News

We say thank you... after more than 30 years of voluntary work in our organisation, Friedmar Götz is leaving the board of the association.

Last year, the board of our supporting association decided to endow a scholarship to support prospective doctoral students. With 1,500 € per month, university graduates can be supported to work on doctoral topics that are professionally related to the research topics of our institute.

"Research and certification are not a contradiction. With the ISO 9001 certification, we demonstrate the high quality standards in our research work and the reliability of our research results," says Prof. Dr. Haiko Schulz, Institute Director at FILK Freiberg. Haiko Schulz, Director of the Institute at FILK Freiberg. At the same time, we are committed to a continuous improvement process…

Dirk Neubauer, Landrat unseres Landkreises Mittelsachsen, besuchte vergangene Woche unser Institut. Seit seiner Wahl im Juli 2022 bereist er seinen Landkreis, vergangenen Donnerstag besuchte er dabei unser Institut.

With more than 25 years of service at FILK, you are one of the colleagues who have accompanied our institute on its long journey since its privatisation. The experience you brought with you from industry

Since the summer, the new Chief Executive of the AiF, Professor Klein, has been touring Germany to get to know his member associations and, of course, they him. Last Friday he stopped in Freiberg and visited our research association and our institute.

Since 20 May, the annual city cycling event has been running again. This is the fifth time that our institute takes part, and this year a team of almost 30 is pedalling for a better climate until 9 June.

After cancellation in 2020 and a digital edition in 2021, the time finally came. The organisers, VGCT e.V. and FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH, were delighted to welcome 72 participants on site at the Carlowitz Center in Chemnitz. Another 57 chose the option of participating on their home screens. A total of 15 nations were represented.

FILK Freiberg stands for a respectful and peaceful coexistence in the city

Our institute is closely connected with the location Freiberg in a long tradition. With our name FILK Freiberg Institute we make a clear commitment to this. Our plans for the development of the institute and the location include investments in new jobs and infrastructure here in Freiberg. We cultivate an open,…

For performing flammability tests according to PSA methods an external test lab needs to be classified Level II. As Level I classified test laboratory we are now authorized to assess external test labs of Group PSA suppliers to perform D45 1333 (Index K) “Interior Cabin Materials Horizontal Flammability” tests for study and production control, thus certifying that the test lab conforms…

With the certification of the new label "Furniture Made in Germany", our institute is expanding its range of services in the field of product monitoring and quality assurance. The quality label certifies the geographical origin of furniture from Germany according to RAL-RG 0191. Consumers can rely on the fact that products bearing this quality label have been manufactured in Germany.

There is little well-founded knowledge on material fatigue processes for viscoelastic materials such as leather or material composites based on synthetic polymers (e.g. plastic films, coated textiles). In the future, the new testing system can be used to make more realistic statements about the properties and more accurate predictions about material fatigue or ageing of viscoelastic…

In a joint project with the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, the East African leather industry is supported in setting up an infrastructure for testing physical parameters on leather. Our institute will contribute its materials expertise and extensive experience in materials testing.

Since 10 September, the annual city cycling event has been running again. This is the fourth time that our institute takes part, and this year a team of 20 is pedalling for a better climate until 30 September.

After the organisers, VGCT e.V. and FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH, had to cancel the industry meeting of the European tanning and leather industry in 2020 due to Corona, a hybrid event concept was initially planned for this year. Initially, it was hoped that at least some of the participants could be welcomed on site, but at the beginning of May the attendance part finally had to be…

Since the beginning of April 2021, the Accredited Testing Laboratory at FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH has successfully completed the VW certification process as a testing service provider. The certification process included extensive proof of competence, an on-site audit and participation in numerous round robin tests. The FILK testing laboratory thus meets the demanding quality…

Since a few months, an autoclave as well as a condensation atmosphere and Kesternich corrosion test system supplement the infrastructure of the accredited testing laboratory at FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH.

With the decision of our shareholder and the entry in the commercial register, the change of name for our institute has been formally completed. In future, our institute will operate under the name: FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH.

Scientists from the Institut für Luft- und Kältetechnik gGmbH (ILK) in Dresden, the Forschungsinstitut für Leder- und Kunststoffbahnen (FILK) in Freiberg and the Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut (STFI) in Chemnitz will report and discuss on the topic "All about Corona". We invite you to find out about current research activities in Saxony and to enter into dialog with our speakers.

Greater China 20-21 Jan 2021

Indian Subcontinent 28-29 Jan 2021

Africa and the Middle East 3-4 Feb 2021

With its unique material competence for leather, leather substitutes, coated textiles and composites the Germany-based FILK Research Institute will focus on its testing and OEKO-TEX® certification services for the digital exhibition at Virtual APLF.

“Since we do not expect any…

The test lab complies with the high demands of the DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard released in 2018, thus certifying the institute´s expertise, reliability and service quality in material testing of leather, synthetics and coated textiles.

FILK participates in "Schule macht Betrieb" - training fair takes place on September 19, 2020 at the DBI in Freiberg. If terms like Newton, Pascal, Kelvin or Franklin are not just names for you and Tesla is not just a car brand, then you are exactly right with us! Visit us at the "Schule macht Betrieb" on 19.09.2020 at the DBI in Freiberg. You will find us at booth 61.

The next course to qualify as an association-recognized leather technician will start on April 13, 2021 at the VDL e.V.'s education partner, the Sächsische Bildungsgesellschaft (SBG) in Dresden, and is now open for registration.

The FILK from Freiberg is a new supporting member of the German Furniture Quality Association (DGM).

After the cancellation of the running competition in its usual form, the organizer unceremoniously organized a "REWE Virtual Challenge" including start numbers, certificates, medals and a portal where times, photos and messages could be transmitted. The FILK running teams gladly took up this offer.

Medical equipment is currently in short supply. Numerous members of the Sächsische Industrieforschungsgemeinschaft e. V. (SIG) support Saxon hospitals in the fight against Corona, depending on their possibilities.

After more than 40 years with the company, 26 of them at its helm, Institute Director Prof. Dr. Michael Stoll handed over the reins of the Freiberg Institute to his successors Prof. Dr. Haiko Schulz and Dr. Michael Meyer at an honorary colloquium. Long-time companions and numerous representatives from business, science, politics and public administration came to the Mittelsächsisches…

Since July 2019, Antoaneta Trommer, employed with the Freiberg based research institute FILK, is a publicly appointed and sworn expert in the field of „Leather and Coates Textiles“. With her appointment as expert for leather and coated textiles, Ms Trommer´s IHK certified expertise is now available to the public and is accepted by German courts.

Already for the 4th time Saxon research institutes of the Saxon Industrial Research­Community (SIG) present their range of services, this year under the heading "Shaping the future sustainably".

Extremely flame retardant, flexible and lightweight - FILK will present at techtextil 2019 in Frankfurt together with Fulcoline GmbH & Co. KG a high-performance material based on a basalt fiber-polymer composite.

On March 14, 2019, the 10th futureSAX know-how network meeting will take place on the topic of "Innovation potential through the transfer of technologies from the leather and imitation leather industry to the healthcare and medical technology sector". The anniversary meeting will be hosted by the Research Institute for Leather and Synthetic Materials FILK in Freiberg.

Under the umbrella of the German Federation of Industrial Research Associations (AiF), a total of 100 AiF research associations regularly carry out joint industrial research projects in a wide range of technological, industry and application fields, many of which are related to the medical technology sector. Research is conducted on topics such as biosensors and actuators,…

The "Open Monument Day" is a nationwide event organized by local monument protection authorities that allows residents of a region to explore and visit monuments that are not actually open to the public. This year, the motto is "Discover what unites us", which the Institute takes as an opportunity to once again open its doors to the public. In the lecture hall, visitors will be given a…

Effective June 1, 2018, Dr Michael Meyer has been appointed scientific director of the FILK. He thus assumes responsibility for all research activities and scientific work at the institute.

FILK involved in interdisciplinary biomedical research: Freiberg researchers investigate stress reactions of microorganisms. The interdisciplinary project started on March 26, 2018, and the findings are to be used primarily in the field of biomedicine.

In the summer of this year, the accredited testing laboratory of the Research Institute for Leather and Plastic Sheeting underwent re-auditing by DAIMLER AG and was confirmed as a certified Class A laboratory for the automotive manufacturer. According to the certificate, the institute is allowed to test an extensive range of materials for interior applications such as leather, textiles,…

Effective July 1, 2017, Dr Sascha Dietrich has taken over the management of the accredited testing laboratory at FILK. He takes over this position from Dr Haiko Schulz, who was appointed managing director of the institute at the beginning of the year.

On February 21 and 22, 2017, the third NanoCarbon annual conference took place in Würzburg. FILK scientist Dr Kristin Trommer also accepted the invitation of the Nanotechnology Cluster and the NanoCarbon network...

As of January 2017, producers and suppliers of leather goods can have their products tested for harmful substances by the International OEKO-TEX® Association and certified accordingly. The basis is the new LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX®.

During the board meeting of the FILK Suport Association on November 24, 2016, Dr Haiko Schulz was confirmed as a further managing director at FILK gGmbH in Freiberg, alongside the institute's director, Professor Michael Stoll. He will take up the management position on January 1, 2017.

On September 20, 2016, Dr Martin Oschatz and Dr Martin Heise were awarded the prestigious Starck Doctoral Prize of the Division of Solid State Chemistry and Materials Research of the German Chemical Society (GDCh). The award ceremony took place during the annual meeting of the division, which was held in Innsbruck from September 19 - 21, 2016.

The institute was represented with two topics in Berlin this year: In addition to the project "Environmentally friendly PUR-based coating systems for functional textiles", the project "Model organs for surgical training" was presented in the INNO-KOM program, which also interested the Federal Minister of Economics and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel.

Every year, the Chemnitz University of Technology awards the Bellprix prize to the best scientific papers written in the subjects of mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer science. Tessa Koch from the Geschwister-Scholl-Gymansium in Freiberg took on this task. She completed her work at FILK and was awarded 1st prize.

The Saxon Industrial Research Association e. V. (SIG) organized a parliamentary evening in Dresden on April 19, 2016. The invited parliamentarians learned about both the strengths of Saxony's industrial research and the measures currently needed to further support industry-related research institutions.

Additional qualification in tanning and leather technology at FILK: On January 20, 2016, the first two of the five participants of the first year successfully completed the new additional qualification in tanning and leather technology at the FILK in Freiberg.

On June 11, 2015, the open-air site of AiF Projekt GmbH once again hosted more than 300 innovative small and medium-sized enterprises, research­institutions and cooperation­networks from all over Germany. The FILK was also represented with topics from the programs "INNO-KOM" and "IGF" of the BMWi.

Industry 4.0 is also known as the "fourth industrial revolution. As a collective term for comprehensive digitization and networking in production, it stands for a profound technological change in the economy.