LEITAT

Leitat is a technological centre which aims to collaborate with enterprises and other organisations in research+development+2i and industrial innovation and technological processes through innovation and creativity. Its headquarters are located in Terrassa with other locations in Barcelona and Igualada.

History of LEITAT

Leitat began in 1906, when a group of textile industrialists came together to create a support network for their companies named Acondicionamiento Tarrasanse. In 1908, it completed its facilities with a laboratory for chemical-textile analysis, which would be the seed of what would become Laboratorios de Ensayos e Investigaciones Textiles del Acondicionamiento Tarrasense (LEITAT).
With the arrival of the 21st Century and the outsourcing of textile production, LEITAT refocused its activities to improve the competitiveness of textile companies by converting to a Technological Centre.
The fact that a need may be met through various technologies and that a technology may be used for different needs transforms LEITAT into a multi-sector technological centre and with a strong growth in both profits and staff since 2005.
In 2008, Leitat created the Fundación LEITAT (Foundation), with the aim of increasing the promotion of R,D&I, maximising its economic impact and fostering scientific talent. In 2013, Fundación Leitat took on the management of the Inno+Talent25 project.

LEITAT today

Today, LEITAT provides R&D and technology transfer services, testing laboratories, and supports innovation and industrial sustainability. The various R&D groups cover disciplines ranging from biomedicine, engineering, design and robotics, environment and biotechnologies, advanced materials and nanotechnology, and security and sustainability.
The laboratories carry out tests on material characterisation, chemical analysis, bio-analysis and health, reaction to fire performance, quality control, prototype validation, ecolabels, application of new technologies and dimensional metrology. It is also an official body for the Compliance Assessment (CE Marking) of Personal Protection Equipment.

FUNDACIÓN LEITAT

The mission of Fundación Leitat is the promotion of R,D&I within various economic sectors, contributing to the holistic development of society and the country, as well as fostering a culture of innovation and improving competitiveness.
To achieve this, the principal objective of the Fundación is to establish stable lines of communication between research centres, as well as other R,D&I organisations (such as companies developing state-of-the-art technology) with the aim of focusing efforts to boost lines of research and take advantage of the knowledge generated in these centres to maximise its economic impact on society, while at the same time seeking out and fostering the scientific talent to be found there.
Fundación Leitat believes that it is critical and imperative to facilitate the hiring of newly qualified technical personal into the world of work, as well as the importance of the rapid transfer of know-how between the leading companies of a sector to the staff joining that sector, so that productivity and innovation can flow continuously.