Benteler-SGL, a joint venture between Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH and the SGL Group, has set up a new plant in Ort im Innkreis in Upper Austria.
A production centre for the manufacture of automotive components made of fibre reinforced composites is being built on the 45,000 square metre property; With a total investment of 36 million Euros, construction on the new facility began back in April and will provide 70 new jobs.
The series production will start the middle of 2013. Today the product line includes outer shell components such as side blades, doors, and visible carbon fibre parts for small series (smaller than 5,000 parts p.a.). Customers include automotive manufacturers.
With this new facility the company is responding to an ever increasing demand from the automotive section, which has commissioned Benteler-SGL with large orders for composite components, At the moment, composite components are predominantly produced in advanced manufacturing work steps and seldom manufactured in series. The challenge is to automate the existing production processes to a larger scale production.
Sebastian Grasser, Second Managing Director of Benteler-SGL:
Crucial for the decision to select the site Ort im Innkreis was the economic policy of the State of Upper Austria, which promotes the establishment of technology-oriented companies and the cooperative and proactive support of the local authorities. In addition, we are able to hire employees from a pool of many well-educated and highly motivated people.
Due to the strict Co2 exhaust emission standards the automotive industry has to look at lightweight construction to help reduce fuel consumption and simultaneously offer greater safety. This applies especially for electro-mobility, where lighter components are required in order to compensate for the additional weight of the batteries.
[raw][connections id=’90,91,2′][/raw]