• The sector has already decided to continue the project under the name “i-MAGHINE”.

Yesterday, the Basque Prime Minister, Patxi López, presented the results of the Etorgai Hiperion project at Soraluce’s plant in Bergara. Hiperion is the result of the work of a team made up of 5 Basque firms, Soraluce (project leader), Etxe-tar, Goratu, Danobat and Zayer, specialising in big machines for large parts, with the strategic aim of going forward as a team and with the backing of two big technological corporations, IK4 and Tecnalia. The project has also had the support of INVEMA, the AFM’s technology unit, as the management body in charge of standardisation work and drawing up the protocol for receiving the Hiperion machines.

The aim of the Hiperion Project has been to position the Basque machine tool consortium as the leading procurement option worldwide for precision machines for large parts and drive the region forward as a source of sustainable growth. The budget for the project was €11.5m and has been adhered to 100% with no deviation at all and with results better than expected in three areas: new products, new processes and sustainability. To be precise, 32 demonstrators, 92 technical studies, 12 direct jobs, 10 new products, 7 new processes, 4 patents and 7 patent viability studies have been created.

The Prime Minister stressed that the Basque Government is going to continue with its commitment to these projects, even in these times of significant budgetary constraints. Basque industry is innovative and at the forefront in international terms. The machine tool sector is one of the best examples with the Etorgai Hiperión project. It is a project within the framework of the metal industry, which has strong roots in the Basque Country. In spite of the difficult economic times we are living in, this sector is still dynamic and committed to innovation and internationalisation. This will enable it to continue to be one of the main pillars of industry, accounting for 78% of national production in the machine tool sector, and the ninth biggest producer in the world.

In addition to the Basque Prime Minister, the following people attended the presentation: the Basque Government’s Minister for Innovation, Commerce and Tourism, the Head of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, the Chairman of AFM Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, the President of the Mondragon Corporation, members of the Basque Government’s Department of Industry, Innovation, Commerce and Tourism, and local mayors from the area in which the project is being carried out. Representatives were also there from the companies and technology centres that have taken part in this project which is of such strategic value to the machine tool sector and the Basque business sector.

After the success of this collaboration project, the firms in the HIPERION consortium wanted to continue working together and go further. Last March they asked the Basque Government to approve a request for aid, also as part of the Etorgai programme, for a 3-year project called “i-MAGHINE. Imagine Machine Tool”. On this occasion, the members of the consortium are Goratu (project leader), Soraluce, Danobat, Zayer, Fagor Arrasate and Fagor Automation. The aim of the project is to bring the concept of smart machines to large machines (adaptable, reliable, user-friendly, and which provide usability and service, as well as productivity).

SORALUCE S.COOP., Tel +34 943 769076 - Fax +34 943 765128 - soraluce@soraluce.com – www.soraluce.com