A powerful network for sustainable innovations
Excellently connected
The founder and main actor of the Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid is a registered association, which operates under the name Trägergesellschaft Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid e. V.. The association was founded in 1988 by entrepreneurs from the South Westphalia region, whereby it does not carry out any economic activity, but only represents the network or cluster with currently over 400 members. Our network is characterized by sustainable growth and interdisciplinary cooperation. As early as 2005, the cluster and its partners were accepted into “Kompetenznetze Deutschland”, now “go-cluster”. Since March 2013, the institute has held the Gold Label for Cluster Management Excellence, which was confirmed in 2015, 2018, 2021 and 2025.
Close by throughout Germany
In order to be easily accessible for our customers and partners throughout Germany, we have a branch in Villingen-Schwenningen (Baden-Württemberg) as well as other locations in Schwerte (NRW) and Berlin in addition to our main location in Lüdenscheid (North Rhine-Westphalia).
Our main site in Lüdenscheid is the center for research, testing and training in plastics technology. It combines state-of-the-art infrastructure, practical development and decades of experience – right in the heart of the Märkischer Kreis district.
At its Schwerte location, in the Nature Compound building, the forum offers companies along the entire value chain a comprehensive range of services in the areas of sustainable material use and the circular economy of engineering plastics.
Our location in Villingen-Schwenningen at Grässlin SÜD is your partner for all aspects of training and further education in plastics processing.
Our branch office in the HELIX HUB Berlin is your contact for innovative training and further education programs in plastics technology in the heart of the capital.
Motivation, innovation, excellence
The Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid has been combining state-of-the-art science with innovative production since 1988. As a leading partner to the plastics industry, we optimize quality and efficiency – with a particular focus on injection-moulded parts made from thermoplastics and thermosets.
85 specialists in material, process, tool, surface, process and testing technology
12 injection molding machines (8 of them with automated insertion and removal)
Competence center for thermoset processing
Unique application center for surface technology
Comprehensive measurement technology for injection moulding process optimization
Over 200 systems for material, component and surface testing
Innovation in services, research and development - comprehensively covered.
Application center for surface and decorating processes.
The only “Gold labeled” plastics institute within the Clustereczellence.
Unique network, with over 400 partners along the value creation chain in the plastics industry
We offer training and internships as well as places for students.
educate, research, test
In the field of plastics and surface technology
Corporate structure
In order to offer you an even broader and more flexible platform and to meet the increasingly specific market requirements, the association has founded further independent and autonomous companies in addition to the Kunststoff-Institut für die mittelständische Wirtschaft NRW GmbH.
The Kunststoff-Institut für die mittelständische Wirtschaft NRW GmbH (KIMW NRW GmbH) continues to stand for further training, services and joint projects in the familiar specialist departments.
The non-profit KIMW-Qualifizierungs GmbH (KIMW-Q GGmbH) stands for the initial training sector.
The non-profit KIMW Forschungs- GmbH supports plastics processing companies (especially in South Westphalia) in their research and development tasks in order to ensure the competitiveness of partnership-based, application-oriented and basic research activities.
KIMW Management GmbH stands for the provision of services in connection with management and strategy issues, general administration and organization, marketing and sales, project management, the management of clusters and networks as well as the acquisition and management of investments in other companies.
KIMW Prüf- und Analyse GmbH stands for the provision of laboratory services in the field of testing and analysis of plastics and coatings as well as the preparation of expert reports for damage analyses.
