1. Jan Softa Somerco
Date: 2013-12-08
Enhance the EC member states competitiveness
Part 13 - Science Parks – Specialization
Abstract
Fabrics serve the largest industries on the planet - fabrics in clothes, in your home and fabrics in
industry. Specialization of Science Parks increases the attraction for companies that do R & D to locate
at a specific Science Parks. I discuss the benefits with specialization of a Science Parks for fabrics.
Also EU acknowledges fabrics importance by supporting projects that involve fabrics.
Background
Helping geniuses! Our slogan sums up whom Somerco aims to help. Somerco are a
company that target to help researchers and innovators so that these geniuses can
create prosperity and jobs in society. A few years back, in spring 2011, I exhibited at
a conference organised by IASP and WTCA.1 A main topic was how Science Parks
should operate in the future with its clients - companies. In this paper my focus is on
the benefits with specialization of Science Parks. In the next paper I focus on Science
Parks and networks where you do not need to be physically located at the Science
Park.
Introduction
Most governments and companies consider Science and Technology parks beneficial
clusters for companies R & D of products and a good way to involve academia with
companies. In these clusters it evolves an increased knowledge that benefits the
tenants. Specialization of Science Parks increases the attraction for companies to
locate at a specific Science Parks. Many Science Parks has also chosen this path.
Examples
Located close to the heart of London's biomedical technology community, BioPark
provides specialist facilities and support for bioscience and health technology
businesses, encouraging growth and the development of new products and
technologies. We also find specialization in Kista Science Centre outside Stockholm
Sweden that traditionally has a strong focus on mobile communication companies.
The most well-known is Stanford’s Research Park who has hosted many technology
companies since its establishments. Examples of companies are HewlettPackard and
more recently Facebook. Many Science Parks have a particular technology focus, but
we also find specialization in agriculture as Agropolis in Montpellier – France.
Competition
When it concern mass production of fabrics it is difficult to out-compete many lowlabour countries in Asia. However, it is still possible to compete with these countries
if there is a focus on new innovative fabrics.
Russia is one country that sees the potential in large scale production of innovative
fabrics. The Russian government is investing more than USD$20 million in the
1
IASP = International Association of Science Parks. WTCA = World Trade Centre Association.

2. Jan Softa Somerco
Date: 2013-12-08
implementation of a major project, regarding with the design and further launch of
production of innovative textile fabrics.
According to the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the project involves the
participation of about major 10 Russian research institutes, which will provide their
latest developments in the field of production of innovative textile fabrics. Amongst
the developments are the implantation of metal nanoparticles, and in particular silver,
(known for its biological activity and antibacterial properties) in fabrics and the use of
modified wool fibre technology with the use of non-equilibrium low-temperature
plasma, which provides abrasion resistance, as well as soil-repellent, water repellent,
antibacterial and other properties to the fibre.
The scientific side of the project is expected to be conducted on the basis of Ivanovo
State University of Chemical Technology and the Institute of Chemistry of Solutions
of the Russian Academy of Sciences.2
Fabrics in EU
Fabrics serve the largest industries on the planet - fabrics in clothes, in your home and
fabrics in industry – and we can find EUs FP7 and Horizon 2020 supporting projects
that involves fabrics. However, Europe do not have specialized Science Parks that
focus on companies R & D in fabrics.
The reason there is no specialized Science Parks in this sector could be because it is
difficult for many enterprises to be very profitable in mass production. The
manufacturing costs for end-products in fabrics are cheaper in other parts of the world
than in Europe. In particular, Europe has higher labour costs. It is not to say that
manufacturing of fabrics is not a future industry as long as they can invent newer
products that can generate good profit and thereby be less dependent on labour costs.
In other words there will not be much mass production of fabrics in Europe, but there
is a bright future for innovating new fabrics.
With innovations in fabrics located at European Science Parks there is a natural
access to knowledge. Also, the all so important patents for these fabrics remain in
Europe and generate incomes to innovators and companies.
Fabrics - industry
Fabrics for the industry are an important part for the manufacturers. New fabrics
invented by our innovators can help Europe improve its environment. For instance,
fabrics are used in industry processes for air pollution control products and liquid
filtration products and so on.
Another example is industrial fabrics made of fiberglass yarns that are utilized in
applications where high heat is present and high strength and dimensional stability are
2
Russia to establish large scale production of innovative fabrics.
http://www.innovationintextiles.com/russia-to-establish-large-scale-production-of-innovative-fabrics/

3. Jan Softa Somerco
Date: 2013-12-08
important. Industrial fabric is woven in various constructions and thicknesses from
industrial strength yarns in five basic weave patterns: plain, leno, satin, and basket.3
Fabrics - home
Fabrics in home are everywhere - in curtains, carpets and in furniture. Many of these
fabrics have much innovation and financial resources behind them before they enter
the market.
A good example is all household furniture and fabrics that now are treated with fire
retardants by law. Prior to these fabrics ending up in the households much research
and testing was carried out to assess how materials burn. Different fabrics were tested
as pure silk and pure cotton. Once these were treated with a flame retardant it became
much harder to set alight and it was now necessary with a naked flame to keep the
fabric burning. All research and development in this field has led to that all household
furniture and fabrics now are treated with fire retardants by law.4
Fabrics - Clothes
Clothes - we all wear them. Knowledge in current and new types of fabrics is
interesting for the fashion industry as well for those who design work clothes and
everything in between.
The company W.L. Gore & Associates – innovators of the fabric Gore-Tex
has recently been pointed out as the the most innovative company in America. Its
most famous product: Gore-Tex fabrics, which have a transparent plastic coating that
makes them waterproof and windproof but keep them breathable. Gore is big -- with
$1.58 billion in annual revenues and 6,300 employees -- but not gargantuan like 3M
or IBM. Still, Gore makes so many products that the total is hard to pin down -- with
all the variations, the count rises above 1,000.
Its cutting-edge fabrics are worn by astronauts and soldiers, as well as trekkers at the
North and South Poles and on the world's highest mountains. Also fashion designers
such as Prada, Hugo Boss, and Polo se Gore-Tex fabrics in clothing that people can
wear to the office or out to a party.5
In work clothes it has proved the Gore-Tex material provides a number of
performance benefits that help workers get on with their job in safety and comfort in
all weathers. Some of it characteristics is its windproof and waterproof performance
that eliminates wind-chill while keeping you dry. For it keep workers safe by resisting
liquids including many common workplace chemicals and petroleum-based products.6
EU
3
Industrial Fabrics http://bgf.com/industrial_fabrics/default.asp
Preventing household fires - flame retardants. http://tinyurl.com/keyfr52
5
The Fabric of Creativity. http://tinyurl.com/lm4rjmy
6
Gore-Tex Railspec Hi Vis –Innovation, Safety and Quality. http://tinyurl.com/neybawp
4

4. Jan Softa Somerco
Date: 2013-12-08
In EU innovations involving fabrics has been supported by the FP7 STELLA
(Stretchable Electronics for Large Area Applications) project, which evolved as that
project completed and successor projects took on further developments in the field.
Examples on three FP7 project groups are PLACE-IT (Platform for Large Area
Conformable Electronics by Integration), I-Tex (Intelligent And Luminous Textiles)
and PASTA (Platform for Advanced Smart textile Applications). Also in Horizon
2020 they continue to support innovations in fabrics such as e-textiles, LEDs.7
Location
I believe it is beneficial with a Science Parks who focus on fabrics. We find many
others consider fabrics an important industry and much resource are put into this
sector. Some of the factors that are important for the location of specialized Science
Parks are access to successful companies in the field and research and development
conducted in the area. For fabrics, there are several science fields that are relevant
such as materials, chemistry, biology and more specialized research fields as
nanotechnology.
Future
Specialization of Science Parks can emerge naturally due to its industry in the region
as in rural areas that have a focus on innovations for agriculture. In other regions we
find other fields of industry and science being the focus as life science. Newer
technologies are often lifted forward as important areas for Europe to excel in to
remain competitive as in quantum computing and nanotechnology. With this example
about fabrics - who probably is one of the oldest research and development topic - I
hope to highlight that in Europe there is still place for traditional sectors to have
access to top-quality Science Parks. It is possible by finding its niche by looking at the
current branch situation in the world.
End discussion
I end with a discussion that revolves around some questions about Science Parks. (A)
Is it important for Europe to have R & D in base products as agriculture and fabrics?
(B) Are Science Parks established to create many new jobs? (C) Are Science Parks
established to create prosperity for companies and society?
It is clear that we have come to accept that there will not be many new jobs in
agriculture and yet we have Science Parks with this specialization. The reason for this
it is important for Europe to be competitive in base products and services as food.
Therefore, much research and development are conducted in this field. Specialist
knowledge in base products and services are important. Also fabrics are a base
product, but we do not find any specialized Science Parks in Europe. I believe a
Science Park with a focus on fabrics will further increase Europe’s ability to invent
new fabrics at a more rapid pace. If there were a region in Europe that wants to
establish a Science Park with this specialization they should be supported by science,
and financially by industry and EU.
7
Flex Stretch Electronics Conference Review
http://www.innovationintextiles.com/flex-stretch-electronics-conference-review/

5. Jan Softa Somerco
Date: 2013-12-08
Draft proposals
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 1 - Designated tax to science
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 2 – Strategy to support the
software industry
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 3 – Actions to support women
in ICT
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 4 – Going abroad –
Competitive assets
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 5 – Business incubators,
financial recycling and incentives into reward
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 6 – Standardization as a tool
to increase competiveness
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 7 – Different types of
innovations
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 8 – Open source from science
to society
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 9 – Crowd sourcing and
crowd funding
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 10 – Green VAT for business
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 11 - Keep talent in Europe
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 12 - Research leftovers
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 13 - Science Parks Specialization
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 14 - Patent trolls
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 15 – Science Parks –
Networks (In progress)
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Part 16 – Expansion options (In
progress)
Enhance the competitiveness of EC member states Overview – Old and new key areas
in order to increase the competiveness of the industry (In progress)
Input on threats against information society