Back on track

The DPI, a public-private polymer research platform, is emerging victorious from a difficult transition period

For the past decade, the Netherlands-based polymer platform DPI has struggled through cuts and compression. After a painful transition period, it now seems to be on a more stable footing: the number of participating companies is increasing and so is revenue. But can its formula for industry-driven public-private research be considered future-proof?

The man who may have the answer is Jacques Joosten, who led the organisation for 14 years. Joosten stepped back on 1 February to become a member of the DPI supervisory board. He believes the organisation is now in a good place to expand again, having already secured contracts with more than 50 universities and research institutes at home and abroad.