About
We are SKZ - German Plastics Center, a leading institution specializing in research, development and education in the field of plastics. With our broad network of industry partners and experts, we provide innovative solutions and customized training programs to drive progress in plastics technology. Our goal is to help companies increase their competitiveness and promote sustainable practices in plastics processing. Together, we are shaping the future of the plastics industry.
USP: Leading German R&D plastics institute: https://www.skz.de/en/; 200 people in 16 R&D groups, 100 funded projects pa, 25,000 sqm technical centres, 430 industry partners, 13,000 event participants for knowledge transfer pa.
CL4: Sustainable Advanced Materials, Raw Materials and Chemicals
HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-21: Development of safe and sustainable alternatives to substances of concern (IA)HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-22: Innovative advanced materials and new production processes – reducing dependencies on Critical and Strategic Raw Materials (IA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU and Processes4Planet partnerships)HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-23: Accelerating the discovery and development of chemicals and innovative advanced materials through digitalisation and artificial intelligence (IA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU partnership)HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-24: Cooperation on innovative advanced materials with Japan (CSA)
CL 6: Innovating for sustainable bio-based systems, biotechnology and the bioeconomy
HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-08: Biotechnology application for CCUHORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-07: Advancing the European bio-based innovation enabled by biotechnology and biomanufacturing conceptsHORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-09: Increasing the circularity of bio-based sector: upcycling and recycling for higher value and environmental benefits
CL 6: Enabling a circular economy transition
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-01: Improving circularity of multilayer flexible plastic food contact packagingHORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-02: Advancing recycling technologies for mixed post-consumer textiles waste from blended productsHORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-03: Advanced recovery of critical raw materials from Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-04: Demonstrating and deploying innovative collection, sorting-for-reuse and repair systems for textiles at city/region level (Circular Cities and Regions Initiative topic)HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-01: Enhancing ecodesign and circularity of consumer electronicsHORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-02: Enhancing ecodesign and circularity of construction productsHORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-03: Developing novel recycling technologies for complex plastic materials applying biotech solutionsHORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-05: Innovative circular solutions for end-of-life footwear through collection, sorting and recycling
CL 4: Fast-tracking Circularity
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-01: Advanced manufacturing for key products (IA) (Made in Europe partnership)HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-01: Advanced manufacturing for key products (IA) (Made in Europe partnership)HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-03: Factory processes and automation for de- and re-manufacturing (RIA) (Made in Europe partnership)HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-04: Optimise the usage of resources in a circular economy (RIA) (Processes4Planet and Clean Steel partnerships)HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-05: Circular innovative advanced materials: facilitating the transition from design to markets (RIA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU and Made in Europe partnerships)HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-06: Circular innovative advanced materials: facilitating the transition from design to markets (RIA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU and Made in Europe partnerships)HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-08: Textile circularity through advanced processing and manufacturing technologies and system approaches (IA) (Textiles for the Future partnership)
CL 5: Batteries
HORIZON-CL5-2026-09-D2-01: Producing battery-grade materials for electrodes through sustainable processing and refining of raw materials or developing bio-based materials (BATT4EU Partnership)HORIZON-CL5-2026-03-D2-02: Development of direct recycling processes (BATT4EU Partnership)
CL 4: AI for manufacturing and energy-intensive industries
HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-DIGITAL-EMERGING-51: AI improved advanced manufacturing and production processes in factories (RIA) (Made in Europe and AI, Data and Robotics partnerships)HORIZON-CL4-2027-02-DIGITAL-EMERGING-52: New approaches for Human/AI collaboration for the workforce of the future (RIA) (Made in Europe and AI, Data and Robotics partnerships)HORIZON-CL4-2026-02-DIGITAL-EMERGING-53: Innovative AI methods and technologies for the process industries (RIA) (Processes4Planet and AI, Data and Robotics partnerships)
CL 4: Innovative Advanced Materials-based Technologies
HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-25: New or enhanced Innovative Advanced Materials (IAM) enabled sensing functionality (RIA)
CL 4: Raw Materials
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-11: Innovative technologies and tools for exploration and data modelling of raw materials (RIA)HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-12: Technologies for innovative extraction of critical raw materials (RIA)HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-13: Monitoring of secondary raw materials (CSA)HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-14: Improving availability of secondary raw materials through recycling (IA)HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-16: Technologies for innovative processing of raw materials (IA)HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-17: Expert network on Critical raw materials (CSA)
CL 4: Technology infrastructure, knowledge valorisation and support for scaleups and startups
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-41: Enhancing industry academia knowledge exchange in Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) (CSA)HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-42: Unlocking the potential of academic intellectual assets for industry, SMEs and startups (CSA)HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-61: Fast Track to Research and Innovation for breakthroughs in industrial technologies (Research and Innovation Action)HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-62: Fast Track to Innovation for breakthroughs in the Chemical Industry Action Plan (Research and Innovation Action)HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-44: Attracting management talent for capacity building for Technology Infrastructures staff members (CSA)HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-45: Pilot access schemes to Technology Infrastructures for European startups, scaleups and innovative SMEs (CSA)HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-48: ‘Proof of market’ to improve valorisation and commercialisation of Horizon generated R&I results (IA)HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-49: ‘Proof of market’ to improve valorisation and commercialisation of Horizon generated R&I results (IA)
CL 4: Disruptive technologies for carbon capture and clean energy use
HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-31: Efficient capture / purification / utilisation of CO2 for the production of competitive products (RIA)(Processes4Planet partnership)HORIZON-CL4-2027-02-MATERIALS-PRODUCTION-32: Efficient energy input from renewable sources and energy management in the process industries (IA) (Processes4Planet and Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU partnerships)
CL 4: AI Continent
HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-05: Apply AI: AI-Driven Robotics for Industry: Enabling System Integration and Adoption (IA) (Partnership in AI, Data and Robotics)HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-08: Apply AI: Robotics for Manufacturing: Advancing Core Skills through Technical Challenges (RIA) (Partnership in AI, Data and Robotics)HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-09: Advanced Local Digital Twins using AI for Early Warning and Preparedness (IA)HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-06: International cooperation in AI (IA)