The KTP stands for thirty years of research and development of manufacturing processes in the field of polymers and rubbers. The reason is:

The KTP belongs to the faculty of engineering at the University of Paderborn and has two professorships,

 
The high quality of the courses is based on their relation to recent research developments and results as well as the longstanding experience of the professors. Besides this theoretical training, the KTP emphasizes the practical part. The practical skills of students concerning machines and material are improved and perfected with the help of the KTP experts..
 
A main characteristic of the KTP is the close contact to the regional, national and international industry. Hence, the research tasks are not limited to the basic university research, but also concentrate on contract research of the industry.

For this reason, the Verein zur Förderung der Kunststofftechnologie Paderborn e.V. was founded in 1993. The aim was to enable application-oriented research and development in the field of polymer technology with intensive cooperation between the KTP and industrial companies. Also projects should be supported which do not depend financially on public associations such as the DFG (Deutsche Forschungs-Gemeinschaft), the AiF (Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen), the EU or the BMBF (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung). Companies, nonprofit foundations and institutes are included here as well as world-wide corporations.

In 1993 the support association of the KTP counted 14 members, up to now there are about 40. In 1993 the sponsoring association of the KTP counted 14 members, to date it has about 40. It is important to establish a good reputation inside the globalized world and in reference to political interest we need a certain “lobby”, which can form out of international networks. The KTP has recognised this very early and for this reason could establish the network “Kunststoffe in OWL (East-Westphalia/Lippe)”which includes most companies in polymer processing in our region OWL.
International cooperation plays a key role at the KTP. The professors and employees visit the annual PPS (Polymer Processing Society) and the annual ANTEC (Annual Technical Conference). Here the KTP employees introduce their main field of research to an expert audience.
The KTP has a fair stand at the K in DĂĽsseldorf in order to introduce themselves to the wider public. The K is the worldwide biggest Polymer and rubber fair, which takes place every three years. The participation in this fair is extremely important for the KTP, because regional, national and international contacts can be maintained and new contacts can be established.