- The merger will bring benefits for both JTI's and SP's customers and working partners by providing access to the leading-edge technologies and wide skills of the SP Group, says SP Group's CEO Maria Khorsand.
- The merger with SP strengthens several of our research areas, such as through SIK's specialisation in foodstuffs and SP's energy expertise and advanced laboratories. This augments our own work on the production of foodstuff raw materials and energy crops, says JTI's Managing Director Lennart Nelson.
JTI is already at the forefront of several areas in the agricultural and environmental technology sector, such as visual analysis, precision agriculture and biogas. With SP, its activities will cover a wider, yet leading edge, range with input from SP's expertise in areas such as combustion and measurement technology, and from SIK's (the Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology) work on foodstuffs.
- Together, JTI and SIK can sweep all before them in the foodstuffs and climate working area, says Bengt Persson, Chairman of JTI's sector association, SJMF (the Foundation for Agricultural and Environmental Engineering Research). He is very much in favour of the merger, pointing out the competitive benefit both for the sector and for individual sector companies.
- It's very important for us in the agricultural and environmental technology sector to have access to the most up-to-date technology.
The JTI Foundation will own 40 % of JTI, with 60 % held by SP as the majority shareholder.
- This is another step on the way to achieving our vision - that of being one of the world's leading research institutes. SP already operates in Sweden's widest range of technologies, with a high level of expertise and internationally competitive resources, says Maria Khorsand.
For further information, please contact:
Maria Khorsand, Group CEO, SP, tel. +46 70-255 55 28
Bengt Persson, Chairman, JTI Sector Association, tel. +46 70-869 06 21
Lennart Nelson, MD JTI, tel. +46 70-666 82 64
SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden is Sweden's most comprehensive research institute. With a staff of about 900, its research and development activities assist the competitiveness and innovation of Swedish companies, while supporting the safety, environment and sustainable development of the wider society as a whole.
In addition to the parent organisation, the SP Group consists of CBI - The Swedish Cement and Concrete Research Institute, Glafo - The Swedish Glass Research Institute, JTI - The Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering (from January 1st 2009), SIK - The Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology, SMP - The Swedish Machinery Test Institute, SITAC -The Swedish Institute for Technical Approval in Construction and YKI - The Institute for Surface Chemistry.