Leartiker surpasses 2025 targets with record-breaking turnover

Leartiker, the technology centre specialising in food and polymer technologies, achieved exceptional results in 2023, reaching a turnover of €4.5 million—its highest to date.

With a 15% growth in turnover compared to the previous year and a 23% increase (€3.8 million) in research and development income, this technology centre in Markina-Xemein (Bizkaia) is proud of its achievements. As a member of the BRTA alliance and part of the Mondragon group, these figures confirm Leartiker’s outstanding research and knowledge transfer, facilitated by close relationships with local companies and producers.

Leartiker closed 2023 exceeding forecasts and achieving ambitious goals originally set for 2025 in its Strategic Plan. Its upward trajectory is clear, with continuous growth leading to significant milestones in 2021. These include reaccreditation as a multi-focused technology centre in the Basque Network of Science, Technology, and Innovation, joining the BRTA (Basque Research and Technology Alliance), and establishing the Basque Country’s first dairy centre. Now, Leartiker is preparing to register as a Ministry of Science and Innovation Tech Centre, a major milestone for 2024 that will expand its research and transfer capabilities.

Chair Iosu Ogiza and General Manager Jon Anakabe presented these results at the Annual Meeting on 21 June. The meeting highlighted the achievement of annual goals, made possible by Leartiker’s talented team. Research excellence continued with nine scientific articles published last year, 6 in high-impact journals, and two new patent applications filed.

These exceptional results were achieved with a staff of 51 committed individuals, of whom 59% are women, 23.5% hold doctoral degrees, and 10% are doctoral candidates.

This long-term endeavour still has much to accomplish in research, transfer, and innovation. Leartiker is preparing for future challenges by focusing on four areas of specialization: Sustainable Transport, Health, Food Design, and the Dairy Centre (Esneki Zentroa).

For the food industry, innovation remains the strategic framework through which we help companies and producers become more competitive, diversify, and improve processes. We address technological and knowledge needs, identify trends and industrialization requirements, develop product prototypes, and assist in commercialization. Throughout these processes, we maintain close relationships that set us apart.

Unravelling the complexities of polymeric materials is another daily challenge we face in this era of digitalization and technological innovation, coupled with sustainability requirements. We use artificial intelligence, advanced testing, and biocompatible materials to provide fast, practical, durable, and sustainable solutions.

State-of-the-art facilities 

Leartiker continuously adapts its cutting-edge facilities to meet research needs. For Food Technology, it has an 800 m2 pilot plant, microbiology and molecular biology laboratories, a physicochemical laboratory, and a tasting room.

Its Polymers Technology facilities include a polymer and composite transformation workshop, physical-chemical and rheological characterization labs, vibration and mechanical durability testing, advanced mechanical characterization, an ISO07 clean room, materials microscopy, and integrative digitalization tools.

By year-end, Leartiker will add a new 60 m2 biomedical engineering research laboratory. This expansion, together with the new infrastructure and equipment, will enhance Leartiker’s Health specialization, particularly in microfluidic technologies and tissue engineering research.