Upper Franconian innovation award for Brose door system

The automotive supplier Brose has received the Upper Franconian innovation award for developing a door system made of plastic and creating a special process for its manufacture. In addition to delivering significant weight advantages through integration of functions, the system offers improved crash safety and permits faster assembly. Moreover, its low weight helps to reduce CO2 emissions in vehicle operation.

To manufacture this highly integrated door system Brose is establishing a production facility that allows the use of a specially developed material. Volume production at this facility, the first of its kind in the world, will begin at Brose’s Hallstadt plant near Bamberg in summer 2008.

Rolf Bücker, head of component design for door systems, accepted the award from Michael Glos, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, on behalf of all the employees involved in the project. The award ceremony was held on 15 February 2008 at the Rosengarten Congress Centre.

“We’re very happy about this award and are proud of our employees,” said Brose’s Executive Vice-President, Klaus Deller, who is in charge of development and purchasing. “Their innovative ideas have helped immensely to make Brose products competitive and successful on the world market.”

The Upper Franconian innovation award, for which 125 enterprises competed, was presented to four companies in all. In his speech Minister Glos stressed the importance of continuing with research and development in spite of the high costs. New ideas, he said, are essential for ensuring Germany’s future. “The future belongs to innovative companies,” he emphasized.