AUTOMOTIVE
New developments
Polimoon seals first parts supply deal with MAN
Norwegian plastics packaging and components producer Polimoon (N-0125 Oslo; www.polimoon.com) has signed its first agreement with MAN to supply EUR 1.1m of interior parts annually for the TGA truck. The contract involves the development of 25 component tools and the provision of 50,000 parts to the German truck manufacturer. Polimoon says the order further strengthens its position with the European truck industry. In recent years the company has supplied VolvoTruck (Renault), DaimlerChrysler and Scania. It has supplied various components and has co-developed a new generation of plastic engine covers for Volvo engines that significantly reduce engine noise.
Delphi receives order for cockpit of new Mercedes
Automotive supplier Delphi (Troy, Michigan / USA; www.delphiautomotive.com) has taken over system leadership in development and supply of the cockpit in the new Mercedes “M class”. The company is developing the cockpit, including instruments, climate control, airbag module and surface materials, at its Wuppertal / Germany plant.
Visteon wins interior contract for Nissan “Pathfinder”
Instrument panels, door linings, central console, air-conditioning unit and operating components are the components covered by the order placed with Visteon (Dearborn, Michigan / USA; www.visteon.com) for Nissan´s new “Pathfinder” SUV. To fill the order, Visteon has invested in a new assembly facility at Zona Franca, Barcelona / Spain, complementing an existing plant at this location. Since January, some 100 employees have been employed at the facility with overall production space of 1,200 m2, including 2,000 m2 storage area, since January 2005. The plastic components are supplied from the company´s Igualada site. The site is able to turn out modules for 400 vehicles per day.
TI Automotive´s US facility for fuel tanks now finished
Automotive supplier TI Automotive (www.tiauto.com) has completed a new fuel systems plant at its site in Hartwell, Georgia / USA. Starting this September, the facility, which cost USD 30m to build, will produce blow-moulded tanks and filler necks for OEMs BMW, DaimlerChrysler and Hyundai. Some 100 employees will work there initially, producing around 480,000 systems per year.
“Ecolite”automotive composites R&D at Jacob/Lotus
Lotus Engineering (GB-Norwich, Norfolk; www.grouplotus.com) and Jacob Composite (D-91489 Wilhelmsdorf; www.jacob-kunststofftechnik.de), a company specialised in ultralight high-performance structures in thermoplastic composites, are currently engaged in a research project on “Efficient Composites – Lightweight and Thermoformed” (Ecolite). The project is focused on vehicle structures and vehicle bodes made primarily of composite materials.
Faurecia to close foam trim plant at Beaugency
As part of a plan to optimise manufacturing resources, French automotive supplier Faurecia (F-92735 Nanterre; www.faurecia.com), will close its plant for traditionally moulded PU foam trim at Beaugency / France and divide this production between sites at Sao Joao da Madeira / Portugal) and Magny-Vernois / France. Some 157 jobs will be affected. The company said that, among other things, Beaugency is located too far from its customers.
Polypropylene-GF door module from ArvinMeritor
US automotive supplier ArvinMeritor (www.arvinmeritor.com) has launched a door module with a support structure made of glass fibre-reinforced polypropylene (PP LGF 40). The main advantage of the structure, the company says, is that it eliminates a large number of assembly steps for the loudspeaker, window lifting mechanism and electronic components, which have so far been fixed to the standard steel frame by means of screws and additional clips. The product is claimed to weigh some 25% less than the steel version.
Daimler produces underbody parts of PP and banana
Automotive giant DaimlerChrysler (www.daimlerchrysler.com) has begun using underbody components made of PP and the fibre of the Abaca banana in its Mercedes “A class” coupe. This is the car maker´s first-ever use of natural fibre in the automotive exteriors. Up to now, it has used fibres such as flax, hemp, sisal und coconut solely in automotive interiors. The new components are being manufactured by Rieter Automotive (CH-8406 Winterthur; www.rieter.com), which employs a D-LFT-extrusion process with subsequent pressing.
Norwegian plastics packaging and components producer Polimoon (N-0125 Oslo; www.polimoon.com) has signed its first agreement with MAN to supply EUR 1.1m of interior parts annually for the TGA truck. The contract involves the development of 25 component tools and the provision of 50,000 parts to the German truck manufacturer. Polimoon says the order further strengthens its position with the European truck industry. In recent years the company has supplied VolvoTruck (Renault), DaimlerChrysler and Scania. It has supplied various components and has co-developed a new generation of plastic engine covers for Volvo engines that significantly reduce engine noise.
Delphi receives order for cockpit of new Mercedes
Automotive supplier Delphi (Troy, Michigan / USA; www.delphiautomotive.com) has taken over system leadership in development and supply of the cockpit in the new Mercedes “M class”. The company is developing the cockpit, including instruments, climate control, airbag module and surface materials, at its Wuppertal / Germany plant.
Visteon wins interior contract for Nissan “Pathfinder”
Instrument panels, door linings, central console, air-conditioning unit and operating components are the components covered by the order placed with Visteon (Dearborn, Michigan / USA; www.visteon.com) for Nissan´s new “Pathfinder” SUV. To fill the order, Visteon has invested in a new assembly facility at Zona Franca, Barcelona / Spain, complementing an existing plant at this location. Since January, some 100 employees have been employed at the facility with overall production space of 1,200 m2, including 2,000 m2 storage area, since January 2005. The plastic components are supplied from the company´s Igualada site. The site is able to turn out modules for 400 vehicles per day.
TI Automotive´s US facility for fuel tanks now finished
Automotive supplier TI Automotive (www.tiauto.com) has completed a new fuel systems plant at its site in Hartwell, Georgia / USA. Starting this September, the facility, which cost USD 30m to build, will produce blow-moulded tanks and filler necks for OEMs BMW, DaimlerChrysler and Hyundai. Some 100 employees will work there initially, producing around 480,000 systems per year.
“Ecolite”automotive composites R&D at Jacob/Lotus
Lotus Engineering (GB-Norwich, Norfolk; www.grouplotus.com) and Jacob Composite (D-91489 Wilhelmsdorf; www.jacob-kunststofftechnik.de), a company specialised in ultralight high-performance structures in thermoplastic composites, are currently engaged in a research project on “Efficient Composites – Lightweight and Thermoformed” (Ecolite). The project is focused on vehicle structures and vehicle bodes made primarily of composite materials.
Faurecia to close foam trim plant at Beaugency
As part of a plan to optimise manufacturing resources, French automotive supplier Faurecia (F-92735 Nanterre; www.faurecia.com), will close its plant for traditionally moulded PU foam trim at Beaugency / France and divide this production between sites at Sao Joao da Madeira / Portugal) and Magny-Vernois / France. Some 157 jobs will be affected. The company said that, among other things, Beaugency is located too far from its customers.
Polypropylene-GF door module from ArvinMeritor
US automotive supplier ArvinMeritor (www.arvinmeritor.com) has launched a door module with a support structure made of glass fibre-reinforced polypropylene (PP LGF 40). The main advantage of the structure, the company says, is that it eliminates a large number of assembly steps for the loudspeaker, window lifting mechanism and electronic components, which have so far been fixed to the standard steel frame by means of screws and additional clips. The product is claimed to weigh some 25% less than the steel version.
Daimler produces underbody parts of PP and banana
Automotive giant DaimlerChrysler (www.daimlerchrysler.com) has begun using underbody components made of PP and the fibre of the Abaca banana in its Mercedes “A class” coupe. This is the car maker´s first-ever use of natural fibre in the automotive exteriors. Up to now, it has used fibres such as flax, hemp, sisal und coconut solely in automotive interiors. The new components are being manufactured by Rieter Automotive (CH-8406 Winterthur; www.rieter.com), which employs a D-LFT-extrusion process with subsequent pressing.
14.07.2005 Plasteurope.com [10878]
Published on 14.07.2005