Exclusive: How Henkel is co-developing the EV batteries of the future at its Battery Engineering Center PARTNER CONTENTThis content was produced by Automotive Manufacturing Solutions in partnership with HenkelHenkel, a global leader in adhesives, sealants and functional coatings, inaugurated its revolutionary Battery Engineering Center (BEC) within its Inspiration Center Düsseldorf (ICD) in November last year. Henkel invited AMS as its first visitor, to take a tour of the Battery Application Center (BAC) and Battery Test Center (BTC) within the BEC and the innovations happening inside. AMS
Watch: Henkel invites AMS for an exclusive look inside its Battery Engineering Center PARTNER CONTENTThis content was produced by Automotive Manufacturing Solutions in partnership with HenkelHenkel, a global leader in adhesives, sealants and functional coatings, inaugurated its revolutionary Battery Engineering Center (BEC) within its Inspiration Center Düsseldorf (ICD) in November last year. Henkel invited AMS as its first visitor, to take a tour of the Battery Application Center (BAC) and Battery Test Center (BTC) within the BEC and the innovations happening inside. AMS
ACC halts construction of two European gigafactories Automotive Cells Company (ACC), with its shareholders Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz and TotalEnergies subsidiary Saft, has halted the construction of two of its three planned European gigafactories. Megan Kelly
Balancing digitalisation with production output The focus of the Automobil Produktion Kongress 2024 was on sustainable, efficient and digital production methods. Industry experts from car manufacturers and suppliers discussed the future of smart production. Werner Beutnagel
ZF’s Arno Güllering on smart factory innovations and navigating volatility AMS’ chief content officer Christopher Ludwig spoke to Arno Güllering, senior vice president, Operations – Electrified Powertrain Technology division at ZF at the Automobil Produktion Kongress 2024 at Munich to discuss the roadmap for navigating industry challenges and embracing the digital future. AMS
Bosch Ventures invests in battery recycling startups Bosch Group’s venture capital unit, Bosch Ventures, has made significant investments in Cylib and Li Industries, two battery recycling startups. Megan Kelly
Watch on demand: Sustainable Steel Automotive Manufacturing Survey 2024 Webinar Discover the latest insights from a cutting-edge discussion featuring AMS and SSAB on the key challenges faced by automotive OEMs, tier suppliers and other stakeholders in transitioning to sustainable steel.
How Farasis will bridge the EV battery gap in Europe The Chinese battery manufacturer’s new European general manager, Marcel Brömlage, will lead an evolving strategy in the region including increasing engineering and acquisition capabilities, and targeting automotive as well as non-automotive customers to support the growth strategy for the Siro joint venture and Farasis group. Christopher Ludwig
Rising labour costs become biggest concern for automotive manufacturing Rising labour costs and skills shortages are the biggest concern for the automotive manufacturing industry this year, according to the latest AMS & ABB Automotive Manufacturing Outlook Survey 2023. AMS
AMS & ABB Automotive Manufacturing Outlook Survey 2023 results: A positive outlook despite evolving challenges Download our latest global survey results to gain expert insight into automotive manufacturing trends, gauge the current sentiment across the automotive sector and learn about the broader industry outlook for 2024 and beyond. AMS
Henkel supports innovation with Battery Engineering Center PARTNER CONTENTThis content was produced by Automotive Manufacturing Solutions in partnership with HenkelHenkel, a global leader in adhesives, sealants and functional coatings, has opened its revolutionary Battery Engineering Center within its Inspiration Center in Duesseldorf, to address the need to improve safety, performance, quality and price of EV batteries. AMS
UAW workers ratify deals with GM, Ford and Stellantis Members of the United Auto Workers union (UAW) have ratified the tentative deals with GM, Ford and Stellantis following weeks of strikes against the Detroit ‘Big Three’. Megan Kelly
Impact of UAW strikes could leave suppliers at financial risk The impact of the recent UAW strikes could leave suppliers at financial risk, according to a supply chain and manufacturing legal expert. Megan Kelly
Floods affect manufacturing facilities in Slovenia Major flooding in Slovenia throughout the last month has affected manufacturing facilities in Slovenia and across Europe, hitting the production of carmakers including Volkswagen. Megan Kelly
GM and Mercedes-Benz both sign up for green steel Both General Motors (GM) and Mercedes-Benz have signed agreements for the supply of green steel for the production of their vehicles. Megan Kelly
Panasonic to grow battery production by 10% at Tesla Nevada gigafactory Panasonic is planning to grow the production of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) at Gigafactory Nevada by 10% over the next three years. Megan Kelly
GM and POSCO to build battery material facility in North America General Motors (GM) and POSCO Future M are planning to build a new battery material facility in North America, in the second phase of their joint venture estimated to exceed $1billion. Megan Kelly
Europe’s carmakers dim lights, turn back to coal, oil, on approach to bleak winter Automakers crimp consumption and reluctantly turn to coal and oil but options may be more limited for component and material suppliers upstream. Peter Murphy
Automotive battery manufacturing and supply chain 2022: Risks, regulation and resiliency The latest AMS battery report forecasts production capacity, analyses suppliers and materials, and shows why OEMs and suppliers are forging new partnerships Daniel Harrison
UK automakers sound alarm on skills shortages, unfilled engineering roles The pace of electrification is getting ahead of the time taken to train the engineers with the skills needed for an auto industry transitioning to producing EVs. Peter Murphy
An exclusive focus on flexibility as OEMs look to modular-based manufacturing Modular production in automotive manufacturing is rapidly becoming more innovative and flexible with the ability to multitask. As a result, OEMs are increasingly rethinking their methods and working closely with technology providers to make flexible manufacturing hegemonic. Jason Dunn
Mercedes-Benz opens Alabama battery plant and will partner with Envision AESC for regional cell supply Mercedes-Benz has opened a new battery assembly plant in Bibb County, Alabama, which will build electric vehicle battery packs that will supply production of the all-electric Mercedes-EQ ahead of the beginning of series production this spring at the Mercedes-Benz US International (MBUSI) plant nearby in Tuscaloosa. Jason Dunn
Global powertrain and battery production forecast: ever-evolving complexity With diverging regulations, infrastructure, market trends and manufacturing bases, the path to EV and battery production will vary across regions, adding more variation for OEMs and suppliers. Ultima Media analyst Daniel Harrison shares the latest data on powertrain and battery forecasts AMS
Electric vehicle battery supply chain analysis 2021: How lithium-ion battery demand and production are reshaping the automotive industry Download this report for forecasts of electric vehicle lithium-ion battery demand, analysis of battery cell gigafactory locations and insight on global EV battery manufacturing and supply chain management. Daniel Harrison Christopher Ludwig
How the European automotive industry aims to build back semiconductor and chip supply OEMs, suppliers and EU officials are considering how best to develop Europe’s semiconductor manufacturing to mitigate current and future shortages, but the broad gaps at many levels – including for older, larger chips – mean there will be no magic bullet Namrita Chow
Interior innovations The new generation of electric vehicles offer a great opportunity to accelerate the development of smart interiors. Mike Farish reports on the application of new technologies and materials Mike Farish
AI and automation in automotive production need people and quality data to succeed In the automotive industry’s relentless quest for efficiency, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) may seem like silver bullets, and panellists at the recent AMS livestream hour agreed that these rapidly improving technologies can indeed bring enormous benefits. However, the road to successful automation is one with a fair few obstacles. Illya Verpraet
Watch: Livestream Hour Season Finale | Part 2: Update from North America with Honda and Benteler Don’t miss the last Livestream Hour episode this season as our guests provide insight on how the coronavirus crisis is currently affecting production and the supply chain in North America, featuring Hector Martinez from Honda de Mexico and Maxim Serov from global tier 1 Benteler. Christopher Ludwig
Watch: Livestream Hour Episode 6 – Aftermarket and Service Parts: Keeping the wheels moving In this episode of the Livestream Hour, we discuss the pandemic’s potential impact on aftersales supply and the aftermarket, including the long-term effects on supply chains and what this means for managing inventory. With special guests from Toyota North America, LKQ Europe and CLEPA. Hosted by editor-in-chief Christopher Ludwig. Christopher Ludwig
Watch: Livestream Hour Episode 4 – Tier Suppliers on the Road to Recovery The Livestream Hour features intelligence and updates on important automotive value chain developments, Covid-19-related topics and best practice featuring special guests and experts, as well as behind-the-headlines INSIGHT from our editors and analysts. In Episode 4, we discuss the key areas that suppliers especially need to consider as the automotive industry stirs back into action, including supply chain and logistics processes, sourcing considerations, digital tools and collaboration. Christopher Ludwig
Watch: Livestream Hour Episode 3 – India Automotive Supply Chain in Focus In Episode 3, in collaboration with The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), we explore the global export, supply chain and logistics challenges and opportunities in India with a special guest panel that include Meritor, Sona Comstar, TCI and others. The Livestream Hour features intelligence and updates on important automotive value chain developments, Covid-19-related topics and best practice featuring special guests and experts, as well as behind-the-headlines INSIGHT from our editors and analysts. Christopher Ludwig
Watch: Your questions answered | Restarting automotive production in the new normal In a follow up to our Livestream Hour episode on restarting production, we bring our guest panel back together to answer audience that we couldn’t get to during the live session, including topics on automation, inventory and future sourcing. Featuring Ralf Bechmann from ROI Management Consulting, and AMS editor Nick Holt, hosted by Christopher Ludwig Christopher Ludwig Nick Holt
Watch: Livestream Hour Episode 2 – Restarting Automotive Production in the New Normal This Livestream Hour features intelligence and updates on important automotive value chain developments, Covid-19-related topics and best practice featuring special guests and experts, as well as behind-the-headlines INSIGHT from our editors and analysts. In Episode 2, supply chain expert Ralf Bechmann discusses how OEMs and tier suppliers together with Christopher Ludwig and AMS editor Nick Holt. Christopher Ludwig Nick Holt
Electric vehicles could transform role of tier 1 suppliers in manufacturing As OEMs look to reduce production costs and manage more complexity, automotive suppliers will face challenges. But with more EV models in the pipeline, many have the opportunity to grab a larger piece of the pie both for manufacturing and the total value chain Daniel Harrison Christopher Ludwig
Tearing profits apart: how tier 1 automotive suppliers can mitigate shrinking margins The latest report by Automotive from Ultima Media examines the profits and outlook for the top 20 automotive parts suppliers and explores the strategies and solutions they should consider to avoid significant disruption in the 2020s. Automotive from Ultima Media
Tier Supplier Profit Analysis: Mitigating Margin Compression and Manufacturing Costs Automotive tier 1 suppliers are facing unprecedented industry transformation in electrification along with economic uncertainty. Download this report on the top 20 global suppliers for a deep analysis of their historic margins, as well as solutions for how suppliers could cope with growing pressures and changes in manufacturing across the supply base Automotive from Ultima Media
Challenging relationships As the trend of electrification gains pace, and demand in the global new car market dwindles, suppliers are looking at ways to best serve their OEM customers Ian Henry
ZF begins chassis technology supply from new Vietnam plant ZF’s new €25 million plant in Hai Phong, Vietnam is up and running, set to supply chassis modules to neighbouring Vinfast car and e-scooter facility Gareth Price
Easing into electrification ZF is offering both hybrid and pure electric powertrain solutions to its customers in order to encourage the auto industry’s transition to electrification Michael Nash