ELI’s ILO Network Grows to Strengthen Industry Collaboration Across Europe

On 22 May, the ELI Industrial Liaison Officer (ILO) Network gathered at the ELI facility in Szeged, Hungary, to deepen cooperation between European research infrastructures and industry. This was the second meeting of the ILO Network.

The core mission of ELI’s growing ILO network is to strengthen connections between research infrastructures and industrial stakeholders in European countries. A key objective is to promote research and development collaborations and to support long-term partnerships.

The ILOs play a crucial role in connecting national industries with ELI’s research activities, by encouraging industrial participation in research infrastructure tenders, mapping national markets and informing companies about the upcoming procurement needs of the research institutes. Their key responsibilities also include maintaining relationships with existing suppliers and involving new potential partners in procurement procedures.

Allen Weeks, Director General of ELI ERIC, opened the meeting with an overview of the organisation and its strategic priorities. Presentations were made by both ELI Beamlines in the Czech Republic and ELI ALPS in Hungary. The sessions included a presentation on the ILO network at the European Spallation Source (ESS) in Sweden, offering comparative insights from another European research infrastructure.

Participants had the opportunity to learn about the research technology offered by ELI ALPS. Four Hungarian research technology companies – Solivac Kft., Magnificat Vacuum Kft., CE Optics Kft. and RK Tech Kft. – were also invited to present their products and services.

The event served as a platform for exchanging lessons learned, sharing operational updates, and exploring best practices for the ILO network development. Discussions focused on how to further enhance the efficiency and impact of the network to reinforce ELI’s mission of advancing scientific excellence while contributing to Europe’s industrial and economic competitiveness.