Information about YKI
YKI, Institute for Surface Chemistry is the internationally leading industrial research institute in applied surface and colloid chemistry, with a mission to transfer and develop innovations to customers in industrial sectors where surface chemistry plays an important role.
YKI’s clients come from many industrial sectors e.g. pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, food, industrial chemicals, household products, pulp and paper, coatings, personal care products, adhesives, paint, print and packaging. More than 50 % of YKI’s customers are based outside Sweden and include world leaders in above mentioned industries. YKI has 65 employees and is located in a research-intensive area on the campus of the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden’s premier technical university. YKI is part of the SP group.
Business model
The business model of YKI is to use surface chemistry to solve problems and provide the basis for new products and processes among our customers. Solving persistent problems that do not yield to the clients in-house R&D is common at YKI, as is reformulating long-standing products to meet new regulatory controls or market pressures for greener ingredients.
In the current paradigm in industrial R&I: Open Innovation, YKI is a natural link when insourcing innovations from academia. Many academic partners view YKI as a very viable link to industry, and as many industrial customers see YKI as a preferred partner for verifying- and integrating new technical solutions within the field of surface chemistry, there is also an external force driving ideas our way for adaptation to solutions having commercial significance to our customers.
A comprehensive resource
Surface chemistry is often only part of the solution to an industrial problem, or part of the construct for a new product or process. Thus, YKI is linked to other industrial institutes in Sweden who have complementary expertise in each industrial branch. SP also provides access to more than 950 scientists and technicians and an extended instrument park.
YKI hosts a Vinnova/Industry financed excellence centre on controlled delivery and release and is a partner in a number of university excellence centres. YKI also participates in internal SP competence centres in areas such as coatings, surface analysis, chocolate and packaging. The latest addition to our portfolio of centers with significant co-funding from Vinnova is a concentrated effort in Interfacial materials towards cleantech. Through these various centres and needs-driven research programmes, YKI drives an active network with more than 50 universities and institutes world wide.