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Autoneum Annual Report 2016
Business Year at a Glance
Innovations for the car of the future
Autoneum’s lightweight components not
only protect against noise and heat, but also
contribute through their unique material
composition to lowering vehicle weight, with
corresponding reductions in fuel consumption
and emissions. Autoneum extended its range
of lightweight aerodynamic underbody systems
made of Ultra-Silent in 2016 to include a
special version for sport utility vehicles (SUVs)
and in doing so further expanded its position
as world market leader in vehicle underbody
systems. This product innovation from
Autoneum supports SUV manufacturers in the
development and production of lighter, quieter
and more fuel-efficient models, thus also making
a significant contribution toward compliance
with statutory noise and emissions provisions.
At the same time, Ultra-Silent underbody
systems meet the high requirements of cross-
country mobility and enhance the driving
comfort of SUVs. Autoneum is already produc-
ing Ultra-Silent underbody systems in series
for initial European SUV manufacturers.
In order to meet constantly increasing
demand and profitably exploit the entire
potential of the value chain in the production of
the fully recyclable mono-material Ultra-Silent,
Autoneum brought into operation the
world’s third production line for manufacturing
Ultra-Silent semi-finished material at its
German production site in Gundernhausen in
2016. Thanks to the newly installed produc-
tion line, production capacity will be increased
as of 2017 by more than 50% from around
5.5 million underbody components produced per
year in Europe to over eight million. This
will benefit, above all, German, British, French
and Japanese OEMs. Optimum production output
of the fully automatic facility is guaranteed by
the monitoring of large numbers of process
parameters resulting in the line being pre-
pared for future “Industry 4.0” applications.
Serial production of the semi-finished material
will start in early 2017. Production in Europe of
the semi-finished material for Ultra-Silent will
also continue at the Swiss plant in Sevelen.
Over six million vehicles of European and
Japanese customers have been equipped with
underbody components made of Ultra-Silent
since 2009. The global market launch of
Ultra-Silent outside Europe took place in 2015
in North America.
Autoneum’s high degree of innovation
in terms of materials, technologies and products
and the significant contribution it thereby makes
to sustainable mobility was recognized in the
reporting year with the nomination of the
Hybrid-Acoustics concept for the industry-
leading “2017 PACE Award”. The PACE Award,
which singles out automotive suppliers for
outstanding innovation, technological advance-
ment and excellent business performance, is
globally considered as the industry’s innovation
benchmark. The Hybrid-Acoustics technology
launched by Autoneum in 2012 can be used in
various vehicle components, such as inner
dashes, and offers optimum noise protection
through simultaneous insulation and absorption.
Thanks to their high content of recycled cotton
fibers, components based on Hybrid-Acoustics
are not only particularly environmentally
friendly but also up to 50% lighter than
conventional mass-spring insulations, thereby
contributing to an enhanced eco-balance of
vehicles.