From February the company will handle the concept, designing, prototyping, evaluations, marketing and technical research for next-generation automotive components, using the group’s capabilities to provide a range of solutions for next-generation vehicles.

The new centre is expected to speed up concept, designing, prototyping and the evaluation of technical proposals. In future the centre will develop marketing and research functions to explore opportunities for new technologies and M&A, aiming to accelerate developments with European automakers. The company also has plans to establish similar centres in both the United States and China to satisfy demands.

Teijin is targeting automotive composite business sales of approximately EUR 1.7 billion by 2030. Amid the ongoing shift toward Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electric (CASE) vehicles, the automotive industry is urgently transforming its business models to create more lightweight and multifunctional next-generation vehicles.

The company has previously acquired Continental Structural Plastics Holdings Corporation back to become a Tier 1 supplier focused on multi-material automotive composite. In Europe, CSP’s French operation will open a new sheet moulding compound plant and Teijin has acquired leading automotive-composite suppliers Inapal Plásticos SA of Portugal and Benet Automotive s.r.o of Czech Republic.

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The serial production of the components will start at the end of 2020. The carbon fibres and fabrics, as well as the assembled components, come from SGL Carbon. On top of this order, there is the potential for more significant extensions with further substantial volumes for the shared platform business of the manufacturer.

In addition, SGL Carbon has won a smaller volume contract from a European sports car manufacturer to serially produce bottom layers made of composites as of mid-2020. The company is additionally in talks with further automakers to develop and manufacture battery enclosure solutions for its e-car platforms.

Driven by the increasing need for e-cars worldwide and thus for new flexible chassis platforms, our composite battery enclosures are a very promising new application in our product portfolio. Sebastian Grasser, Head of Automotive Segment at the business unit Composites

A key part of any e-car chassis platform is the enclosure of the battery which usually occupies most of the space in the underfloor of the chassis and has various very specific requirements far beyond low weight. The battery cases also need to be very stiff to support driving dynamics. In addition, the material has to protect the underbody against impact, enable optimised thermal management and offer excellent fire protection as well as complete water and gas impermeability. All these requirements are met by composites much better than by any other material. With these advantages, composite battery enclosures perfectly fit e-car-specific and highly flexible chassis variants, so-called “skateboard” platforms, to be used as a basis for a great variety of different e-car models.

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GlassFibreEurope represents the interests of European glass fibre manufacturers and their 5,000 employees. The European Commission initiated an interim review of the existing anti-dumping measures on glass fibre imports from China on 18 December 2013, and a new anti-subsidy proceeding on 12 December 2013. After a thorough investigation, the European Commission established that Chinese manufacturers dump glass fibre at predatory prices to seize EU market share, and receive illegal subsidies from the Chinese government.

Therefore, the European Commission notified parties of its intent to impose new anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures in early October 2014. The final proposal to impose total duties which are generally up to 25–30% on imports from Chinese producers was supported by EU Member States on 26 November 2014.

Mauro Malanchini, President of GlassFibreEurope commented:

We welcome the decision by EU Member States to support the European Commission’s proposal to impose trade defence measures against Chinese glass fibre manufacturers. Unfair competition from China has caused considerable injury to European industry, with the loss of European factories and jobs in an important strategic sector. We hope the new measures will restore healthy competition in the EU glass fibre market for the benefit of producers and downstream users alike.

The organisation say that the new EU measures will help avoid a situation where important European industries like the automotive and renewable sectors would become increasingly dependent on Chinese State-controlled glass fibre supply.

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TPI has been making wind blades in China since 2008 at the company’s 35,000 square metre plant located in Dafeng, 250 km north of Shanghai in the Jiangsu Provence.

Vestas introduced its V110 wind turbine into the Chinese market back in October 2014, these new turbines are designed specifically for low wind sites with cut-in speeds starting at 3m/s, ideal for wind conditions in China.

Steve Lockard, president and CEO of TPI Composites said;

We are thrilled that Vestas has selected TPI to be its first outsource partner of Vestas designed blades. from Dafeng, China we will supply V110 blades to China and export markets in a reliable and cost-effective manner.

The post Vestas & TPI Sign Wind Blade Supply Deal appeared first on Composites Today.

The main focus for the new agreement includes market development, sales and distribution, technical support and customer services in China. The agreement covers the wide range of thermoset composite technologies of TenCate, including those being designed into the next generation of commercial aircraft.

Mr Steve Mead, Vice President of Sales and Marketing states:

This is a significant milestone for materials technology company TenCate and our Asia strategy. The aviation sector in China is growing rapidly, and a strong partnership is essential to support this growth. Leadgo, being an AS9100 certified manufacturer and distributor, fits this role well. Their large, geographically diverse technical service team provides customers with both logistical and technical support to aid in the adoption of TenCate products into the Chinese market. We are pleased to work in partnership with Leadgo.

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These negotiations have now been finalised with the signing of a binding sales and supply agreement after which the German industrial group VTC Partners GmbH will acquire Vestas’ two machining units and four casting units, including approx. 1,000 employees in Norway, Sweden, Germany, China and Denmark. The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, including approvals from relevant authorities in China. VTC is the owner of the Silbitz Group a leading German-based casting group with an existing and proven supplier relationship with Vestas.

Vestas’ main priority in the divestment of its machining and casting units is to increase the flexibility of Vestas’ supply chain and to secure a buyer that will ensure supply at the required quality and offer reduced and competitive prices for casted components going forward. Finally, the divestment confirms Vestas’ strategy to further concentrate on the core competences of its business.

Jean-Marc Lechêne, Executive Vice President and COO of Vestas Wind Systems A/S said;

The divestment of our machining and casting units is part of the plan to improve our capacity utilisation and to become a more asset-light and scalable company, in outsourcing our machining and casting units, it was important to take the time to find the right partner in order for both parties to benefit from the industrial synergies. VTC will continue to operate with the same high Vestas standards in relation to quality, reliability and safety and I am pleased to say that we consider VTC to be the right partner in all these aspects.

The transaction has been agreed at a sales price of EUR 1 plus an earn-out element for Vestas of up to EUR 25m. The divestment price implies a further write-down of approx EUR 50m consisting of approx EUR 20m in assets held for sale and approx EUR 30m in net current assets, which will be included in special items in the third quarter of 2013.

It is expected that the divestment will lower Vestas’ costs for casted components by around EUR 30m over the next two years. Due to the additional utilisation that can be brought to the factories under VTC ownership, further cost benefits can be expected in the longer term. The flexible nature of the supply agreement that has been signed as part of the transaction further adds to Vestas’ cost structure becoming more scalable.

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A ceremony was held in Harbin to mark the delivery of the first ship set of elevators. The elevators manufactured at HMC are delivered to Spain-based Aernnova Aerospace, who will deliver them to the Airbus plant in Getafe, Spain, where they will be integrated into the A350 XWB horizontal tail plane. ANN is a major supplier of aerostructures to Airbus.

In a contract signed by HMC and ANN in 2010, HMC is responsible for manufacturing and assembling the complete set of carbon fibre elevators (an elevator is a movable control surface in the horizontal tail plane that makes the aircraft pitch up or down to increase or reduce its flight altitude). During the initial phase the A350 elevators were solely produced at ANN. Production in China started in 2012. After a period of transition, during which the elevators are produced at both ANN and HMC, the Harbin Manufacturing Centre will become the sole supplier of A350 XWB elevators.

According to the agreement signed in 2007 between Airbus and the Chinese government, Airbus agreed to allocate five percent of the A350 XWB airframe to be manufactured in China. The work packages to be carried out by HMC are a significant part of the five per cent.

Among the participants at the ceremony were Chinese government officials, European Government representatives, executives of Airbus and its Chinese partners including AVIC, an aviation industry group of China, representatives of ANN and other industry professionals.

The Harbin Hafei Manufacturing Centre, set up in 2009, is already producing work packages related to the Airbus Single Aisle programme (elevators, rudders and HTP spars) and starts today to deliver the first major part to the A350 XWB programme. In order to fulfil these work packages, especially those for the A350 XWB programme, including elevators, rudders, Section 19 maintenance doors and belly fairing parts, HMC began to build new facilities in 2009. The state-of-the-art new facilities were inaugurated in early 2011.

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Over the last decade, TPI has produced hundreds of wind blade moulds, ranging from 30 to 60 metres in length, to support its global operations from its Tooling Technology Centre in Warren, Rhode Island. The company will continue to support the North American market from Rhode Island while also providing cost-effective tooling solutions for the rest of the world from China.

Steve Lockard, President & CEO of TPI Composites said;

We have learned how critically important it is to our wind blade operations to have high performing moulds and assembly systems that are both dimensionally accurate and reliable over time

The company’s precision tooling systems have been used to build tens of thousands of wind blades in the U.S., Mexico, China and Turkey. TPI’s Tooling Technology Centre will transfer the best of TPI’s state of the art technology to the China operation to produce tooling to international requirements and demanding specifications.

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The Xingtai Jinniu Fiberglass Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jizhong Energy Resources, a large energy company which focuses on coal production and integrates businesses of coal, building materials, electricity and chemical.

The supply alliance will utilize Jinniu’s existing glass fibre furnace capacity in China to provide a reliable supply of customised boron-free glass fibre reinforcements. The alliance will leverage Owens Corning’s technology expertise for environmentally sustainable manufacturing. Both companies will continue to operate as separate commercial entities.

Arnaud Genis, Owens Corning Group President, Composites Solutions said;

This supply alliance is an example of two companies working creatively to serve glass fiber customers in the high growth China market with a capital-efficient solution, by utilising Owens Corning’s advanced technology expertise, and Jinniu’s manufacturing capacity, we will continue to meet the market’s present and future needs for boron-free glass fibre reinforcements in China.

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They will work in close cooperation with external scientists, suppliers and customers. The new hub, which is located at the company’s existing Polymer Research & Development Center (PRDC), will provide support to other innovation facilities across the region.

Patrick Thomas, CEO of Bayer MaterialScience said;

Our regional innovation hub will become a significant contributor to our overall global innovation network, it should become indispensable in terms of competencies, projects and products. We are aiming to reach a global innovation footprint for Bayer and its partners by exporting China-made technology to the rest of the world by 2020.

The new centre is expected to attract local talent and enhance knowledge-building and transfer. Employees will work in global cross-boundary teams, including colleagues at R&D centers in Europe and North America. The innovation hub will be supported by a network of production sites in Asia Pacific, the biggest ones being in Shanghai, Map Ta Phut (Thailand) and Niihama (Japan).

Asia-Pacific is among the strongest growth regions for Bayer MaterialScience and accounted for more than one-quarter of total sales in 2012. This growth is mainly driven by a rising number of infrastructure projects and increasing demand for cars, electronic consumer goods and new housing from an emerging middle class. Urbanization further drives the construction and mobility sectors. At the same time, the growing demand for energy prompts governments to look at sustainable sources such as wind and solar energy.

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