Fraunhofer IGP

What Fraunhofer IGP does

Fraunhofer IGP (Institut für Großstrukturen in der Produktionstechnik) is a non-profit applied research institute within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, headquartered in Rostock, Germany. Its remit is the production and manufacturing of large structures, spanning joining (including laser-arc hybrid welding and sensor-based processes), forming, coating (thermal spraying), and robotics/automation. The institute operates a 4,000+ m² main facility in Rostock and, since May 2024, a 3,600 m² Hydrogen Application Center in Warnemünde equipped with 10 MW test benches. Its research is organized across 14 competence areas and four innovation fields.

Name

Fraunhofer IGP

Legal name

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.

Website

https://igp.fraunhofer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Fraunhofer IGP is a non-profit applied research institute in Rostock, Germany, specializing in production and manufacturing of large structures. It serves shipbuilding, offshore wind, agriculture, and machinery sectors through contract research, publicly funded projects, and a dedicated hydrogen test facility in Warnemünde.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Production Engineering Research

NAICS

Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing (3336)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Propulsion Test, Integration & Certification Services (IMABADAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Third-Party Certification, Code Compliance & Regulatory Inspection (ASME/API/ISO) (EUAEAHAN)

Keywords

• Applied research services
• Production engineering research
• Large structure manufacturing
• Hydrogen propulsion testing
• Robotic welding automation

Headquarters

HQ city

Rostock

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Applied Research Projects: Research institute funded through a combination of public institutional funding (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft base funding), publicly funded research projects (EU, federal ministries, state governments), and contract research with industry partners

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fraunhofer IGP conducts applied research and development in production and manufacturing technologies for large-scale structures, with core competence areas spanning forming, joining, coating, robotics, automation, and measurement systems. The institute delivers contract research, technology development, testing services, and certification to industrial partners in shipbuilding, offshore wind, maritime, agriculture, and machinery sectors. Notable offerings include the Hydrogen Application Center for alternative fuel testing up to 10 MW and state-accredited testing and certification services.

Product overview

Fraunhofer IGP is an applied research institution organized around 14 core research competence fields covering the entire production technology spectrum: joining technologies (forming, mechanical, thermal, adhesive), surface treatment (thermal coatings, corrosion protection, composites), measurement and automation (large structure measurement, industrial robotics, factory organization), and digital production (planning, control, Industry 4.0). These competencies feed into four strategic innovation fields: Hydrogen Application Center (alternative propulsion testing up to 10 MW), Agricultural Technology (automation, thermal spraying, AI), Humanoid Robotics (Unitree G1 'Max'), and Smart Ocean Technologies. The institute also operates accredited testing/certification services. The portfolio functions as an integrated research ecosystem where competence fields combine to deliver complete production technology solutions, particularly for maritime, offshore, and agricultural sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Anwendungszentrum Wasserstoff: Hydrogen Application Center - one of three facilities of the Hydrogen Research Factory MV, focusing on technology development for sustainable industrial use of alternative fuels in maritime applications
• Forschungsfabrik Wasserstoff MV
• BWSF - Biogene Wertschöpfung und Smart Farming

Products and services

• Hydrogen Application Center Large-scale testing facility for energy converters focusing on hydrogen, methanol, and alternative fuel propulsion systems for the maritime industry. Includes large engine test benches with up to 10 MW braking power and fuel infrastructure for hydrogen research. Available to industrial and research partners through project-based engagement.
• Testing, Inspection and Certification Body State-accredited testing and inspection body providing certification services according to state building regulations. Available to industrial customers requiring formal compliance testing and certification.
• Applied Research and Contract Research Services Applied research and development services for industrial partners across production technologies including joining (forming, mechanical, thermal, adhesive), surface treatment (thermal coatings, corrosion protection, composites), measurement and automation (large structure measurement, industrial robotics, factory organization), and digital production. Delivered through project-based collaboration with industry partners in shipbuilding, offshore energy, agriculture, and machinery sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,500 monopiles manufactured by EEW SPC with Fraunhofer IGP collaboration
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• University of RostockcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose cooperation agreement with University of Rostock, specifically with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Ship Technology. Fraunhofer IGP works with chairs including Production Engineering (led by Prof. Wilko Flügge), Joining Technology (led by Prof. Knuth-Michael Henkel), and Production Organization and Logistics (led by Prof. Jan Sender). Since 1998, university teaching has been closely interlinked with industrial research.
• Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) RostockcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the Hydrogen Research Factory MV initiative. LIKAT focuses on the production of hydrogen and alternative fuels and storage methods through their PtX Transfer Technology Center. Collaborates on CO2 capture and utilization technologies (CCS, CCU) for carbon circular economy.
• Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP) GreifswaldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the Hydrogen Research Factory MV initiative. INP focuses on PtX Plasma Research Center for plasma-based processes. Collaborated on plasma-treated water as plant fertilizer technology being scaled for agricultural applications.
• Chair of Piston Machines and Internal Combustion Engines (LKV) - University of RostockcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for Hydrogen Application Center. The chair led by Prof. Bert Buchholz enhances expertise in maritime energy converters and climate-neutral energy carriers. Provides fundamental research transfer to real ship engines and energy conversion systems.
• Fraunhofer-GesellschaftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization providing institutional funding, governance, and network support. Fraunhofer IGP is a constituent entity of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. Member of Fraunhofer-Allianz Verkehr and Fraunhofer-Verbund Produktion.
• Naval Vessels Lürssen (NVL) / Peene-WerftmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration on flexible, automated and intelligent welding technologies for ship building. Joint development of 'seeing' robot for automated welding based on 3D sensor data of fastened components rather than construction data.
• EEW Special Pipe Constructions GmbH (EEW SPC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration ranging from factory planning to welding technology. Joint work on optimizing forming processes and improving process control during rolling of large sheet thicknesses for monopile production. Recent breakthrough in forming technology achieved international recognition.
• Fraunhofer Institutes IGP, IGD, IIS, IVV, EMFT, IOSB, IWUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBWSF (Biogenic Value Creation and Smart Farming) research initiative - collaboration of interdisciplinary teams from multiple Fraunhofer institutes focusing on application-oriented research in agriculture and food industry.
• Rostock Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK zu Rostock)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Robot Day 2025 event organized jointly with the chamber and Ministry of Economic Affairs to provide insights into robotics developments for SMEs in metal processing.
• Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Tourism, and Labor of Mecklenburg-VorpommerncoreOthersGovernment ministry providing funding support and collaboration on events like Robot Day. Secured €9.9 million funding for Hydrogen Application Center infrastructure through this ministry.
• FVTR GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership established for Hydrogen Application Center to enhance fuel cell and battery technologies expertise and represent energy conversion research comprehensively.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• TWI Global: UK-based independent research and technology organization specializing in welding, joining, and materials integrity. Closest international peer to IGP's thermal joining and large-structure welding research, with similar contract-research business model and industry partnership approach.
• Fraunhofer IWS: Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology, specializing in welding, surface treatment, and laser-based joining processes. Highly comparable to IGP's thermal joining and thermal coating capabilities, also operating under the Fraunhofer Production alliance.
• BAM (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung): German federal institute for materials research and testing, with state-accredited testing and certification capabilities. Comparable to IGP's accredited testing/inspection body and materials testing competence, particularly for large steel structures and offshore applications.
• Fraunhofer IFAM: Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials, with strong competence in joining, adhesive bonding, surface technology, and coatings. Directly comparable to Fraunhofer IGP's joining, forming, and coating competence fields, and shares the same Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft funding model.
• Fraunhofer IPK: Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology, focused on production automation, factory organization, and Industry 4.0. Overlaps with IGP's automation engineering, factory planning, and digital production competence fields.
• Fraunhofer IWU: Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology, a leader in forming and production research. Directly comparable to IGP's plastic deformation joining/forming competence field, with similar Fraunhofer institutional structure.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finland's national applied research organization, active in manufacturing, energy, and maritime technologies. Comparable to Fraunhofer IGP's applied research and contract research model, with overlap in production technology and energy systems.
• EWI (Edison Welding Institute): US-based nonprofit engineering and technology organization focused on manufacturing, materials joining, and inspection. Closest US counterpart to IGP's joining and inspection work, with comparable contract research model serving shipbuilding, energy, and heavy industry.
• SINTEF: Norway's largest independent research institute, with significant activity in maritime technology, ocean engineering, and energy conversion. Highly comparable to IGP's maritime decarbonization, hydrogen, and offshore engineering focus, and shares the Nordic/European applied research model.

Broad incumbents

• DLR (German Aerospace Center): Germany's national aeronautics and space research center with adjacent maritime and energy research. Overlaps with IGP on maritime propulsion research and large-structure testing, but operates at much larger scale and across broader domains.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCyPsIm4Q9awsN2t8mlU7Glw/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fraunhofer-igp
• Instagraminstagram.com/fraunhoferigp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fraunhofer IGP