KOLBERG CASPARY LAUTOM AS

Their core work

Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS (KCL) is a Norwegian technology SME that developed YawSTOP, a mechanical stabilisation device designed to prevent or control the rotational (yaw) movement of suspended loads during crane lifting and loading operations. Their core innovation addresses a practical safety and efficiency problem in lifting: loads on crane hooks tend to spin unpredictably, creating hazards and slowing operations. KCL took this product from concept through full commercial development using the EU SME Instrument, suggesting an engineering company with both product design capability and commercial ambition. Their work is directly applicable to construction sites, offshore platforms, ports, and any industrial environment requiring precise overhead load control.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

KCL's entire documented H2020 activity runs within a single year window (2017) and centres on one product — YawSTOP. There is no meaningful keyword-level evolution visible in the data, as both projects carry the same title and no structured keywords were recorded. The progression from SME-1 (€50,000 feasibility) to SME-2 (€1,706,338 full development) within the same year indicates a fast-tracked product development cycle rather than a shift in research direction.

KCL appears to be a single-product innovation company that used EU funding to bring one specific lifting safety device to market; future collaboration potential depends on whether they have expanded beyond YawSTOP or are developing related load-handling technologies.

How they like to work

KCL acted as sole coordinator on both projects with no recorded consortium partners, which is consistent with the EU SME Instrument structure — a solo-company grant rather than a collaborative research project. This means there is no evidence of how they perform as a consortium partner, and no track record of working within multi-partner teams. For consortium builders, KCL would likely contribute as a technology provider or end-user rather than a research hub.

KCL has no recorded consortium partners across their H2020 portfolio, which reflects the solo-applicant nature of the SME Instrument funding scheme they used. Their collaborative network in the EU research ecosystem is effectively unknown from this data.

What sets them apart

KCL occupies a narrow but clear niche: a Norwegian engineering SME with a patented or proprietary mechanical solution to crane load rotation — a problem that costs time and causes accidents across offshore, construction, and port sectors. Their Norway base gives them proximity to the demanding offshore oil and gas and offshore wind markets, where load control during crane operations is a persistent operational challenge. If YawSTOP reached commercial maturity, KCL could be a relevant technology partner for companies seeking to reduce lifting incidents or improve installation efficiency.

Highlights from their portfolio

• YawSTOP
  Secured the full SME Instrument Phase 2 grant of €1,706,338 — one of the more competitive EU funding instruments for SMEs — to develop a first-of-kind load rotation stabilisation device, demonstrating strong commercial validation from EU evaluators.
• YawSTOP
  The Phase 1 (€50,000) to Phase 2 (€1.7M) progression within a single year indicates an unusually fast and successful transition through the SME Instrument pipeline, suggesting a well-prepared business case and credible technology.