Innovent e.V.'s Jena location successfully certified to ISO 9001

For the Jena-based research institute Innovent, certification to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 is much more than just a formality. It confirms that research, development, and industrial services are delivered according to clearly defined, traceable, and continuously improved processes—a key component for collaboration with companies that rely on reproducible results and reliable development processes. The Ilmstraße location serves as Innovent’s center of excellence for plasma-chemical and electrochemical surface technologies. Here, innovative coating processes are developed for a wide range of industrial applications—from the initial concept through process development to the coating of prototypes and small-batch production. The service offering is complemented by materials and coating analysis, electrolyte analysis, and the development of customer-specific processes. For more than three decades, Innovent has been continuously building expertise in this field. The close integration of application-oriented research and industrial implementation enables the rapid transformation of new technologies into marketable solutions and supports companies in tackling challenging development tasks.

Quality Management for Functional Coatings

The site’s key technological areas include plasma chemical oxidation (PCO) and chemical nickel plating. Both processes are continuously being refined and are used wherever surfaces must perform far beyond corrosion protection or decorative functions. Especially with functional coatings, process quality determines the performance of the final component. Even minor deviations can affect coating thickness, adhesion, or optical properties. For customers in high-tech industries, reproducible processes are therefore just as important as innovative technologies. Björn Noske, Quality Management Representative at Innovent e.V., explains the significance of the certification: “Our customers and partners come to us because they are seeking innovative solutions for demanding technical challenges. At the same time, they expect transparent processes, on-time delivery, and consistently high quality. ISO 9001 certification confirms that we apply this standard not only to our research but to our entire process chain.” Rocco Holzhey, Executive Director of Innovent e.V., also sees this as an important step for the institute’s further development: “We don’t view quality management as a mere formality, but as a tool with which we continuously refine our processes. This benefits our employees just as much as it does our customers. Especially in technology transfer, this builds trust and facilitates collaboration with industry partners.”

Innovent Certification Provides Assurance for Industry Partners

The path to certification involved considerable effort. While ongoing research and project work continued, processes were analyzed, workflows were documented, responsibilities were clarified, and improvements were implemented. The audit made it clear that quality management at the Ilmstraße site was not introduced solely for the purpose of certification, but has been part of daily operations for years. “The certification is a team effort,” emphasizes Felix Düppengießer, head of the Electrochemistry Department. “Everyone involved worked on this with great care and a high level of personal commitment. This result impressively demonstrates how strongly our employees identify with their work and with Innovent’s quality standards.” For industry partners, the certification provides a high degree of assurance that they are collaborating with a research partner that combines scientific expertise, many years of experience in surface technology, and reliable process quality. In this way, Innovent creates the ideal conditions for successfully translating innovative coating technologies into industrial applications in the future as well.