Perron038 and municipality of Zwolle together aim to further develop smart manufacturing in Zwolle’s railway zone
Two and a half years ago, Perron038 was established in the old machine hall 22 in the Spoorzone. This location has since grown to become the place to be for the innovative manufacturing industry in the Zwolle region. In order to expand and strengthen this position, Perron038 receives a subsidy of €60,000 from the municipality of Zwolle. Alderman for Economy René de Heer and Marius Woldberg, Managing Director of Perron038, signed the agreement on 10 February, thus confirming the cooperation between both parties. The symbol for the cooperation, a 3D print of the logos of Perron038 and the municipality, was officially unveiled by robot dog Spot®. The symbol of the logos was designed and printed by a student at Perron038.
In the past two years, Perron038 has developed into a strong regional innovation hotspot. Perron038 is both a booster and an example for technological innovation and cooperation between regional manufacturing companies and knowledge and research institutes. By now, more than 20 regional manufacturing companies, education and knowledge institutions have become participants in Perron038. These companies are working together – with students – on concrete applications of new technologies, such as the use of autonomous driving robots on the shop floor.
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Indispensable
“Perron038 is an indispensable player for the Spoorzone and for the Zwolle region,” says alderman René de Heer. “The intention is to create a powerful innovation district here in the Spoorzone. The manufacturing industry is one of the most important growth sectors for us. In the past two years, Perron038 has already proven to be a place where beautiful collaborations have been created and which has generated a lot of creativity. I am not only very enthusiastic about this, but also very proud. In my opinion, it is therefore only natural that we should enable Perron038 to develop further as an innovation hotspot and as an example for other innovation hotspots”.
Further development
In order to develop further as an innovation hotspot, Perron038 offers its space and facilities to educational institutions and invites young talent and makes them enthusiastic for a future in technology. In doing so, Perron038 enters into collaborations with new partners and, together with them, researches and introduces the application of innovative technologies. And it uses its knowledge and experience as an inspiration and example for new clusters, hubs or other forms of cooperation.
Marius Woldberg: “The municipality of Zwolle has helped us from the start with our establishment in terms of destination and contacts with NS and other parties in the area. It has made it possible for us to do business here! We zijn blij dat gemeente erkent dat Perron038 een belangrijke pionier is in de ontwikkeling van Spoorzone Zwolle en voor talentontwikkeling en ondernemerschap in (regio) Zwolle en daar ook graag aan wil bijdragen. Perron038 is an initiative from business and education and it is a great recognition that the government wants to work with us to help Perron038 develop further and attract companies and talent for further development in the manufacturing industry”.
Students and technology
The first thing visitors see when they arrive at Perron038 is Windesheim’s enormous 3D metal printer. The Professorship Additive Manufacturing of Windesheim investigates the application possibilities of this technology. Student Max Scheurink is one of those students and designed the symbol for the cooperation between the municipality of Zwolle and Perron038. “The 3D printer allows us to print unique, lightweight objects for replacement parts in machines, for example. My own research focuses on the use of this printer for the work of the Zwolle artist Ronald A. Westerhuis. It is very cool to learn about and experiment with this technology as a student”.