Vorarlberg-based materials specialist Getzner endows a professorship for railroad construction and operation at the University of Innsbruck. The research area will focus on the topics of superstructure and track and establish a new competence center for this. Research work related to sustainability is to show that rail is really capable of being the "green" alternative for the mobility of the future.
The Austrian railroad industry has an export ratio of over 64% and a global market share of 5%. "As an innovative company, it is a matter close to our hearts to secure training and research in the field of railroads in western Austria in order to continue to meet our high standards in the future," says Thomas Gamsjäger, Head of the Railway Division at Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH. The Vorarlberg-based manufacturer of solutions for vibration isolation and protection specializes in the railroad, construction and industrial sectors and develops pioneering polyurethane materials such as Sylomer , Sylodyn or Sylodamp for this purpose. As the world’s leading specialist in the field, the company will provide a total of almost 700,000 euros over the next five years for the endowed professorship in railroad construction and operation at the University of Innsbruck. "Of course, we also hope that this will lead to development cooperation with the University of Innsbruck, and in the best case scenario, we will also be able to inspire graduates to pursue a career in our company," says Thomas Gamsjäger.
Research and education secured in Innsbruck
"At the University of Innsbruck, outstanding expertise in the evaluation and optimization of track superstructure and its components has been built up over decades. The endowment from the Getzner company makes it possible to develop this further together and to continue to ensure research-led teaching in the promising field of railroads for our students," emphasizes Rector Veronika Sexl. With its focus on permanent way and track, the professorship at the University of Innsbruck complements the research groups at the universities in Graz and Vienna. "With Harald Loy, we have been able to attract a proven expert in the field of railroad engineering who has many years of experience in industry and knows the university and Getzner Werkstoffe very well." He will also focus on sustainability in order to position rail as a "green" alternative for the mobility of the future. Due to Getzner’s international orientation, the research area also has access to the market requirements of other operators and countries.
About the person
Harald Loy graduated in civil engineering from the Technical University of Munich and received his doctorate with distinction from the University of Innsbruck. Since 2005, he has worked as a development engineer at Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH in Bürs in the Research & Development department. From 2007 to 2011, he was simultaneously employed as a research associate at the Institute for Infrastructure at the University of Innsbruck. His main research interests were in the areas of simulation, laboratory testing technology and in-situ measurements. In 2014, Harald Loy was nominated for the State Award for Innovation and took over the leadership of the System Development team. As of 2018, Loy headed the Research & Development of the Railway Division of Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH.
