Material ConneXion Opens Location in Skövde, Sweden Increased Presence in Nordic Region Boosts Services to Clients in Manufacturing, Design and Product Development

PICTURE: IDC West Sweden will be heading the new Material ConneXion office in Gothia Science Park. The agreement was made in june; Thomas Nilsson, CEO IDC, Anders Englund, owner Offecct, George M Beylerian, founder Material ConneXion, Anders Breitholtz, project manager, Alexis Trésor, International Licensing Manager for Material ConneXion.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Thomas Nilsson, CEO IDC West Sweden: phone:(+46) 500-50 25 01 or Anders Breitholtz, Manager: phone:(+46) 702-281 281 or email infosweden@materialconnexion.com
For Material ConneXion: Susan Towers, VP Marketing & Communications
Telephone: (+1) 917 405 6563 (cell) or email: stowers@materialconnexion.com

Skövde, Sweden: August 10th, 2012 – IDC West Sweden and Material ConneXion today announced an agreement to open a new office in Skövde, the company’s first in Sweden, to support business interests in the region. The award-winning innovation and materials guidance already serves many international clients from its offices in the USA, Asia and Europe, but this is the first location in the Nordic countries.  Material ConneXion Skövde, will be located in Gothia Science Park with IDC West Sweden heading up the initiative. The new facility includes a physical library of some 500 materials as well as access to an extensive online database of more than 7,000 materials.  Some 40+ materials are added each month as the most innovative and sustainable materials are selected by jury process overseen by the research staff of Material ConneXion, the world’s largest library of materials and processes.

SOLID PRESENTATION
From an initial conversation between Anders Englund, one of two owners of OFFECCT, the well-known furniture company, and George M. Beylerian, founder of Material ConneXion, came the seeds for this initiative. Englund has for a number of years recommended the region as an appropriate place for a Material ConneXion library. “After some initial discussions a solid presentations of the Västra Götaland region, geographically and the structure of business, IDC network and competence was made. In June, 2012 a meeting was arranged in Skövde, attended by George M. Beylerian and Alexis Trésor, International Licensing Manager for Material ConneXion, an agreement was reached,” said Thomas Nilsson, CEO at IDC West Sweden. “The combination of the geographic location in Scandinavia, the structure of the companies in this region, the environment in Gothia Science Park and the competence and contacts at IDC, was decisive. We have also had great support from Region Västra Götaland, Skaraborg Local Authorities and European Regional Development Fund” he added.

ENORMOUS POTENTIAL
With major engineering plants located in the region, as well as strong public and private sector enterprises and institutes for higher education nearby, the new location in Gothia Science Park has enormous potential. The new library has been licensed to conduct business in Sweden (with membership open to Norway and Denmark), and Anders Breitholtz, who founded and managed the Swedish materials library, Råvara, for four years, has been recruited by IDC to manage this new initiative. Breitholtz also started the first architecture fair in the Nordic Countries and brings his knowledge of this key industry to the business of sustainable and innovative materials.
The global network offered by the material consultancy gives creative of all disciplines, as well as manufacturers, enormous potential. Not only when it comes to material solutions for products and buildings, but also for companies that have created new materials and techniques who wish to have greater international reach. “Material Connexion is an opportunity for global exposure,” says Anders Breitholtz.

EXTREMELY INTERNATIONAL
"Our client’s businesses are extremely international,” said Michele Caniato, president of Material ConneXion. “In keeping with our company's strategy of bringing a localized approach to international innovation, we are pleased to have expanded our presence in Europe, enabling a full service subsidiary for both European and North American clients ready to move forward with business in the region."
With the opening of the Skovde location, Material ConneXion will offer Nordic region companies the same wide array of material innovation services, including materials research, material sourcing, new product development and innovation guidance.

Material ConneXion Skövde will be located at:
IDC West Sweden AB
Gothia Science Park
541 23 Skövde
Kanikegränd 3B
Sweden

Media Contact: Thomas Nilsson, CEO IDC West Sweden: phone:(+46) 0500-50 25 01 or Anders Breitholtz, Manager: phone:(+46) 0702-281 281 or email infosweden@materialconnexion.com
For Material ConneXion: Susan Towers, VP Marketing & Communications
Telephone: (+1) 917 405 6563 (cell) or email: stowers@materialconnexion.com

About Material ConneXion
Material ConneXion is a global materials and innovation consultancy that helps companies create the products and services of tomorrow through smart materials and design thinking. Focused on delivering Innovation That Matters™, Material ConneXion is the trusted advisor to Fortune 500s, and any forward-thinking company or government agency seeking a creative, competitive, or sustainable edge. With offices in New York, Milan, Cologne, Bangkok, Seoul, Daegu, Istanbul, Beijing and Shanghai, Material ConneXion's international network of specialists provides a global, cross-industry perspective on materials, design, new product development, sustainability and innovation. Material ConneXion maintains the world’s largest subscription-based Materials Library of innovative materials and processes—an indispensable asset to a wide audience of users. For more information visit www.materialconnexion.com.  Material ConneXion is a Sandow Company.

IDC West Sweden:
The mission of the company is to, without interest in profit, strengthen the longterm competitiveness and profitability for companies in the region. IDC focuses on four areas: production, marketing, competence and product development. IDC is funded by the Region Västra Götaland, Skaraborg Local Authorities and European Regional Development Fund. Read more: www.idcab.se.

Gothia Science Park:
A technology and research park with an inspiring environment for entrepreneurs and companies, that want to develop new and established products with focus on IT and technology. The main focus for the environment is to create possibilities for growth and renewal in the local business environment. www.gsp.se