Member Article

ACT targets growth with launch of new biocomposite

The global drive for lighter, more environmentally friendly vehicles is helping transform the fortunes of a leading Wrexham automotive supplier.

Applied Component Technology (ACT) is using its appearance at the first ever UK Automechanika event to reveal a new biocomposite that can significantly reduce the weight of interior and exterior parts used in cars, commercial vehicles and some aerospace applications.

“FibriRock™, which has been developed using naturally sourced woven basalt fibres, offers great strength and durability, yet is cost effective to produce and up to 30% lighter than traditional materials.

It has been optimised for the aerospace industry and a range of related biocomposite products and is also now available for automotive applications, including structural loadspace floors, parcel shelves and other interior trim panels where lightweight, high strength and sustainability are prerequisites.

Boosted by this new technology, ACT is now embarking on a recruitment drive to increase its workforce by 10% over the next twelve months. This will feature the appointment of a sales manager, commercial project manager, cost estimator, team leader and three injection moulding setters.

“We are always looking at new ways to innovate traditional manufacturing processes and a significant amount of our recent R&D has been around exploring the use of ‘natural fibres’ in automotive applications,” explained Dermot Sterne, Managing Director of Applied Component Technology.

“This is in direct response to the industry’s determination to cut emissions to 95 grams of CO2 per kilometre by 2021 and we believe we have come up with a unique solution for helping the carmakers work towards this regulation.”

He went on to add: “FibriRock™ and its automotive derivatives are a new type of biocomposite and we are confident that it will deliver major weight savings. It is already doing just that for the aerospace sector with the launch of a new gallery cart and, if initial interest is anything to go by, the automotive sector is beginning to sit up and take notice.”

ACT, which employs 65 people at its 6000m2 site on the Wrexham Industrial Estate, is displaying this innovative material on stand 9D45 at Automechanika.

A team of automotive experts is on hand to chat to visitors about its growing product range and a £1m investment in a world class production line that has achieved annual PPM of just 5 and delivery scores greater than 99.9%.

Dermot continued: “Automechanika is not only the ideal place to officially launch our new biocomposites to the marketplace, but it also provides us with a platform to showcase the refreshed ACT corporate identity and suite of marketing material.

“This includes a new brochure, wall panels, website (www.applied-components.com) and the introduction of our ’six pillars of excellence.”

He concluded: “These feature agility, capability, expertise, innovation, performance and value…all principles that guide what we do and how we do it.”

Applied Component Technology is expecting sales to grow significantly in 2016, boosted by new contracts in automotive and the introduction of SmartCart, the world’s most innovative airline galley cart.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .