Plastics Institute Lüdenscheid

What Plastics Institute Lüdenscheid does

Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid (KIMW) is a private German applied-research and services institute serving the plastics industry, organized as a Trägergesellschaft e.V. supporting association alongside its operating entity KIMW Forschungs-GmbH. Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Lüdenscheid, Germany, the institute operates modern laboratories, testing facilities, and pilot plants, and is positioned as a neutral, technology-focused point of contact for the entire plastics value chain — from material selection and tool technology to surface treatment and finished applications.

Its service portfolio is bundled under the KIMW 360° holistic approach and spans six pillars: Technical Development (surface technology, new materials, application engineering, joint projects), Testing (automotive and material testing, damage analysis, recycling, material databases, inter-laboratory comparisons/Ringversuche), Education and Training (seminars, in-house company training, initial vocational education, IHK-certified Verfahrensmanager programs, and the 'Lernen formt Zukunft' initiative), Research (application-oriented R&D often funded via ZIM innovation networks), Management Consulting (strategy, transformation, internationalization, innovation networks), and Sustainability (Circular Economy, EcoDesign, Product Carbon Footprint, Corporate Carbon Footprint, EPD, double materiality assessment). The institute accesses a network of over 400 partners along the plastics value chain and operates the k-branche.de industry portal as a sector-wide communication hub.

Revenue is generated through multiple professional-services streams: seminar and training fees (sold via the KIMW-Webshop at kimw.shop/de), per-test and per-project testing/inspection fees, project-based technical consulting engagements, and ZIM-funded research collaborations. Customer acquisition combines direct consulting sales to plastics companies of all sizes, public events and trade fairs (KUTENO, KPA), the KIMW Webshop, the KIMWINFOSERVICE newsletter, and the k-branche.de portal. The customer base is horizontal — German plastics companies ranging from small businesses to large corporations — with no named anchor logos disclosed in the available data.

Name

Plastics Institute Lüdenscheid

Legal name

KIMW Forschungs-GmbH

Website

https://kunststoff-institut-luedenscheid.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Plastics Institute Lüdenscheid (KIMW) is a German private applied-research institute that provides testing, technical development, training, research, consulting, and sustainability services to the plastics industry via a 400+ partner network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lüdenscheid

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Seminars and Continuing Education: The institute offers a portfolio of seminars, training courses, and professional education programs including IHK-certified process manager for plastics processing. Revenue is generated through course fees, workshops, and certification programs, sold via the KIMW Webshop and direct enrollment.
2. Testing and Inspection Services: Comprehensive testing services including automotive and materials testing, material and damage analysis, recycling analysis, and round robin tests (Ringversuche). Revenue is generated through per-test or per-project fees.
3. Technical Development and Consulting: Technical consulting, strategy, transformation, and implementation services including material selection, application technology, surface coating, and sustainability management. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements.
4. Research Projects: Applied research and development projects, often funded through ZIM (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand) innovation networks and other public funding programs. The institute acts as a transfer partner and technical manager.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid (KIMW) is a research and services institute that provides technical development, testing, applied research, training, and management consulting to companies across the plastics industry. Its offering spans the full plastics value chain from material selection and tool technology to series-ready components, including automotive and material testing, material and damage analysis, surface technology, recycling analysis, IHK-certified professional training, and sustainability services such as carbon footprint and EPD.

Product overview

The Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid (KIMW) operates as a comprehensive service institute offering an integrated portfolio of services for the plastics industry. The core offering is structured around KIMW 360°, a holistic interdisciplinary approach combining technical development, testing, education, research, and management consulting. Key service pillars include: Technical Development (surface technology, new materials, application engineering), Testing Services (automotive/material testing, damage analysis, recycling, material databases, inter-laboratory comparisons), Education and Training (seminars, company training, professional certification like Verfahrensmanager IHK), Research (application-oriented R&D, innovation projects), Management Consulting (strategy, transformation, innovation networks), and Sustainability Services (circular economy, carbon footprint, EPD). The KIMW-Webshop serves as the e-commerce platform for seminars, testing, and products. The institute functions as a network with access to over 400 partners along the plastics value chain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Testing Services (Prüfung) Comprehensive laboratory testing and inspection services for plastic components and materials, including automotive testing, material and damage analysis, recycling analysis, material databases, and round-robin inter-laboratory tests, offered to plastics industry companies on a per-test or per-project basis.
• Education and Training (Aus- und Weiterbildung) Professional development portfolio for the plastics industry covering seminars, company training, initial vocational education, and certification programs including the IHK-certified process manager for plastics processing, sold via the KIMW Webshop and direct enrollment.
• Technical Development Services Technical development services covering surface technology, new materials, application technology, and joint research projects, supporting plastics companies with material selection, component engineering, and process optimization.
• Research Services (Forschung) Application-oriented research and development services for new innovations, products, and processes in plastics, often conducted in collaboration with industry partners and supported through ZIM innovation network funding.
• Management Consulting Management consulting services for plastics industry companies covering strategy development, transformation, implementation support, innovation network facilitation, and internationalization assistance.
• Sustainability Services (Nachhaltigkeit) Sustainability consulting and analysis services for plastics companies, including Circular Economy and EcoDesign advisory, Product Carbon Footprint (PCF), materiality assessment and KPIs, Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF), and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).
• KIMW-Webshop Online e-commerce platform operated by KIMW for direct booking and purchase of seminars, training programs, testing services, and related products in the plastics industry.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• K-branche.de Portal PartnerscoreOthersThe k-branche.de portal is operated by the institute as a dedicated industry portal for the plastics branch, serving as a networking and information hub. Companies are encouraged to onboard to access the portal's resources and network effects.
• ZIM Innovation Networks (H2-Konkret, HealthGoGreen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe institute serves as a transfer partner and technical manager for ZIM (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand) innovation networks including H2-Konkret and HealthGoGreen. These networks connect companies with research institutions and provide funding support for joint innovation projects. Participants benefit from the institute's technical expertise and network facilitation.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Intertek: Global TIC provider offering plastics and polymer testing, failure analysis, and certification. Comparable to KIMW's testing services but operates at significantly larger scale across many industries.
• Element Materials Technology: Global materials testing and product qualification firm with strong polymer and mechanical testing services. Comparable to KIMW's testing and failure analysis capabilities across industrial clients.
• TÜV SÜD Product Service: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) company with a broad portfolio that includes plastics and materials testing. Overlaps with KIMW's testing services as part of a much larger, multi-industry TIC offering.
• SGS Group: Global TIC leader providing materials testing, inspection, and certification across industries including polymers. Comparable to KIMW's testing and inspection services but at a much larger, multi-vertical scale.

Direct peers

• Polymer Competence Center Leoben (PCCL): Austrian research center for polymer engineering and sciences. Comparable to KIMW in offering applied research, characterization, and industry-driven development programs for plastics and composite value chains.
• Smithers: Global provider of testing, consulting, and market research for the plastics, rubber, and specialty materials sectors. Directly comparable in commercial materials testing, failure analysis, and technical consulting services offered to industry.
• Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University: University-affiliated plastics processing research institute covering injection molding, extrusion, and composite technologies. Comparable to KIMW in combining applied R&D, pilot-plant testing, and industry training for plastics manufacturers.
• SKZ – Das Kunststoff-Zentrum: Leading German plastics research, testing, training, and certification institute based in Würzburg. Closest direct peer to KIMW — both offer a comparable portfolio of testing, education, applied research, and consulting services to the German plastics industry.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems (IMWS): German Fraunhofer institute focused on polymer materials characterization, damage analysis, and reliability testing. Directly comparable in providing contract testing, failure analysis, and applied materials research for industrial clients.

Regional players

• Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF: German Fraunhofer institute specializing in plastics component durability, structural testing, and lightweight design. Comparable to KIMW's pilot plant testing and damage analysis, primarily serving European industrial clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kimw_lued
• Facebookfacebook.com/KIMW.GmbH

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plastics Institute Lüdenscheid