Bookmark 06-27-2014

Strategic Partnership between AZL and Toyota

The Aachen Center for Integrative Lightweight Production (AZL), Aachen, Germany, is delighted to announce the expansion of their strategic partnership with the automotive manufacturer Toyota. Representatives of the AZL Aachen GmbH and Toyota Motor Europe NV / SA have signed a contract for a 5-year premium partnership with immediate effect. The focus of this cooperation lies in particular on the identification and development of production systems and quality assurance methods necessary for realizing large series production of lightweight automotive components.

In early 2013, Toyota had already been among the 33 founding members, using the competences of the AZL for cooperative development of lightweight production technology between academic research and industry. In order to intensify the existing successful cooperation with the international research network of the AZL, representatives of Toyota have now decided to become a premium partner of the AZL.

Dr. Kai Fischer, Managing Director of AZL Aachen GmbH, explains: "We, as a service provider for lightweight production technology, offer our partners holistic solutions along the entire value chain of composites. In the framework of the premium partnership, Toyota will benefit significantly from the interdisciplinary cooperation between different sectors through which we ensure that future challenges in terms of waste minimization, process capability, quality assurance and production planning can be achieved."

The key aspect of this cooperation shall be the improvement of the material and energy efficiency for large-scale production of lightweight components with consideration of the complete composite supply chain. The continuous optimization of automated production processes in the automotive manufacturing is of highest importance, particularly at very high volumes, as in the case of the global market leader Toyota, who has sold almost 10 million vehicles in 2013.