Celebrating 16 Years of the Institute for Advanced Composites and Robotics and 35 Years of Mikrosam

This Saturday, September 27, Prilep hosted a special celebration marking two major anniversaries – 16 years since the founding of the Institute for Advanced Composites and Robotics (IACR) and 35 years since the establishment of Mikrosam.

The event took place at the premises of the Institute and Mikrosam, attended by high-ranking officials from the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, including Minister of Interior Affairs – Panche Toshkovski, Minister of Digital Transformation – Stefan Andonovski, former President Prof. Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, Rector of UKLO – Bitola – Prof. Dr. Igor Nedelkovski, as well as numerous professors, collaborators, and partners.

A Monograph that inspires

To mark the anniversary, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Blagoja Samakoski, the Institute published its first monograph – a publication that, through documented achievements, educational programs, and scientific projects, reflects the transformation of a vision into reality.

In the monograph, he highlighted:

“Today, 16 years after its opening, we can proudly say — WE ARE PROUD. Proud because, in a small country, through the personal dedication and creativity of our team, we succeeded in creating the first private scientific institute in the technical field on the territory of the former Yugoslavia, and one of the few in Europe that actively works on research, development, and education in the fields of composites, automation, and robotics.”

The Director of IACR, Dr. Dragan Veljanoski, officially presented the monograph dedicated to the history and development of the Institute. This is the story of how one city created a true center of knowledge, research, and technological education.

Throughout its existence, IACR can proudly highlight:

More than 350 research projects completed, many with direct industrial applications for global leaders such as NASA, Spirit Aerosystems, and GKN Fokker (development of hydrogen storage materials, lightweight structures for aerospace and automotive industries).
Specialized laboratories for thermal analysis, mechanical testing, robotics, automated tape and fiber placement, CNC control, and automation.
Successfully implemented Master’s studies in advanced composites and robotics, as well as composite materials.
Over 400 professional training programs and courses for engineers and technical staff, along with programs for children and internship seminars in collaboration with Mikrosam.
More than 100 scientific papers published in international journals with significant impact.

35 Years of Mikrosam – A Macedonian Story of Global Success

The formal part continued with a presentation by Dr. Samoil Samak, General Manager of Mikrosam, who shared the company’s 35-year journey – from a small team in Macedonia to a global leader in automated composite production lines and software.

Today, Mikrosam has more than 340 installed lines in over 45 countries, with a team of 180 employees and technologies used in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, space, and many others.

“After 35 years, the message is simple: Macedonia can create world-class technology. Our gratitude goes to all employees – each one of them is part of the success story called Mikrosam. We also thank our collaborators, clients, universities, and institutions for their trust and support. And the best is yet to come,” said Dr. Samoil Samak.

Looking Ahead

The double anniversary celebration sent a strong message: with vision, knowledge, and dedication, Macedonia stands as a player of equal standing on the global stage. IACR and Mikrosam remain committed to their mission – developing the next generations of engineers and technologies that will shape the future.