The new activity by Assembléon is part of an overall development project called SUPREME (SUstainable PRoduction EquipMEnt). Partners in this project include companies and institutions from the Dutch Brainport Region, a high tech hot spot in the Netherlands and one of the top seven Intelligent Communities in the world. Besides Assembléon, the Technical University of Eindhoven, top research institute TNO, Xycarb Ceramics, Tegema Group and Fiberworx will work together in 2010 to develop sustainable pick & place solutions.

"The SUPREME project aims to bring more balance between functional and economic requirements of production equipment along with sustainability aspects", explains Jeroen de Groot, Assembléon’s marketing director. "Minimizing electricity consumption, volume and weight and using recyclable materials contributes to more than just a better environment. Manufacturers will benefit from lower costs and that leads to better business performance and competitive advantage. The partners in the SUPREME project will develop a sustainable pick & place machine as the first initiative. The knowledge and insights this project will bring us will also be available for other companies in our Brainport region in the future", says Mr de Groot.

The new generation will not only pick & place components sustainably; it will also minimize the environmental impact of the machine in its design phase. The project has been recognized by the Dutch government in the form of a substantial financial subsidy to stimulate the innovation, given to the partners of the SUPREME project by SenterNovem, the sustainability office of the Dutch ministry of Economical Affairs, and the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research.