The institute was founded 50 years ago as an independent industry-oriented institute in Dresden. With an interdisciplinary team of around 150 employees and a total turnover of 13 million euros (2013), the ILK is now one of the largest private-sector research companies. More than 80 research projects and more than 500 privately funded industrial contracts are processed at the ILK every year.

As an innovative company and non-university industry-oriented research institution, the ILK is active in 5 research areas

• Cryogenics and low-temperature physics
• Refrigeration and heat pump technology
• Ventilation and air-conditioning technology
• Applied materials technology
• Applied energy technology

R&D focuses on energy-efficient refrigeration and air conditioning technology, complex energy systems and energy storage, combined heat and power generation, cryogenic fuels, air quality and air pollution control, aerosol separation, biomaterials and biotechnologies for medicine, as well as applications at extremely low temperatures.

The ILK Dresden has an experimental test area of 3,000 m2 with approx. 60 test systems and test facilities as well as 25 scientific test laboratories. The service profile includes:

• independent contract research,
• Process and product developments,
• Studies, consultations and assessments,
• Scientific and technical services, including experimental tests and analyses as well as investigations of systems, components and materials in accordance with international standards,
• Innovative HVAC planning and
• Prototype construction and test bench construction