than necessary,’’ Schreuders explains. According to him, the robot also saves on production costs and energy. The province of Groningen has granted a subsidy of 131 thousand euros to develop this robot, with a view to job growth in the north.
XPAR Vision
XPAR Vision is an unlisted Dutch company and, since its founding in 1999, a specialist and market leader in advanced sensor and robotic technologies for the glass industry. Their software and systems prevent production errors at an early stage, allowing a glass factory to significantly reduce product failure. In addition, XPAR Vision's method brings lower consumption of energy and materials. 15 highly trained experts are actively helping these industries make glass lighter and stronger, while improving efficiency and speed, reducing their carbon footprint and reducing human dependence on the production process. Over 600 systems run on their software in more than 35 countries.