The FILK Freiberg Institute has published its 2024 annual report, highlighting a year marked by economic challenges, resulting in a financial loss and the first staff reductions since its post-reunification privatisation.
Despite a difficult financial and political environment in Germany and Europe, the institute said that it maintained operational stability. Ongoing public funding constraints contributed to a decline in project volume and service demand.
Nevertheless, FILK continued investing in its research infrastructure, committing around €480,000 to new equipment, including systems for particle analysis, climate simulation, chromatography and leather-specific testing.
FILK managed a total of 69 publicly funded projects throughout the year, launching 23 new initiatives and completing 23 existing ones. These research efforts were supported by a broad network of 824 collaborating organisations, with 414 based in Germany, 307 across the rest of Europe and 103 from other global regions.
The department for leather and leather processing remained a core pillar of FILK’s work. It focused on sustainable tanning processes, the ecological evaluation of leather production and material alternatives.
Projects explored plant-based crosslinkers, such as those derived from privet cuttings, and biotechnologically produced materials, including fungal mycelium and bacterial cellulose.
Throughout 2024, the institute noted that it participated in numerous publicly funded projects and industry collaborations. FILK’s leadership expressed cautious optimism for the future, citing its scientific expertise, robust infrastructure and commitment to innovation as foundations for long-term relevance in an evolving market.
The institute reports that its workforce comprised 71 employees, including 42 scientific staff, 62 in technical research roles and 17 in administration and internal services. Additionally, six apprentices and dual-study students were in training. 127 industrial partners participated in publicly funded projects and 27 companies were involved in project advisory committees.
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