Automotive, Automation and E-Technology Brief Industrial Profile of the West Palatinate Region

Home , Alsenborn, Alsenz (river), Heltersberg, Lauterecken, Rockenhausen, Western Palatinate

1 Foreword

Dear readers,

Rhineland-Palatinate is a forward- looking industrial location with a business-friendly climate. We provide the critical hard and soft location fac- tors, which are equally as attractive to companies, as they are to employees and investors.

With its position in the middle of Eu- rope, right next to important sales markets, our federal state is attractive for SMEs, as well as for industry. Companies from many sectors collaborate very closely in many cases with scientific institutions. Nothing is too far away. On top of that, there is the family-friendly and pleasant surrounding area with a high quality of life.

The West Palatinate’s position, bordering Germany, France and Benelux, with its international transport connections and a very good supply of skilled workers make the region attractive for many companies.

With a high density of universities, research institutes and scientific facilities in the relevant topic areas, the West Palatinate is a well-developed technological location .

The West Palatinate is eager to welcome you!

Dr. Volker Wissing Minister for Economics, Transportation, Agriculture and Viticulture and Deputy Minister President of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate

2 3 The Federal State of Rhineland-Palatinate

Rhineland-Palatinate is situated in Germany´s dynamic southwest, in the immediate An excellent business location … vicinity of France, Belgium and Luxembourg. It also boasts excellent connections for anyone wanting to develop worldwide business relationships, thanks to the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate has rapid transportation routes by The attractiveness of the federal state in terms of edu- Rhine-Main area being the European economic centre that it is. land, by water and by air. This saves companies time and cation is based on more than 40 research institutes and money. The proximity to the hub that is Frankfurt airport, universities, as well as a first degree free-of charge. Both efficient motorways, the European high-speed train net- the university education and dual training system with Position in Europe work and the position on the Rhine, the most important well-educated specialists and master craftsmen are re- waterway in Europe, all collectively form the backbone of nowned worldwide. an exceptionally well-connected transport system. Area: And finally, a word on mentality: Rhineland-Palatinates 2² 19.854 km The innovative, overwhelmingly middle-sized economy are cosmopolitan, sincere and uncomplicated. Visitors cooperates closely with the sciences and is internation- appreciate the hospitality of the Rhineland-Palatinate; Inhabitants: ally in the lead. The combination of global players like with its abundant culture and delights, it is a favourite 4.1 million BASF, Daimler, Schott and Boehringer Ingelheim with holiday region for many people from near and far. middle-sized world market leaders is unique. Important industry sectors: Finland · Chemistry and pharmacy · Healthcare

· Automotive industry Norway · Metal processing Russia Sweden · Mechanical engineering Estonia “Continuous economic growth, a high export quote, as well · Nutrition as exceptionally attractive housing and quality of life: Latvia With its healthy medium-scale economic structures, the

Lithuania Rhineland-Palatinate is one of Germany’s leading business Denmark locations.”

Belarus Ireland Daniela Schmitt State Secretary of the Ministry for Economics, Transportation, Agriculture and Viticulture Great Britain Poland

The Netherlands Germany

Belgium Ukraine Rhineland-Palatinate Luxembourg Czech Republic … and a perfect environment for innovations. West Palatinate Slovakia

Austria Hungary · targeted strengthening and promotion of France Rumania The Rhineland-Palatinate offers world-class quality in Switzerland particularly promising fields of business and science. infrastructure and competence development in Slovenia Croatia Therefore, the state government focuses on the areas research and development, Bosnia & in which the competitive advantages are greatest and Herzegovina Serbia · support for ambitious research and technology unique selling points are particularly pronounced. With Bulgaria projects, Monte- Kosovo a view to leveraging the opportunities that come from Italy negro · creating the best starting conditions for innovative Macedonia global mega trends, as well as the newest market-leading and technological developments. start-ups, Spain Albania Portugal · ensuring access to new research for all companies, Greece The identified potential areas are consistently promoted, as well as e.g. by: · the offer of research, innovation and technology promotion from a single source.

99,7 7 2 57,6 percent of all companies in the Rhineland- Every seventh person employed in Rhineland- In the Germany-wide satisfaction ranking of the founders, Rhine- percent export quote in Rhineland-Palatinate Palatinate are medium-sized. Thanks to Palatinate works in a high-tech field. Because of this, land-Palatinate is in second place among the 16 federal states in 2018 (Germany 50.3 %) their flexibility, they react quickly to global the federal state is in national top position. challenges.

4 5 Traffic and accessibility Western Palatinate would experience a noticeable population decline in the coming years. In recent decades, The West Palatinate Whether on one of the numerous motorways that cross however, especially in the centres, things have devel- the region or the good local and long-distance rail con- oped much more favourably than previously feared. nections, the West Palatinate can always be quickly and The West Palatinate region is situated in the Southwest of Germany in the federal state of easily reached. Special feature: from Kaiserslautern, the The official population statistics don’t even include Rhineland-Palatinate. Besides the regional centre of Kaiserslautern, it includes the independent metropolis of Paris is only about 150 minutes away by the some 50,000 Americans, who have been pres- train. More importantly: the biggest German airport, ent in the Western Palatinate for 70 years, as well as cities of Pirmasens and Zweibrücken, as well as the districts Kaiserslautern, Südwestpfalz, Kusel the international hub Frankfurt/Main may be reached members of NATO countries and their families. The and Donnersberg. It borders France in the south, Saarland in the west, the Rhine-Main area in by car in under an hour. More regional airports in the US-American community is the largest outside the the northeast and the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region to the east. In comparison to its neigh- area round out this enticing offer. USA, which is reflected in a traditionally high level of English language proficiency among the local pop- bours, the West Palatinate region offers companies particularly attractive locations in terms of ulation. This presence, the large number of foreign price and accessibility, favourable conditions for investors and for employees, employment in Labour market, population students, foreign companies and their employees future-oriented industries and an environment with a high quality of life. and the border with France with its numerous cross- In recent years, the number of employees subject to border commuters all make the Western Palatinate social security contributions has increased significantly an especially international region. to around 165,000 in 2018. At the same time, the number of unemployed people has continued to decrease. Due to demographic change, it was forecast that the

Position in Germany 100 km Rotterdam Frankfurt/Main 480 km

Rhine Mainz BELGIUM LUXEM- Hahn BOURG GERMANY Luxembourg

Kaiserslautern Mannheim

Paris Saarbrücken 420 km Zweibrücken

Pirmasens Metz Travel by train to Kaiserslautern Karlsruhe Mannheim 40 Min. Direction Paris Frankfurt 90 Min. Paris 150 Min. FRANCE Stuttgart Travel by car via A6 Mannheim – Saarbrücken A63 Kaiserslautern – Mainz/Frankfurt A6/A62 Trier/Luxembourg Strasbourg Travel by aeroplane via State borders Saarbrücken Airport approx. 50 km Motorway Frankfurt-Hahn Airport approx. 50 km Waterway Frankfurt Rhine-Main Airport approx.100 km ICE route

520.000 50.000 132 8 20.000.000 Around 520,000 people live in the Americans live in and around Kaiserslautern Citizens from 132 various international airports An estimated 20 million people live within a two-hour drive West Palatinate overall. Practically (“K-Town”) as the biggest American nations live and work in West less than a two-hour drive away. around the West Palatinate. though, it is closer to 570,000, community outside of the USA. Palatinate. because ...

6 7 When it comes to complex research projects, people are increasingly turning to networks or so-called “clusters” in which cooperation partners from science and industry pool their different competencies. An example of this is the Science & Innovation Alliance Kaiserslautern (SIAK)

Research foci at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern include innovative vehicle and mobility concepts, intelligent driving and operating comfort systems, as well as energy- efficient vehicles and assistance systems, among others.

A dense network of first-class research facilities ensures that research and development work has practical relevance, providing the transfer points where results are put into practice.

The plastics industry based in the West Palatinate is an impressive example of the ongoing adaptability of our companies to changing conditions.

Economy and Technology Education, Research & Innovation

The West Palatinate has traditionally been rooted in in- The conversion of formerly military and industrial are- The competitiveness of the region is based on an inno- puter scientists, engineers and skilled workers in the dustrial production. Machine and apparatus construc- as or areas used by the railway has also played a spe- vative and flexible economy, but above all on a strong Rhineland-Palatinate. tion, automotive suppliers, footwear and leather goods, cial part in this transformation. There, with the sup- technological orientation in science, research and edu- chemicals, plastics and last but not least, building ma- port of the state, innovative new uses for these areas cation. Several renowned research institutes in the field Technology transfer offices, patent information centres, terials still characterise the economic structure of the have emerged. The diversity of the economic structure of information and communication technology are the Science & Innovation Alliance, the Smart Factory, region to this day, which itself is strongly supported together with the cooperation of the players in indus- represented at the site, including two Fraunhofer Insti- the SME 4.0 Competency Centre, etc. contribute to the by SMEs. The US military is also a significant economic try-specific networks has left the regional economy tutes, a Max Planck Institute and the German Research integration of research institutions within the regional factor. unscathed by international turbulence. Agriculture also Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). economy and help to ensure its competitiveness now avails itself of modern production methods, is partnered and in the future. Based on its industrial roots, the West Palatinate’s econ- with modern agricultural machinery manufacturers The Technical University and the University of Applied omy has developed in recent decades into a strongly (John Deere Development Centre), uses state-of-the-art Sciences Kaiserslautern with its three locations in the export-oriented, SME-influenced research and develop- IT technologies and also contributes to the generation region, as well as numerous vocational schools make ment economy with innovative production and a spe- of renewable energy in the West Palatinate. the West Palatinate a priority region for training com- cialisation in IT.

21 4.0 21.200 The region boasts 21 scientific institutions in relation With the Smart Factory and the SME 4.0 Competency Centre, In 2018 there were around 14,900 students enrolled in more than 100 degree programs at to automotive, electrical and production engineering, the West Palatinate is one of Germany's leading regions in TU Kaiserslautern, among those 2,650 were foreign students. A further 6,300 students were electro mobility materials, as well as IT / AI. Industry 4.0. enrolled at the University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern in some 60 degree programs.

8 9 The backbone of business location West Palatinate: renewable energies, a first-class research landscape and a central location in the heart of Europe, rife with transport connections

This was followed by the first manufacturers of vehicles automated testing and quality assurance procedures. (first bicycles) and above all machines. One of the most So the region benefited from the founding of the Uni- famous is the Pfaff company, founded in 1862 in Kaisers- versity of Kaiserslautern in the early 1970s, which then lautern. Such machines, which were increasingly manu- developed into a technical university. New processes factured here, were also used by the shoe industry in the and qualified personnel became increasingly important Pirmasens area, as well as the textile industry. With the to the industry, as did cooperation in the development construction of the railway, the internationalisation of the of new products and processes. The institutes (Fraun- markets and the better accessibility of other raw materi- hofer, DFKI ...), which were gradually founded or settled al sources, the iron industry lost importance, even if still here, played a special part in this. Application-oriented today well-known manufacturers use traditional know- research and development were just as important as how for modern products (Gienanth, Hergerguss, Aco the numerous spin-offs that converted innovative ideas Guss etc.). Mechanical engineering continued to develop, into successful companies. along with the efficiency and quality of the machines, helping the West Palatinate assert itself over the decades Besides development in mechanical engineering, tech- over fiercer competition from other regions and countries. nology, materials science, physics and mathematics, Kaiserslautern Ironworks (today General Dynamics), the the development of the IT sector played a very special Pfeiffer brothers (coal and cement mills), the casting and role. Not only control software, but also design, com- armature works (today: Aco Guss) and Pallmann Maschi- puter simulation, and virtual product development in nenfabrik in Zweibrücken are some examples of this. The connection with technical know-how became the new quality of the delivered products, based on the skills and strengths of the region. The conversion sites, which knowledge of the workers, was their guarantee of success. had become vacant in the 1990s, offered not only good And to those who used these products, the wagon con- framework and growth conditions for start-ups, but struction was also important, as well as the state of repair the development of new locations of the University of the rail vehicles (former railway repair shop, today Rail- of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern, in Pirmasens and Maint). Zweibrücken offered good opportunities to use these impetuses. This was also urgently needed given the loss After the Second World War, although the industrial plants of jobs in the military and especially in the footwear in- were badly damaged, the knowledge was preserved. It dustry. With the support of the state of Rhineland-Pa- helped to locate new companies in the region who knew latinate, this was also a success. how to use this knowledge: foundation of the Opel plant in Kaiserslautern, John Deere and Kubota in Zweibrücken Building on the existing know-how, new business and many more. areas were created in which many traditional companies also found new prospects for the future. Köm- With the boom of the automotive industry in the 50s and merling Chemische Fabrik GmbH, Hager-Tehalit, EMS, 60s, more and more suppliers emerged, who not only sup- Walther Werke, HegerFerrit etc. were able to conquer plied highly specialised products to domestic manufactur- new business fields with renewable energies. Oth- ers, but also increasingly to international ones. Whether ers became developers and software companies (Hu- Automotive, Automation it be for manufacturers of car seats (Keiper-Recaro, now man Solutions), specialising in weighing technology predominantly Adient), turbochargers (KKK, today Borg- (Wipotec), plant engineering (Minitec), etc. Data pro- Warner), catalysts (Corning), lubricants (Fuchs Lubritech), cessing, data storage, data security are further, newer and E-Technology plastic parts (FWB) etc., the demands on technology, ve- business fields. In the West Palatinate, the connec- hicle safety, efficiency and environmental friendliness are tion between “classical” mechanical engineering and The importance of the sector in the West Palatinate increasing and the suppliers in the region were always the rapidly growing IT sector has always been main- among the world market leaders. Further important pro- tained, and is now being systematically cultivated ducers settled in the vicinity of the West Palatinate (Ford and supported by transfer points and advice centres in Saarlouis, Bosch and Eberspächer in Homburg, Daimler for small and medium-sized companies, young train- This industry arose from the iron industry and subsequent mechanical engineering. in Wörth, Tenneco in Edenkoben). ees and universities. The main foci are collaborative After the beginnings of iron production in the Middle Ages, the upturn began with work and the collective effort to make the region as at- th th With globalisation and growing competition from so- tractive as possible for companies and employees. The industrialisation at the end of the 18 and predominantly, 19 centuries. Ferrous rocks, called “low-wage countries”, there has been increasing regional umbrella organisation ZukunftsRegion West- water power and wood from the forests provided good conditions for the emergence pressure to reduce staffing levels, increase the number pfalz e.V. has been playing an important role since 2012. of pieces produced and keep the leading edge in terms of In recent years, we have seen international trends of this industrial sector, combined with the names Hacke and Gienanth, the so-called quality. This is only possible with increasing automation, affecting this industry which is so important to the “Krupps” of the Palatinate. control technology and the use of robots and sophisticated region. On the one hand, the discussion on climate

10 11 protection and the accelerated trend towards electro- recognised this early and has adapted accordingly. It No. Company Competencies Information mobility put pressure on companies whose products is also an attractive environment for other companies 1 ACO Guss GmbH Cast parts www.aco-guss.com are linked to the internal combustion engine. On the from this same and related industries. 2 Adient Components Ltd. & Co.KG Car seats www.adient.com other hand, new technologies are being developed for 3 BITO-Lagertechnik Container and shelving systems www.bito.com propulsion, energy storage, networking and the like. At At the same time, the steadily growing quantities of 4 BorgWarner Turbo Systems GmbH Turbochargers for internal combustion engines www.turbos.borgwarner.com the same time, we can see how medium-sized compa- renewable energy generated in the region are push- 5 Coherent Kaiserslautern GmbH Industrial lasers www.coherent.de nies are catching the attention of larger national ones, ing forward the development of sustainable energy, as 6 comlet Verteilte Systeme GmbH Embedded systems development www.comlet.de but above all, international companies, and being taken well as its transport, distribution and storage in various 7 Corning GmbH Environmental technology, filters www.corning.com over. Whether they be from the USA, China, Japan, Korea forms. This increasingly includes the field of mobili- 8 Ellenberger GmbH & Co. KG Machining technology www.ellenberger.org or, not least, France. It underlines their excellent perfor- ty, whether it be private transport, public transport or 9 EMS Elektro Metall Schwanenmühle GmbH Electrical connectivity solutions www.ems-power.com mance and at the same time gives them the opportuni- commercial vehicles. 10 FEMEG GmbH & Co. KG Compressor fittings, among others www.femeg.com ty to be present on more international markets. In this 11 flexstructures GmbH Cabling system simulations www.flexstructures.de respect, the ability to sustainably invest in research and 12 fepco GmbH Innovative filter technology www.fepco-filtration.de development plays a critical role. This is required by new 13 Freudenberg Filtration systems, among others www.freudenberg.com demands, whether on world markets, for new business 14 Fuchs Lubritech GmbH Special lubricants www.fuchs.com/lubritech models or in the individualisation of products. The au- 15 FWB Kunststofftechnik GmbH Plastic parts e.g. for car keys www.fwb-gmbh.com tomotive and automation industry in West Palatinate 16 General Dynamics European Land Systems Mobile bridge systems www.gdels.com 17 Gienanth GmbH Cast parts www.gienanth.com 18 GKN Kaiserslautern GmbH Drive systems and solutions www.gkndriveline.com 19 Greiner Schaltanlagen GmbH Conductor rails, switchboards www.greiner.eu 20 Hager Group Charging stations, among others www.hager.de 21 HSP Steuerungs- und Anlagentechnik Switchboards, robotics www.hspgmbh.de Location overview 22 Huissel Umformtechnik GmbH Tool manufacture, forming technology www.huissel.com 23 ITW Fastener Products GmbH Brackets for cables and belts www.itw-fasteners.com Rockenhausen area 24 John Deere GmbH & Co.KG Agricultural machinery www.deere.de Industry companies 10 25 Klaus Backes GmbH Machine and automotive components www.backesgmbh.de 21 4 26 Kömmerling Chemische Fabrik GmbH Bonding and sealing www.koe-chemie.de Vocational schools, 3 2 36 27 Kubota Baumaschinen GmbH Construction machinery www.kubota-baumaschinen.de universities, institutes 28 Langhammer GmbH Transport and palletising systems www.langhammer.de 59 and networks 29 MEC Elektronische Komponenten GmbH Electronic components www.mec-elektronik.de 43 30 MiniTec GmbH & Co. KG Profiles, materials-handling technology, a.o. www.minitec.de 63 Göllheim/ 64 19 31 Mkt Metall-Kunststoff-Technik GmbH Co KG Metal-plastic composites www.mkt.de Eisenberg area 28 32 Mohrbach Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH Packaging machines www.mohrbach.com 42 17 33 Opel Automobile GmbH Car engines www.opel.de 57 Kaiserslautern area 34 PKM Packaging GmbH Packaging line automation www.pkm-packaging.com 35 psb intralogistics GmbH Automated warehousing systems www.psb-gmbh.de 22 36 rema fertigungstechnik GmbH Precision parts www. rema-fertigung.de 38 54 West 31 14 41 44 23 37 Robot Makers Automation www.robotmakers.de 37 8 38 SKS Welding Systems GmbH Customised welding systems/robots www.sks-welding.com 5 55 51 46 48 39 Schliessmeyer GmbH Plastic components www.schliessmeyer.de Palatinate 18 33 49 7 11 16 40 Tadano Demag GmbH Cranes and crane lorries www.demagmobilecranes.com 14 1 50 41 Vision Electric Super Conductors GmbH Superconductors, high-current conductor rails www.vesc-superbar.de 30 58 53 42 Walther-Werke GmbH Plug and socket devices, power distributors www.walther-werke.de 45 47 25 52 43 WESTA Maschinen- und Gerätebau GmbH Mechanical engineering, material handling www.westa-gmbh.de 44 Wipotec GmbH Weighing technology www.wipotec.com 45 Wolf Werkzeugtechnologie GmbH Drilling and cutting tools www.wolf-gruppe.com

No. Universities, Institutes, Networks Information 9 20 46 Commercial Vehicle Cluster / we moove it www.cvc-suedwest.com 47 DFKI German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence GmbH www.dfki.de 48 Rhineland-Palatinate Vehicle Initiative registered association] www.fahrzeug-initiative.de Zweibrücken area 6 49 Fraunhofer IESE www.iese.fraunhofer.de 24 27 50 Fraunhofer ITWM www.itwm.fraunhofer.de 56 32 60 39 51 University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern www.hs-kl.de 29 40 26 34 52 Institute for Composite Materials www.ivw.uni-kl.de 13 Pirmasens area 53 TU Kaiserslautern / Centre for Commercial Vehicle Technology www.uni-kl.de/znt 35 15 61 Vocational schools 54 VS I – Technology, Kaiserslautern 60 VS Rodalben 62 55 VS II Economic and social affairs, Kaiserslautern 61 Landgraf Ludwig secondary school plus Pirmasens 56 VS Zweibrücken 62 Secondary school plus Dahn 57 VS Kusel 63 Secondary school plus Lauterecken-Wolfstein 58 VS Landstuhl 64 Gutenberg secondary school plus Göllheim 59 VS Donnersberg district

12 13 Adient Components Ltd. & Co.KG World Market Leader Adient Alights on Two Sites in the West Palatinate Adient is a real global player: as the world's largest car seat manufacturer, the company employs more than 75,000 people in 33 countries. Two sites in the West Palatinate, Kaiserslautern and Rockenhausen, contribute to international success.

Car seats and the West Palatinate – a connection with reason for this is that the Rockenhausen plant not only tradition and future promise. For many decades, this concentrates on leading technologies and manufactur- has been true of the Adient production site in Rocken- ing processes under the heading Industry 4.0, but above hausen, whose history dates back to 1964. Under Keiper all on the know-how and experience gained from over (until 2011) and Johnson Controls (until the founding of 50 years of metal processing. Adient 2016), the plant in the Alsenz valley had gradually developed into a hotbed of high-tech industry. Nowa- Tradition meets progress at the Adient site in Kaisers- days, it plays a critical role for Adient: in Rockenhausen, lautern. The premium brand for automobile seats is individual parts, components and structures for vehicle right at home in the technical centre founded in 1989 seats are produced, and almost all major automobile by Keiper Recaro: Recaro Automotive Seating, as a pro- manufacturers worldwide can be counted as custom- duct group of Adient, delivers high-quality performance ers. On an area of around 54,000 square meters, the site seats for the original equipment and retrofit markets processes around 70,000 tonnes of steel every year. Cur- for cars and commercial vehicles. In addition to central rently more than 1,400 employees work in Rockenhaus- functions, the Hertelsbrunnenring is home to all ma- en – making Adient the largest employer in the region. jor facilities for the development of complex rear seat structures – ranging from virtual seat development and Martin Queck, General Plant Manager at Adient in Rock- simulation through prototyping and testing to the in- enhausen, says: “We have more than 80 percent share house crash simulation system. of the current world market in seat recliners for new vehicles”. How does this impressive number come about? “Adient has made the Rockenhausen site the so-called Lead Plant for Recliners in its global production network, which means something like worldwide compe- Companies in the tence centre for seat recliners,” explains Mr. Queck. The

Competencies: Contact: Automotive, Automation · Leading provider of car seats worldwide Adient Components Ltd. & Co.KG · Development and production of complete Industriestraße 1 · 67806 Rockenhausen seating systems and standardised adjustment Tel. +49 (0)6361 86-0 and E-Technology Industries components www.adient.com

14 Companies 15 BorgWarner Turbo Systems GmbH

of the “SOS Children's Villages” charity organisation. cal engineering, industrial engineering and electrical Turbocharging Towards Three local aid projects are actively supported by crafts engineering. Interested parties can get a first-hand im- fairs and fundraising campaigns. pression at events like the training exchange in Kaisers- lautern. Electrification BorgWarner is able to attract motivated people to the company and to the region thanks to its variety of career models. In addition to apprenticeships in the fields West Palatinate in transition: one of the most important turbocharger factories of of mechatronics, production and machining mechanics, automotive supplier BorgWarner is increasingly focusing on electrified mobility. BorgWarner also offers dual study courses in mechani-

Worldwide, Kirchheimbolanden is mentioned in the “Electrified mobility is already a reality in Kirchheim- same breath as BorgWarner's turbocharger business. bolanden,” reports plant manager Jürgen Adam. “The The site is regarded as a control centre for the devel- eBooster® for example, an electrically driven compres- Competencies: Contact: opment and production of the latest turbocharging sor, is manufactured locally. Innovations like these help a comprehensive range of turbochargers BorgWarner Turbo Systems GmbH technologies. With its efficient turbochargers, the com- to implement our vision of a cleaner, more energy-effi- for cars and commercial vehicles, as well as a Marnheimer Strasse 85/87 pany supports technology trends like the hybridisation cient world.” wide range of replacement turbochargers and 67292 Kirchheimbolanden of vehicle engines. BorgWarner is thus riding the wave parts for aftermarket customers throughout Tel. +49 (0)6352 403-0 of transformation in automotive industry to move to- BorgWarner is one of the largest employers in the Don- the entire world Email: [email protected] wards clean, low-emission mobility and actively drive it nersberg district. The company is aware of its social www.turbos.borgwarner.com forward. responsibility and, for example, volunteers as a partner

16 Companies 17 Corning GmbH

standards with our state-of-the-art production and help reduce environmental pollution worldwide.

Climate Protection you can Touch – Responsibility, flexibility, respect and more: we live a culture of innovation, knowledge transfer and several generations. Our senior managers are always approach- able and appreciate the contribution of each individual. This is how we acquire and High-tech from the West Palatinate develop the best talent. And build ourselves the reputation we enjoy as a world market leader and innovator. From Kaiserslautern, Corning supplies the global automotive industry. Modern ceramic products reduce engine emissions worldwide, thus protecting our climate. Competencies: Contact: · Ceramics for mobile exhaust aftertreatment in Corning GmbH Corning GmbH belongs to Corning Inc., a high-tech Material knowledge and process technology in the field cars and lorries Carl-Billand-Straße 1 company from the USA. We supply the automotive in- of ceramic substrates and filters are our expertise. We · State-of-the-art production processes 67655 Kaiserslautern dustry with ceramic honeycomb bodies, which are used develop exhaust aftertreatment systems for the largest · Excellently trained employees Tel. +49 (0)631 35250 as carriers for catalytic converters or particulate filters manufacturers of petrol and diesel-powered engines · Appreciative corporate culture www.corning.com in motor vehicles. and vehicles. We supply Europe and the whole world · Very good development prospects, from our competence centre in Kaiserslautern. We set both at the site and globally within the group

18 Companies 19 comlet Verteilte Systeme GmbH FEMEG Feinmechanik + Gerätebau GmbH & Co. KG Software Engineering with Foresight Precisely on Target comlet Verteilte Systeme GmbH is a highly specialised development service provider in Versatility, flexibility, quality and efficiency – these are the four cornerstones of FEMEG the field of embedded systems. Using years of project experience and know-how from GmbH & Co. KG. Since Mr Bernd Hofmann founded the company in 1967, the specialists many different industries, comlet develops sustainable and sophisticated software for precision mechanics have developed into a capable supplier for various industries. solutions according to specific customer requirements. Our customers rely on our Whether its fittings for the drinking water supply, wa- sure that FEMEG GmbH & Co. KG will be ready to meet competent and comprehensive all-round support! ter meters or key components for turbocharger produc- the constantly growing demands of the markets and tion in the automotive industry – renowned companies, the exacting demands of technology in future. comlet Verteilte Systeme GmbH was founded in 2001 As a technology partner and know-how supplier, we are such as BASF, Freudenberg, Siemens, Borg Warner, IHI- by professors and graduates of the Department of able to tailor our offer to fit. CSI, Bosch-Mahle, Voith, as well as municipal water util- Today, the company group includes, among others, Computer Science of the University of Kaiserslautern in ities have long cherished FEMEG as a competent and Wutal Aluminiumguss GmbH in Stühlingen, a super- Zweibrücken. Altogether more than 80 experts work at Commercial Vehicles, Automotive, Industrial Internet reliable partner. charger plant in Gommern, as well as Pollux electro the locations in Zweibrücken, Darmstadt, Munich and of Things, Smart Home & Living and Industrial – every mechanical systems GmbH and Enwas GmbH (energy, Karlsruhe. In addition to traditional order development, industry and every branch has its peculiarities. In order This success is principally safeguarded by a highly mo- water, services) in Kirchheimbolanden. All in all, the Fe- we provide our customers with on- and off-site support. to precisely meet all requirements, the experts from the tivated team, distinguished on the one hand by their meg group employs 650 workers, around 200 thereof in departments of Configuration Management, Test Engi- many years of expertise, and on the other hand by their Kirchheimbolanden. Bernd Hofmann’s success story as neering & Validation, Distributed Security and System constant willingness to innovate new methods and a founder and now 76-year-old entrepreneur, still fully in Architecture keep them in focus and coordinate closely processes using new technologies. This proven exper- business, also wouldn’t be complete without mention- with each other. tise and the high standards of quality in the field of pre- ing the purchase of the Kirchheimbolander castle and cision mechanics were also able to evolve particularly its mid-1990s reconstruction into a retirement home, in We offer a complete range of services for software well thanks to the excellent infrastructure at the Kirch- which Catholic charity organisation Zoar cares for 160 development. This includes consulting, development, heimbolanden business location: on the one hand, the people. Not to mention the roughly 100 new jobs that system integration, testing, maintenance and training. industrial area on Morschheimer Street was the perfect were thus created in Kirchheimbolanden. location to build the 8,000m2 production facility with a state-of-the-art CNC machine park, where all the materials, such as steel, cast iron, aluminium and MS al- loys are processed. On the other, the central location in the tri-city area of Mainz-Ludwigshafen-Kaiserslautern with a direct motorway connection to the A63 enables fast delivery. Ideal framework conditions which also en-

Competencies: Competencies: Contact: Contact: · Embedded Systems · Precision parts for the automotive and comlet Verteilte Systeme GmbH FEMEG Feinmechanik + Gerätebau GmbH & Co. KG · Infotainment chemical industries Amerikastr. 27 Morschheimer Str. 7 · IT Security · Production of water metres and fittings 66482 Zweibrücken 67292 Kirchheimbolanden · Software Engineering · Compressor housings Tel. +49 (0)6332 811100 Tel. +49 6352 400030 · Automotive · High pressure fittings Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] · IoT · Turbine housings www.comlet.de www.femeg.com · Commercial Vehicles · Bearing housings

20 Companies 21 Freudenberg Innovative High-tech Textiles and High-tech Filter Media for the Automotive Industry

The automotive industry is heading into a future of door panels or sound absorption. In addition, they make Freudenberg Filtration Technologies develops solutions and allergens, as well as unwanted odours. Engine in- global challenges. High-tech textiles from Freudenberg the crucial component of carpet backing for car car- to make processes more economical, conserve resour- take filters based on fully synthetic high-performance Performance Materials provide intelligent solutions pets – precisely shaped according to the manufacturer’s ces, protect people and the environment, and thus con- filter media are also part of the production program in to these challenges inside the vehicle. They make cars wishes. Our solutions in the automotive sector not only tribute to improving quality of life. At the Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern. Our activated carbon production plants lighter, save fuel and thus ensure climate-friendly CO2 stand for maximum quality, but also for maximum cost site, we manufacture micronAir® cabin filters for well- enable us to produce flatware media tailored to the in- values. Their field of application is the sophisticated efficiency and the highest design standards. known car manufacturers that reliably protect vehicle dividual needs of every customer. design of surfaces: whether for roof liners, car carpets, occupants from pollutants such as pollens, fine dusts

Competencies: Contact: Competencies: Contact: Innovative textile solutions for Freudenberg Performance Materials SE & Co KG Excellent filtration solutions for Freudenberg Performance Materials SE & Co KG · Shaped car carpets and car mats Liebigstraße 2 – 8 · Internal combustion engines & new mobility Liebigstraße 2 – 8 · Roof liners 67661 Kaiserslautern · Industrial painting 67661 Kaiserslautern · Sound absorption Alexander Barnsteiner · Agriculture and off-the-road vehicles Erik Kennel · Reduced vehicle weight Tel. +49 (0)631 5341596 · Heavy-duty vehicles and buses Tel. +49 (0)631 5341 379 · High comfort in vehicle www.freudenberg-pm.com · Railways, shipbuilding, aviation www.freudenberg-filter.com

22 Companies 23 flexstructures GmbH Virtual wiring system design of a Volvo General Dynamics European Land Systems–Bridge Systems GmbH XC 90 with IPS cable simulation Make it Flexible Tradition Meets Innovation Our passion for innovative technologies As a global leader in the area of development, General Dynamics European Land Sys- is our guarantee for success. tems–Bridge Systems (GDELS–Bridge Systems) realises welding assemblies and repair of complex aluminium structures, innovative products and system solutions in vehicle

Be it cables or hoses, flexible components require par- Kaiserslautern's innovation street to continue providing technology, as well as the construction of mobile bridge systems, and has already been ticular attention since they are quite often the sticking their customers with leading technologies and services, honoured as one of the 100 most innovative medium-sized companies in Germany. point that makes life hard for constructors in product to create attractive jobs, as well as to find and keep tal- development and production planning. This is where ent for research and development. FleXstructures comes in. The software company found- Innovation is part of the company philosophy and is ed in 2012 in Kaiserlautern takes a completely new fleXstructures GmbH has already won several awards. particularly evident in the following areas: approach from research to industry – and has thus Besides the Robotics Award 2017, the Success Award · Application and use of new and modern materials become a market leader. Take for example the ground- 2018 and the Innovation Prize 2019 also went to the (plastics, metals, fibrous materials) breaking development of new algorithms which make young company. it possible to accommodate and optimise sometimes · A utonomous driving in close cooperation with local kilometre-long cables and hose systems in ever small- Customers come from the automotive and automation companies and institutions, such as the Technical Uni- er installation spaces, taking into account function and sectors, but also from industrial sectors such as the mo- versity of Kaiserslautern and the Fraunhofer Institute weight and used to test installations in the virtual vehi- torcycle, agricultural machinery, commercial vehicle and · Use of innovative production methods and joining cle. Using the IPS software, processes can now be solved railway industries. fleXstructures’ software solutions methods in real-time, where previously this would have taken support the customers in shortening their product de- weeks and months. velopment processes, saving on hardware and reducing · In cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute, the com- As a responsible employer, GDELS-Bridge Systems pri- their development costs. The customers benefit from a pany develops powerful calculation programs for per- oritises creating a healthy work environment through The use of these new software solutions has become holistic concept encompassing software distribution, manent product optimisation high safety standards and health promotion, as well as completely indispensable in the product development consulting and research. sustainable action through careful use of resources in · Offer of welders’ training and certification as a DAkkS day-to-day business. process for modern vehicles. Already more than one accredited and AZAV certified educational institution hundred vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and service providers worldwide rely on fleXstructures’ products. The company’s core competency is its employees. Be- With an international team on site in the direct vicinity cause of this, GDELS–Bridge Systems is committed of the Fraunhofer institutes, the German Research Cen- to keeping their staff diverse, motivated and highly- tre for Artificial Intelligence and the Technical Universi- qualified. ty, the company has most likely found the best spot on

Competencies: Contact: Competencies: · World market leader for mobile bridge systems Contact: General Dynamics European Land Systems– · 3D mechanical design and protection of cables, · Specialist in the development, welding assem- flexstructures GmbH Bridge Systems GmbH cable harnesses and hoses bly and repair of complex aluminium structures Trippstadter Straße 110 Barbarossastraße 30 · Design optimisation in real-time · Worldwide service in the fields of automo- 67663 Kaiserslautern 67655 Kaiserslautern · A utomated task planning and scheduling of tive, welding technology, electrics, hydraulics, Tel. +49 (0)631 68039360 Tel. +49 (0)631 36160 robot stations mechanics Email [email protected] Email: [email protected] · Digital human model for planning assembly · Order production www.flexstructures.de www.gdels.com processes and ergonomic examinations · Welder’s training and certification

24 Companies 25 John Deere

In 2010, we opened our European Technology and In- novation Centre in Kaiserslautern. In doing so, we Commitment to People who are benefit not only from the proximity to the important production sites in Zweibrücken and Mannheim, but also particularly from the research expertise at the Kai- Connected to the Countryside. serslautern site. Strategic partnerships with universities and institutes, for example, in the areas of sensor With a turnover of 37 billion US dollars and more than 74,000 technology, automation and electrification, make Kai- employees, John Deere is the world’s largest producer of machines for agricultural, con- serslautern one of the most important locations of our internationally-operating company. struction and forestry work, as well as lawn and property maintenance.

The strength of our company arises from the interming- John Deere employees are working on today’s most ling of the various cultures, experiences and skills of our important agricultural high-tech project – feeding the Contact Zweibrücken Contact Kaiserslautern employees, as well as the common goal of reliably de- world’s population. John Deere GmbH & Co. KG John Deere European livering the highest quality every day. At John Deere, we Homburger Str. 117/125 Technology Innovation Centre share a passionate interest in agricultural machinery At the site in Zweibrücken, you will find John Deere's 66482 Zweibrücken Straßurger Allee 3 · 67657 Kaiserslautern and its advancement as a high-tech and high-innova- European competence centre for harvesting machines. Tel. +49(0)6332 890 Tel. +49(0)631 36191-0 tion product. Your ideas, experiences and, above all, your Here, around 1300 employees develop and build com- Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] humanitarian values are important to us. bine harvesters and self-propelled forage harvesters. www.deere.de www.deere.de

26 Companies 27 Hager Group HSP Steuerungs- und Anlagentechnik GmbH We Shape the Future. Your Project is our Focus

HSP Steuerungs- und Anlagentechnik GmbH was founded over more than 25 years ago With All Our Energy. and has many years of experience in the development and production of special purpose The Hager Group is a leading provider of solutions and services for electrotechnical machines and assembly lines. We offer our customers everything from consultation to installations in residential, industrial and commercial buildings. completion to service all from one source.

Constructions & switchgear engineering tems for you, including design and production of suit - The core business ranges from power distribution and The Hager Group was founded in 1955 by Hermann We create constructions for various areas of me- able gripper technology. wiring to intelligent building control and security tech- and Dr. Oswald Hager together with their father Pe- chanical and plant engineering both for and with nology. Together with customers from industry and the ter, and is still to this day an independent, owner-op- our customers. This includes the complete planning Programming & Software Development electrical trade, the company works on future topics erated family business based in Blieskastel, Germany. of hardware and software, as well as assembly and Programmable logic controllers form a very impor- such as charging stations for electromobility, as well as The corporate form of a European Company (Societas commissioning of the systems. We develop innova- tant basis of automation technology. Professional technologies for the intelligent home and better energy Europaea, SE) underlines both the cultural diversity tive and tailor-made switchgear for your individual PLC solutions enable advanced and convenient func- efficiency. as well as the European roots of the Group. automation solution. tions for more efficiency and safety in automation technology. Special requirements in the field of indus- The development of intelligent energy management Although, having said that, Hager Group has mean- Special purpose machines and prototypes trial automation often require a tailor-made software systems is one of the key research foci of the Hager while become a global player: 11,500 employees gene- Machines for special production areasdo not grow on solution. We programme your individual application. Group. Electro-mobiles will be essential elements of rated sales of around 2 billion Euro (2018). In 22 sites trees. HSP manufacturesspecial purpose machines this system in the future. Together with AUDI AG, the around the world, components and solutions are pro- and prototypes for internationally operating compa- Commissioning,maintenance & service worldwide company is working on an automobile-home network, duced, upon which customers from over 120 countries nies in the automotive and plastics industries. All our We carry out commissioning, maintenance and re- connecting electric car, charging technology, and house rely. knowledge and experience in the areas of construc- pairs worldwide. The expertise of our employees is energy management. tion, switchgear construction, robotics, PLC program- always up-to-date in order to assist our customers in ming and visualisation are incorporated in the plan- all matters. At the Heltersberg site, around 580 employees develop ning, development and commissioning. and produce cable management and room connection systems. Apart from this, charging stations for electric Robotics vehicles are also manufactured here. The latest expan- When developing robot-based solutions, not only sion to the production range are building communica- hardware, but also programming plays a crucial role tion technology products from Elcom. in ensuring a self-contained, safe and smooth work- flow. We plan and deliver tailor-made complete sys-

Competencies: Contact: · Energy distribution and meter mounting systems Hager Group Competencies: Contact: · Protective and switching devices Heltersberg Site · Electrical engineering HSP Steuerungs- und Anlagentechnik GmbH · Cable management and room connection systems Seebergstrasse 37 · Switchgear construction Kreuzwiese 5 · Switch programs and building control automation 67716 Heltersberg · Special purpose machine construction 67806 Rockenhausen · Security technology Tel. +49 (0)6333 9920 · Robotics Tel. +49 (0)6361 9294-0 · Charging stations for electric vehicles Email: [email protected] · PLC programming, software development Email: [email protected] · Communication systems and individual www.hager.de · Visualisations www.hspgmbh.de input settings · Worldwide maintenance & service

28 Companies 29 ITW Fastener Products GmbH Klaus Backes GmbH Products for the Vehicles of Today Precision, Flexibility & Reliability and Tomorrow in Series and Piece Production At home anywhere. Travelling with us on every street worldwide. Back in 1974, when Klaus Backes began the contract manufacture of machine ITW is a global partner for the largest car manufacturers and their suppliers. components and tools , customer satisfaction and meticulous precision were already top priorities. As part of the internationally successful ITW com- reduction for the same quality and product improve- pany group with more than 50,000 employees in 56 ment. This flexible response to customer requirements is still task, the better. Because in addition to series production countries, ITW has the resources and resilience of a a central part of our company ethos. Our success speaks with absolute precision according to your specifications, global company. There is hardly a vehicle today that We offer a universal and time-monitored concept, for itself: with more than 150 highly trained employees first-class quality and on-time delivery, we offer you the doesn’t have some part of the rigorous engineering starting with the component development, then the in our two plants, we produce precision turning, milling added value that makes the decisive difference. and mature product quality of ITW Global Fasteners provision of prototypes, tool construction, part produc- and grinding parts, die-cut and bent parts, tools, as well in there somewhere. tion, right up to manual or fully automatic assembly. as precision mechanical assemblies in serial or single- Our high standards are also apparent in the audited component production. quality management systems, according to whose Our speciality is the development and production Our in-depth understanding of automotive assembly criteria we work. Besides the qualification according to of innovative plastic fasteners for the automotive operations and our significant engineering expertise Efficient work processes and modern business organi- IATF 16949, ISO 9001: 2015, the environmental certifica- industry. These include cable mountings and cable enables us to always find the best possible solution for sation are key to our more than competitive costs. Our tion according to ISO 14000 is important to us. fastenings, covers and panel fixings, among other our customers. As a global player, we offer innovative employees are highly qualified and are regularly trained. things. Areas of application are e.g. the vehicle interi- products, individual services and effective support. This guarantees that they are familiar with the newest or, brake and fuel systems, the engine and drive area standards in technology. Because: we are no strangers and the body work. Our products contribute to a pow - to Industry 4.0. erful overall package in vehicle design. An excellent staff is our most important future capi- Our decades of experience in plastic design and in- tal, so we attach great importance to training our own jection moulding technology has led to the develop- skilled workers regularly, thus creating the basis for ment of trendsetting solutions that offer the user highly trained staff. numerous advantages: Design improvements, sim- plification of assembly processes, optimisation of Do you expect more from your suppliers than the usu- processes, time savings and, last but not least, cost al standard? Challenge us – the more demanding your

Competencies: Competencies: Contact: Contact: · Precision turning and milling parts for series or Innovative fastening solutions for the ITW Fastener Products GmbH Klaus Backes GmbH single production, as well as die-cut and bent parts automotive industry. Am Pulverhäuschen 7 Eisenbahnstraße 11 · For the automotive industry, agricultural · Component development 67677 Enkenbach-Alsenborn 66892 Bruchmühlbach-Miesau mechanical engineering, energy and fastening · Provision of prototypes Tel. +49 (0)6303 805-0 Tel. +49 (0)6372 8068-0 technology, hydraulics, pneumatics and many · Tool planning Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] other industries · Production / fully automatic assembly www.itw-fasteners.com www.backesgmbh.de

30 Companies 31 Kubota Baumaschinen GmbH KÖMMERLING Chemische Fabrik GmbH For Earth, for Life Leading Technology in Adhesives Kubota is one of the globally operating and internationally leading producers in plant construction and mechanical engineering. The Kubota Baumaschinen GmbH in Zwei- and Sealants brücken produces construction machinery for the European market and is one of the KÖMMERLING Chemische Fabrik GmbH, headquartered in Pirmasens, Southwest mainstays of the Group. Palatinate is a leading international manufacturer of high-quality adhesives and sealants.

The name of the company refers to its Japanese care equipment. The European headquarter is located Since the company was founded in 1897, KÖM- comfortable and functional vehicle interiors, as well founder Gonshiro Kubota – and stands for a vital co- in Nieuw Vennep, the Netherlands. MERLING has repeatedly set milestones in modern as electronic assistance systems. Weight-reduction is existence between tradition and innovation: custom- bonding and sealing with the development of new critical for efficient mobility. Modern lightweight con- er-orientation and continual development have en- Kubota's success story began in 1989 in Zweibrück- technologies. We are enthusiastic about innovative structions are realised through the use and combina- sured that after 124 years of company history, Kubota en. Today, Kubota Baumaschinen GmbH is one of the solutions for improving energy efficiency. We re- tion of new materials. With our innovative adhesive is more modern, versatile and successful today than world's leading manufacturers of state-of-the-art com- place mechanical connections, make products light- technologies, we provide a key component for the full ever before. pact excavators. In addition, the company has also been er, longer-lived and quieter. With exceptional product implementation of the weight-saving multi-material developing and manufacturing wheel loaders at its quality and worldwide service, we have developed mix. The headquarters of the Kubota Group is located Zweibrücken site since 2014. These powerful machines into a recognised system supplier for glass, transport, in Osaka/Japan. With roughly 40.000 employees in have a strong foothold in the most diverse fields of ap- industrial assembly and renewable energies. Espe- Being future-oriented, we offer system solutions for the more than 110 countries, the Kubota Group achieved plication and are used worldwide. The fact that Kubo- cially for the transport industry, we offer future-ori- efficient protection of cells and electrical components, a turnover of over 16 billion US dollars in 2017. In addi- ta outright relies on the Zweibrücken site is evidenced ented system solutions of the highest quality which especially for battery-operated electric vehicles, for tion to agricultural engineering as its main business, by its investment of around 2.5 million Euro in a new eliminate the need for welding, screwing and riveting. better thermal management in the battery pack and to Kubota produces a variety of other products, such warehouse and production hall for wheel loaders and is reliably bond and seal the battery box. as filtration systems, irrigation systems, steel pipes, a clear endorsement of the local location. In order to meet the demands of modern vehicle con- roofing systems and large valves. struction, we rely on technically mature, customer-spe- Innovative adhesives and sealants for the best energy cific solutions. Whether for automotive construction or efficiency and mobility – this excites us and our cus- In Europe, Kubota achieved a turnover of 2.2 billion vehicle repair, for cars, lorries, buses, caravans, rail vehi- tomers! Euro with 4,400 employees. The European organisa- cles etc. – KÖMMERLING products improve energy effi- tion consists of nine production plants and various ciency, lower emissions and increase comfort. distribution, service and sales units offering tractors, construction machinery, industrial engines, agricul- KÖMMERLING offers innovative solutions for automo- tural machinery, multi-purpose vehicles and lawn tive hot topics like lightweight construction, e-mobility,

Competencies: Contact: Competencies: Contact: · Adhesives and sealants for the best energy Kömmerling Chemische Fabrik GmbH Production of Kubota Baumaschinen GmbH efficiency and mobility Zweibrücker Straße 200 · 66954 Pirmasens · Compact excavators Steinhauser Straße 100 · Innovative solutions for vehicle construction and Christoph Müller – Business Development · Wheel loaders 66482 Zweibrücken repair Manager Engineering Adhesives EIMEA · Track dumpers Tel. 49 (0)6332 -4870 · Modern lightweight solutions for the implementation Tel. +49 (0)6331 562456 · Eur ope-wide comprehensive dealer network for Email: [email protected] of multi-material mixes Email: [email protected] sales and logistics www.kubota-baumschinen.de · System solutions for battery-operated electric vehicles www.koe-chemie.de

32 Companies 33 MEC Elektronische Komponenten GmbH MiniTec GmbH & Co. KG Top Performance in Assembly of Simple Solutions for Printed Circuit Boards Complex Systems From automotive technology to medical technology or alternative energy solutions, it all Since its foundation in 1986, MiniTec has steadily grown from a miniature guide track depends on a small detail: the electrical brain, i.e. the assembled printed circuit board. If specialist into a leading technology company. Today, 400 experts at 12 locations develop this fails then the whole system is down. So, the choice of a supplier of electronic com- tailor-made solutions for our customers’ problems. ponents is of central importance. An integral part of MiniTec's company ethos is to keep implement intelligent systems for a diverse range of all the essential competencies and components in- tasks in all important industrial sectors on the basis of For 35 years, MEC Elektronische Komponenten GmbH house and to optimise them to meet our high quality our profile system. with 140 employees, has stood for intelligent and indi- standards. This applies to our modular system, as well vidual solutions: from development to series product, as our linear technology. Thanks to a strict modular The main customers of MiniTec are renowned manu- MEC GmbH is a competent partner for all the value principle, we achieve efficiency with utmost reliability facturers and suppliers of the automotive industry, so- creating stages of electronic manufacture. Consistent by avoiding superfluous product diversity and simulta- lar technology manufacturers, as well as providers of improvement of manufacturing processes and a high neously developing complementary CAD software. The automation systems, packaging machines, general me- degree of automation guarantee fault-free production benchmark of our profile system is: the Art of Simplicity. chanical engineering and assembly technology. Prom- no matter how complex the assembly. The resulting inent examples include test equipment for the Airbus increase in productivity means that MEC GmbH offers We create sophisticated solutions for a wide variety A380, ergonomically and rationally optimised produc- a fair, internationally competitive, price-performance of tasks from diverse sectors of industry on the basis tion facilities for electronics manufacturers, assembly ratio. Thanks to state-of-the-art technologies, excellent of our profile system. Important industrial companies lines for car seats and back-end assembly lines for solar service and constant investments in the machine park, laurels is not an option: MEC GmbH sees every new pro- worldwide are our customers. Together with leading re- modules. we can cover assembly of printed circuit boards to meet ject as a chance to celebrate success with the customer search institutes like DFKI and the Fraunhofer Institute, all needs. and further develop ourselves. we are working on pioneering developments in ergo- nomics and industry 4.0. As a consequence of the ex- Many top international companies rely on the know- acting technical standards, we have this motto for our how of MEC GmbH. Many millions of circuit boards complete solutions: the Engineers Choice. have already been assembled for customers in Europe, Asia and America from the automotive sector to medi- Our solutions are every bit as individual as our custom- cal technology and renewable energies. Resting on our ers’ requirements. As a full-service manufacturer, we

Competencies: Competencies: Contact: Contact: · Assembly of printed circuit boards (samples & series) · Automation and special purpose machine MiniTec GmbH & Co. KG MEC Elektronische Komponenten GmbH · EMS services of all kinds construction in the fields of conveyance, as- MiniTec Allee 1 Straßburger Ring 10 · Automotive industry, solar technology, medical sembly, testing and soldering 66901 Schönenberg-Kübelberg 66482 Zweibrücken technology, navigation systems, network technolo- · Fire fighting technology Tel. +49 (0)6373 8127-0 Tel. +49 (0)6332 99130 gy, sanitation, industrial technology, energy supply · Solar technology www.minitec.de Email: [email protected] · ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certified · Consulting, construction and assembly www-mec-elektronik.de · Know-how since 1984 · Software and training

34 Companies 35 Opel Automobile GmbH – Kaiserslautern Plant The plant has also been producing engines since 1980. Apprenticeships – an investment in the future At the moment, 1.5 and 2.0 litre diesel engines are pro- The Kaiserslautern Opel site offers young people innovative duced on site. Well over nine million engines "Made in and qualified professional training that closely interlinks Kaiserslautern" have rolled off the production line so far. theory and practice. This way, apprentices gain experience Traditional Site with in production areas early on. This is the optimal foundation The Kaiserslautern plant also stands for innovative stone of a successful professional career with diverse devel- technologies. For the production of seats, a collaborative opment prospects. the Latest Technology robot is integrated into the production line and works there together with the employee on seat structures The plant in Kaiserslautern has been producing top quality vehicle components for over (bottom right photo). The press plant is currently pro- 50 years. Under the new owner, Groupe PSA, the traditional Opel site is preparing itself ducing a system for hot forming steel. Kaiserslautern is the only PSA group production site that will use this for the future. technology.

As an important pillar of Groupe PSA's global produc- individual parts are manufactured and welded together. tion network, the Kaiserslautern plant reliably supplies Engine bonnets made of aluminium are also produced Competencies: Contact: its sister plants with vehicle components and engines. here (large photo). The experts for the production of · Processing high-strength steels & aluminium Opel Automobile GmbH – Kaiserslautern Plant The heart of the site is the press plant. The majority of front and rear wheel carriers, as well as seat structures, · Press die construction Opelkreisel 1 the sheet metal parts manufactured here are sent to work in the chassis components production part of the · Welding operations (aluminium welding, spot 67663 Kaiserslautern both of the two welding areas of the plant for further plant. Around 19 million axles and 40 million seat struc- welding, MIG / MAG welding) Tel. +49 (0)631 355-1652 processing: in the production of body components, the tures have been manufactured at the West Palatinate · Axle and seat manufacture Email: [email protected] pressed parts are assembled in highly flexible welding production site to date. · Engine assembly and processing www.opel.de cells, for example for dashboard supports (top right · Machining of engine parts photo) – a highly complex component, for which 40

36 Companies 37 SKS Welding Systems GmbH are compatible with all common welding robots of SKS welding machines are used by renowned auto- well-known manufacturers. What makes SKS products motive manufacturers and suppliers. Like the OEMs, particularly special is their maximum availability and Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers also manufacture exhaust, their persistent service lives. seat, axle, battery tray and bodywork with SKS welding systems. Made in Germany – Made by SKS In 2009, SKS built its own production facilities in order to deliver top quality precision parts and to guarantee With its many years of experience, SKS sees itself as one of the most innova- maximum availability of welding machines. In 2012, a new company building was established in Kaisers- tive system partners of the automotive and supplier industry. Since lautern, in 2018, the production capacity was doubled. the 1980s, SKS Welding Systems has been using pioneering This makes SKS the first choice for welding. technologies to optimise arc welding processes.

Above all, the industry appreciates SKS‘ innovative strength and capacity for forward-looking and customer-oriented development work. SKS designs Competencies: Contact: welding machines, welding torches and the associated arc welding processes, · Development, production and sales of SKS Welding Systems GmbH which sustainably expand the possibilities of automated robot welding. welding machines and components for auto- Marie-Curie-Straße 14 mated/ robotised welding 67661 Kaiserslautern The formula for success: The combination of a modular welding machine · Welding Torch System Tel. +49 (0)6371 7986-0 produced with high-performance components and a functional torch se- · Process development for GMA (single wire, Email: [email protected] ries for a wide range of applications. The systems are supplemented by flexible double wire), MIG soldering www.sks-welding.com software solutions for welding data documentation – from stand-alone opera- · Software/IT development tion to network integration. In addition, the welding machines and torch systems

38 Companies 39 Robot Makers GmbH SCHLIESSMEYER – Innovationen in Kunststoff When Mobile Machinery Becomes Customer-oriented. Driven by Intelligent Innovation. Value-based. While Google (Waymo), Uber or Tesla take care of road traffic, Robot Makers GmbH work For over 50 years, SCHLIESSMEYER GmbH has been successfully supplying renowned cus- off the beaten track. tomers from the automotive, aviation, mechanical engineering, appliances, construction

“Mission Complete” is displayed by the intelligent But the systems of Robot Makers GmbH show strengths and agricultural machinery, medical technology and packaging industries. mulch system that has just freed several dozen rows of in other areas besides viticulture: “Our technology is grape vines from the tall grass. Now the machine waits suitable for use in almost all mobile machinery and im- As a full-service provider, we assume all stages of the We apply layers in a variety of decors and colours for new instructions from the operator. The innovative plements that do their work off the public roads,” says value-creation chain from planning to finished product: with hot embossing and in-mould decoration. control systems of the technology leader from Kaisers- managing director Bernd Helge Leroch. So far solutions concept development, industrial design and product lautern have turned this vehicle into an intelligent mo- have been realised for material handling, road produc- development, over plant and control mechanism con- Our machine park can cover injection weights from 1g bile machine that can independently carry out recur- tion, the municipal sector, stage technology and even in struction, tool and special purpose machine construc- to 3,645g, the maximum clamping force is currently rent maintenance work in the vineyard. the area of fully automated parking garages. The degree tion, packaging development, right up to series produc- 1,000 tons. In order to guarantee efficient and fully-au- of automation varies from assistance systems to relieve tion. tomated production, the machines are equipped with “Improve safety, increase efficiency, increase ease of the operator to (partially) autonomous functions and robot handling systems. use,” Carsten Hillenbrand and Dr. Bernd Helge Leroch systems. With first-class technologies, impressive innovations break down the purpose of their intelligent systems and targeted investments, we guarantee our customers All business and production processes are subject to into three basic objectives. The fact that the techno- a distinct competitive edge. International tool procure- strict quality management in accordance with DIN ISO logy is also able to achieve these objectives is shown, ment in combination with in-house toolmaking means 9001, as well as the VDA’s automobile directive 6.1. Our for example, by the implement automation Vineyard- we achieve top quality at competitive prices. environmental management is certified according to PilotAssistant, which was developed together with the DIN ISO 14001 . company Braun Maschinenbau from Landau. With cer- In the 2K injection moulding process, highly complex tain combinations of equipment, the intelligent control construction parts made with hard-soft combinations SCHLIESSMEYER is a flexible, reliable and engaged part- system doubles the speed of work while optimising the are manufactured. From simple completions to com- ner to our customers. results and also reducing damage to the valuable vines. plex assemblies, we manufacture assembly work of any The same applies for the RowCropPilot, which reliably kind from a single source. For larger numbers of pieces, controls a caterpillar vehicle in steep slope viticulture, we rely on industrial robots for the precise insertion of thus keeping the operator off of the hillside danger adhesive and foam strips, as well as masking and pro- zone. tective films or metal parts in injection moulds.

Competencies: Competencies: Contact: Contact: · Full-service provider Control technology for the realisation Robot Makers GmbH Schliessmeyer GmbH · Product development to series production of intelligent mobile working machines, Merkurstraße 45 Am Funkturm 10 · Injection moulding up to 1,000 tons assistance systems, (partially) autonomous 67663 Kaiserslautern 66482 Zweibrücken · 2K injection moulding systems, automation of mobile machines Tel. +49 (0)631 2040130 Tel. +49 06332 9225-36 · Toolmaking Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] · Surface decoration www.robotmakers.de www.schliessmeyer.de · Assembly work

40 Companies 41 Tadano Demag GmbH At Home in Zweibrücken – in Use Worldwide Zweibrücken-based crane manufacturer Tadano Demag, with around 1,500 employees, is one of the biggest employers in the region. Since the 1. August 2019, the company has belonged to the Japanese Tadano Group, which aspires to long-term global market leader- ship in the lifting industry.

Both companies share a long entrepreneurial tradition in the development and production of lifting technologies: for 200 years, the Demag brand has stood for the development of intelligent and innovative lifting solutions, and Tadano celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

Tadano Demag develops, manufactures and sells innovative lattice boom crawler cranes and telescop- ic cranes with lifting capacities of up to 3,200 tonnes on its almost 100,000 square meter plant premises in Zweibrücken. These are used worldwide in power plant construction, in infrastructure projects, in refineries and in the construction of wind farms.

A Superlative Manufacturer At the Zweibrücken site, Tadano Demag manufactures the world's largest crawler crane to enter series production: the CC 8800, which can lift loads of 1,250 tonnes up to 200 meters. This means Tadano Demag is also able to construct the tallest wind turbines worldwide. Such customer-oriented solutions make Tadano Demag a worldwide success.

Qualified employees develop innovative solutions Flexibility as a competitive advantage Tadano Demag owes its great innovative strength to With this mix of innovative power, customer orienta- its qualified employees: 80 percent of the workforce tion and qualified employees, Tadano Demag can react are skilled workers and one in ten workplaces is lo- flexibly to the respectively current requirements of the cated in the areas of development and construction. markets. This is what makes the cranes from Zweibrück- In brief: the "smartest" minds in the industry work in en so successful – at home and in the world at large. the engineering departments. And to keep it that way, Tadano attaches great importance to the qualifications of its skilled junior employees. To this end, the company maintains a well-equipped training workshop in Zwei- brücken for its apprentices, who regularly achieve top positions in national and international competitions.

Competencies: Contact: · Development and production of Tadano Demag GmbH - city cranes up to 45 t Europa Allee 2 - all-terrain cranes up to 1,200 t 66482 Zweibrücken - lattice boom crawler cranes up to 3,200 t Tel. +49 (0)6332 83-0 · Development of innovative control systems for Email: [email protected] the crane world, e.g. telemetry systems www.demagmobilecranes.com

42 Companies 43 WIPOTEC GROUP

Lived sustainability: WIPOTEC sets not only technical As an attractive training company and partner for standards for industrial companies in the region, but dual study courses with the University of Applied World-class Weighing Technology also ecological standards by building with energetic Sciences, Kaiserslautern, the innovative high-tech recovery in mind and generating renewable energy: Al- company offers a multitude of career opportunities Over 1,000 employees worldwide, over 700 thereof in Kaiserslautern: ready today, the central production site supplies 85% for people in the future-orientated West Palatinate the WIPOTEC GROUP offers a wide range of dynamic high-tech weighing of its own energy requirements with its own alterna- region. tive energy sources (solar energy, medium depth ge- and inspection technology for industrial use. othermal energy 150m and deep geothermal energy 1500m, solar thermal energy, groundwater cooling, underground energy storage). WIPOTEC Group is one of the world’s leading sup- inspection solutions. As a in-line product inspection spe- pliers of intelligent weighing and inspection tech- cialist WIPOTEC delivers systems for weight monitoring nology. At the headquarters in Kaiserslautern, the in combination with modern camera technology, met- technology leader for high-precision weighing tech- al detection, foreign object search, content and shape Competencies: Contact: nology develops and produces unique machine solu- control with X-ray scanners, as well as label monitoring. · World leading supplier of intelligent WIPOTEC GmbH tions and technologies for OEMs and end customers weighing and inspection technology Adam-Hoffmann-Str. 26 from a diverse range of industries. The range of solutions complements product tracking · Designed, constructed and manufactured in 67657 Kaiserslautern systems for the pharmaceutical industry and solu- Germany Tel. +49 (0)631 34146-0 Founded in 1988 as WIPOTEC Weighing and Positioning tions for courier, express and postal services and in- · Entire value chain: Hardware and softwaredevelop- Email: [email protected] Systems GmbH with the core business of development, tralogistics, which can read bar codes and record di- ment, in-house production, after-sales service www.wipotec.com production and integration of ultra-fast precision mensions and weights of the shipments. · Premium quality and derived customer benefit in weigh cells and weighing systems, today, the company high-performance applications group has an extensive range of weighing and product

44 Companies 45 Commercial Vehicle Cluster - Nutzfahrzeug GmbH Commercial Vehicle Expertise

“Working together to shape the future of the commercial vehicle industry”

The Commercial Vehicle Cluster (CVC) is a cooperation and more non-technical topics are being addressed, among the leading players in the commercial vehicle in- such as product and producer liability or new business dustry. Its goal is to position the Southwest of Germany models. For the above mentioned priorities, the CVC, for and especially Rhineland-Palatinate as the leading com- example, commissions studies, initiates projects and petence centre of the commercial vehicle industry. organises special symposia, working groups or workshops as needed. Through its transfer instruments (e.g. On the one hand, CVC offers a platform for network- newsletter, technology site visits, annual conference or ing, cooperation and information exchange. On the specialist conferences), the resulting knowledge and ex- other, the existing expertise of CVC members is used pertise is distributed and made available exclusively to in a targeted manner in order to identify and work on the cluster. future topics in the commercial vehicle industry. Ex- cellent research facilities and innovative companies With head office’s assumption of the "We move it" in- develop solutions together to sustainably strengthen the itiative of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, competitiveness of the commercial vehicle industry. Agriculture and Viticulture, networking within the vehicle industry will be further intensified. The business The expertise of the members of the CVC covers all ecosystem of the automotive industry is designed to stages of the value chain, from research to production complement the work of the CVC, but also the Rhine- of commercial vehicles. This provides CVC partners with land-Palatinate vehicle initiative. Together with part- unique opportunities to collaborate on the develop- ners from universities, research institutes, chambers, as- ment and commercialisation of innovations. The CVC sociations and other institutions, framework conditions head office initiates projects, arranges suitable partners are being created to leverage the structural changes in and accompanies the implementation of such coopera- the vehicle industry for the benefit of the Rhineland- tion projects. Palatinate as a business location.

From a technological perspective, focus is put on the strategic priorities of “innovation management”, “engineering” and “production systems”. A variety of activities are implemented in this context. But more

Range of services: Contact: · Workshops, working groups & trade events Universities, Institutes Commercial Vehicle Cluster – · Regular newsletter with free publication options Nutzfahrzeug GmbH for contributions Europaallee 3-5 · Platform for networking with politics, business, 67657 Kaiserslautern & Networks research and business development Tel. 0631 41486 250 · Conveying expertise Email: [email protected] · Assistance in the acquisition of funds www.cvc-suedwest.com · Assistance in strategy definition processes

46 Research | Development 47 DFKI German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence GmbH Rhineland-Palatinate Vehicle Initiative registered association Innovative Software Technologies The Automotive Network The vehicle initiative, founded in 2013 and supported from the beginning by the Rhenish Based on AI Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture, is a network that, as Artificial intelligence (AI) is an important key technology for the competitive ability a registered association, is managed by the General Assembly, the Management Board of German and European suppliers in the areas of automotive, industry 4.0 and auto- and Executive Board. nomous driving.

DFKI is Germany's leading business-oriented research driving. The surroundings of the vehicle must be de- The association pursues the goal of increasing net- weight construction, new business models due to dig- institution in the field of innovative software technolo- tected using various sensor systems, from which con- working within the industry and promoting the ex- italisation and drive technologies, among other things, gies based on artificial intelligence methods. DFKI pro- clusions are then drawn for vehicle control. Regarding change of information on its central topics. This in- the development of skilled workers in the industry is jects cover the entire spectrum from application-orient- intelligent environment detection, the DFKI Kaisers- dustrial networking is successfully promoted through an important topic to which the network is indelibly ed basic research to market and customer-orientated lautern is conducting research into methods for robust continual exchange with politicians, representatives of devoted. development of product functions. The range of servic- distance and motion determination, as well as seman- vehicle manufacturers, as well as representatives from es includes the technological transfer of internationally tic interpretation. Furthermore, methods of detecting the scientific community. In the European Interreg award-winning research results, as well as market stud- people within the vehicle interior are being researched project PAE, which was de- ies, expert opinions and feasibility studies. Additionally, to provide the basis for human-machine interaction The activities of the association serve to strengthen veloped on the initiative of there is the implementation, maintenance and care of technologies for highly automated and fully automated the competitiveness of our companies and to inform the cluster organisations of the AI solutions developed by the DFKI and their scien- driving. DFKI cooperates with well-known car manufac- on trends and development opportunities, so that the the automotive and mobility industry of the wider re- tific evaluation. turers and suppliers on numerous projects, among oth- Rhineland-Palatinate’s vehicle industry can sustaina- gion and its neighbouring areas, our association aims ers, the German Association of the Automotive Industry bly grow. The development of networks between those to comprehensively ensure the cross-border and inter- At the Kaiserslautern site, DFKI uses its broad methodo- (VDA)'s AI flagship initiative. responsible in the industry, the transfer of knowledge national perception of this sector and to increase the logical knowledge and unique hardware equipment to and joint cooperation projects are all central concerns export share in the turnover of SMEs. set up industry-specific transfer labs for renowned com- of networking activities. The member structure is pur- panies. In the past two years alone, several such labora- posefully built up from the entire automotive value tories have emerged, two of them with manufacturers chain and additionally supplemented with competent and suppliers in the automotive sector (Continental, partners from other areas, so that our companies in IAV), with the goal of jointly developing innovative AI the association can find everything necessary for suc- service modules for various markets and target groups. cessfully running a company, from the suppliers up Right now, AI plays a critical role in field of autonomous to the legal advice. Besides production topics, light-

Competencies: Competencies: Kontakt: Contact: · Smart data & intelligent analytics of measured · Contact and exchange platform Fahrzeug-Initiative Rheinland-Pfalz e.V. German Research Centre for data · Knowledge and technology transfer Dr.-Ing. Dietrich Rodermund (CEO) Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) · Driver assistance systems & autonomous driving · Port of call for new entrepreneurs and start-ups Europaallee 3-5 · 67657 Kaiserslautern Trippstadter Str. 122 · 67663 Kaiserslautern · Industry 4.0 & innovative plant systems · Regional and transregional networking with Tel. +49 (0)631 55098710 Tel. +49 (0)631 205750 · Visual computing & augmented vision leading know-how and technology leaders Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] · Deep learning & autonomous systems · Seminars and training on technology and www.fahrzeug-initiative.de www.dfki.de · 5G & real-time networking technologies · Active support for development projects

48 Research | Development 49 Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE Fraunhofer IESE contribute their know-how to com- omous driving, among other things. Fraunhofer IESE panies and partners, especially in the fields of infor- thus contributes to Germany’s international compet- mation systems, embedded systems and smart eco- itiveness as a business location. systems.

Practical IT Research Under the guidance of Professor Peter Liggesmeyer, the Fraunhofer IESE has been providing significant contributions to strengthening the IT site in Kaiser- for the Digital Future slautern for over 20 years. The Fraunhofer Group for Information and Communication Technology works Software is part of our lives. Embedded in modern vehicles, flexible production together with other Fraunhofer Institutes on pio- environments or everyday objects such as Smartphones, software has become neering key technologies. At Fraunhofer IESE, more than 200 employees are researching solutions for the indispensable to today's products and systems. flexible production of the future or to secure auton-

The Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software is a competent technology partner for companies of Engineering IESE in Kaiserslautern is one of the all sizes: from small businesses to large corporations. Competencies: Contact: world's leading research institutions in the field of · Software and system development Fraunhofer Institute for software and system development. The products of Fraunhofer IESE supports the development of soft- · Automotive and transport systems Experimental Software Engineering IESE its cooperation partners are essentially determined ware systems that can be relied upon in every re- · Automation and plant construction Fraunhofer-Platz 1 · 67663 Kaiserslautern by software. The spectrum ranges from vehicle and spect. Engineering methods in the areas of processes, · Information systems Tel. +49 (0)631 68006000 information systems to intelligent solutions for auto- requirements, data and architecture are advancing · Smart farming & digital ecosystems Email: [email protected] mated production and healthcare. Solutions are flexi- under the quality criteria of safety, security and user · Industry 4.0 & big data www.iese.fraunhofer.de bly scalable and tailor-made. This means the institute experience. In industrial practice, the experts at

Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM Hochschule Kaiserslautern - University of Applied Sciences Practical Mathematics Innovative Teaching and Learning – Vision,

The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM is the largest research Development & Design in the “Connected Age” institute in the Rhineland-Palatinate: 320 employees work on the mathematical As a university of applied sciences we represent the interface between industry, tech- solutions to technical problems. nology and research. Firmly rooted in the region, we teach in a targeted and cooperative way, moulding highly qualified academics for the jobs of today and tomorrow. They create depictions of the real world and transfer made about the specific requirements a vehicle will them to the virtual world of models and to software. encounter over a certain distance. This kind of problem solving is of central importance Technical issues in science, economy, and not least, in in- environment for researching human-technology inter- in all industries, not just for large corporations, but Simulation and Production dustry 4.0 are becoming ever more complex. Yet education actions. Students and researchers develop innovative op- also for small and medium sized companies. Since Quality control in production, whether it be of paint and research at the University of Applied Sciences, Kaiser- erating concepts and software frameworks for practice in most of the latter do not have their own research de- layers, air filters or brake pads, is just as much a part slautern finds high-performance, application-oriented and a variety of settings. partments, they like to rely on the simulation exper- of the Institutes’ range of services as simulations of forward-looking answers to them. We focus on the real tise of the Fraunhofer ITWM. vehicles driving through water or bubble formation needs of the economy, with well-grounded practical study In the research area of highly-efficient technical during refuelling. E-mobility is also not left out: fast - programs and interdisciplinary development of solutions systems (HTS), the focus is the optimisation of complex Vehicles in the digital age er charging lithium-ion batteries, secure charging for the digital age. With over 200 partner companies, we networked technical solutions. Experts from electronics, Even though the Institute has customers from a wide stations and a scalable charging infrastructure (for realise our vision of responsibility, networking, diversity and computer science and mechanical engineering devel- spectrum of industries, a great many software prod- example in parking garages) are among the research incentive as a powerful driving force in the region. The au- op interdisciplinary innovations from the idea through ucts developed in Fraunhofer ITWM find their ap- topics here. tomotive competencies are particularly clear in highly spe- to the product and right up to the system approach. In plication in the automotive industry. It is very clear cialised units. the field of sensor technology, the interdisciplinary- in that the research focus is “Digital Commercial Vehicle teraction between applied life sciences and micro- and Technology”. Here, among other things, the research- For example, the institute for e-mobility researches and nanotechnologies is being examined in the main re- ers develop flexible virtual test concepts for vehicles teaches the development of energy-efficient systems in ap- search area of integrated miniaturised systems (IMS) and and in doing so, focus on the interaction between ve- plied engineering sciences with cooperation partners such through the development of miniaturised systems and hicle, environment and human being. Virtually test- as engineering and test service providers. Projects enthuse their research for use in practice. ing vehicles as a total system reduces the number the students and enable them to use acquired know-how in of prototypes made and thus reduces development tangible ways and thus actively contribute to the revolution costs. This is also the goal of the “Virtual Measure- in individual mobility. ment Campaign”; based on the analysis of geo-refer- enced environmental conditions, statements can be In the context of automotive projects, the working group HCI2B is working on a highly flexible driving simulation

Competencies: Contact: Competencies: Contact: · Modelling, simulation and optimisation Fraunhofer Institute · Human-computer interaction Hochschule Kaiserslautern · Mathematics for vehicle development for Industrial Mathematics ITWM · E-mobility and energy-efficient systems University of Applied Sciences · Image processing Fraunhofer-Platz 1 · 67663 Kaiserslautern · Software-intensive systems Schoenstraße 11 · 67659 Kaiserslautern · Quality assurance Tel. +49 (0)631 31600-4674 · Sustainability for products and services Tel. +49 (0)631 37 24 - 0 · Material characterisation and testing Email: [email protected] · Digitalisation and industry 4.0 Email: [email protected] · Data analysis / machine learning www.itwm.fraunhofer.de · Flexible study formats for lifelong learning www.hs-kl.de

Institute for Composite Materials Centre for Commercial Vehicle Technology (ZNT) – TU Kaiserslautern Composites Fit for the Future Commercial Vehicle-Specific Solutions

Composite materials combine the positive properties of several materials into a new The Centre for Commercial Vehicle Technology (ZNT) is an interdisciplinary platform material. Innovative processes assure performance and sustainability over the entire for commercial vehicle-specific research, development and services at the Technical product life cycle. University of Kaiserslautern.

Since its foundation in 2007, the ZNT has developed ZNT's main research objective is the development The Institute for Composite Materials (IVW) is a non- Newly gained knowledge is transferred, especially for into a national and even international competence and production of commercial vehicles which are profit research institution of the state of Rhineland-Pa- use in science, but also in teaching, to the interested cluster for commercial vehicle technology through more energy and resource efficient, have an increas- latinate and the Technical University of Kaiserslautern. public and industrial applications. its numerous research activities and cooperative pro- ing level of intelligence and are operated in a net- For nearly 30 years, it has been researching the foun- jects with the commercial vehicle industry. The ZNT is worked environment. The individual activities un- dations for future applications of composites that are The IVW develops technologies for innovative and thus one of the mainstays of the Commercial Vehicle dertaken to answer the research questions take into critical for production technologies and healthcare, e.g. sustainable vehicle structures using fibre composite Alliance Kaiserslautern (CVA) and an important insti- account the entire product life from conception right for the mobility of the future, as well as for the areas of and hybrid construction, enabling particularly efficient, tution in Kaiserslautern’s research landscape. In order up to recycling and can be summarised in the key energy, climate and environment. New materials, con- fuel-saving, long-lasting, low-maintenance and safe to further increase and secure its competence in com- topics of energy and resource efficiency, human-ve- struction methods and production processes are exam- vehicles. mercial vehicle technology at the Kaiserslautern site, hicle system, intelligent networked vehicles and val- ined and, after working out a fundamental understand- the ZNT works closely with companies in the commer- ue-added services. Research aspects in these areas ing thereof, tailored to their respective applications. cial vehicle industry, as well as the industry-oriented are, for example, electromobility and electrification Commercial Vehicle Cluster Südwest (CVC) and the of vehicles and ancillaries, vehicle-to-vehicle com- At the IVW, the entire process chain is in focus, from ma- Kaiserslautern Fraunhofer Institutes. munication, autonomous driving, optimised energy terial basics through characterisation and simulation, and operational management of vehicles and fleets, the construction methods and the production techno- The scientific objective of the ZNT is to make a signi- lightweight construction using innovative materials logy right up to component testing and recycling. New ficant contribution to solving the future technolog- and manufacturing technologies, as well as increas- ideas and innovative concepts are not only an essential ical challenges of the commercial vehicle industry. ing functional system reliability and safe operation part of the institute’s research and development, but Through the integration and active participation of through innovative assistance systems as well as IT- rather also lead to spin-off companies, particularly in nearly 15 working groups from the disciplines of me- based value-added services. the West Palatinate. chanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science, commercial vehicle-specific issues can be analysed with regard to their different aspects and successfully dealt with.

Research foci: Contact: · Polymer composites Institut für Verbundwerkstoffe GmbH · Biocomposites Research foci: Contact: Erwin-Schrödinger-Str. 58 · Material analyses · Innovative drives, electromobility, alternative fuels Zentrum für Nutzfahrzeugtechnologie 67663 Kaiserslautern · Profitability analyses · Assisted and automated driving and work Technische Universität Kaiserslautern Tel. +49 (0)631 2017-100 · Component development · Networked systems and services PO box 3049 Email: [email protected] · Processing technology · Lightweight construction, bionics, new production 67665 Kaiserslautern www.ivw.uni-kl.de · Connection procedures technologies Tel.: +49 (0)631 205 5220 · Lightweight structures · Vehicle and mobility concepts of the future Email: [email protected] · Hybrid structures · Optimised energy and operational management www.uni-kl.de/znt

a good opportunity to test their skills in practise before In 2019, the team took the next step and started to develop Kaiserslautern Racing Team - KaRaT they start working in the field. the software and hardware for a driverless car. The system orients itself independently through learned object recog- Thanks to the development of a solid base, consisting of nition via LIDAR and 3D camera on the race circuit and is to two engines on the rear axle, large batteries in the sides, be integrated into racing cars as of 2020. and an aerodynamic package of front and rear wings, the Racing Car Development and team was able to present the competition’s most energy efficient car several times over and also always im- pressed the judges in the static disciplines, particularly in Motorsport Studies terms of cost efficiency. The team placed in the top 5 of the respective competitions a total of four times. As the only team to represent the Rhineland-Palatinate in the international Formula Student, after a few years the KaRaT succeeded in achieving respectable placements in To bring a reliable electric car to the racetrack with ex- tremely limited funds and within a year is actually an the competition. The team is supported in their development of an electric racing car by impossibility. Yet with a combination of creativity, dili- gence and passion, KaRaT succeeds in accomplishing the Technical University and University of Applied Sciences, as well as by many reliable the stated objectives year after year. partners from the region.

Founded as an association in 2007, the Kaiserslautern The annual project offers students from both universi- Competencies: Contact: Racing Team has developed over the years into an es- ties the opportunity to develop parts using high-perfor- · Development of a driverless system Kaiserslautern Racing Team e.V. tablished part of the Technical University and Universi- mance materials, as well as integrating modern lithi- · Polymer composite component development Gottlieb-Daimler-Str. 47 ty of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern. While from 2008 um-ion batteries and a 400V drive. Every year, according & lightweight construction 67663 Kaiserslautern to 2012, the competition was to design cars with inter- to the rules of the Formula Student, the team also de- · CFD & FEM simulations Tel. +49 (0)631 205-4026 nal combustion engines, every year since 2012, a new velops the microelectronics as well as the software, for · Electric drive systems Email: [email protected] high-powered car with 80kW electric drive and car- example the power control and the driver interface, all www.karat-racing.de bon-fibre monocoque has been developed and manu- of which serve security and reliability. This gives student factured.

56 Research | Development 57 The association ZukunftsRegion Westpfalz [Region of the Future West Palatinate] is a regional initiative which is committed to pooling forces in the West Palatinate and implementing joint projects in order to strengthen the region’s future viability. Thanks to the support of the Chamber of Industry and Com- merce for the Palatinate and the Rhineland-Pala- tinate state government, within just a few years a movement has emerged with over 300 members from business, science, politics and civil society.

www.zukunftsregion-westpfalz.de

Photo: Fraunhofer IESE 58 59 Never was an industry as fast-moving as the automotive industry in recent years. Changed user be- haviour, the trend toward electrification and the increasing digitalisation of the production processes have brought about a profound upheaval.

With a mixture of centuries old experience in metal working, famous German mechanical engineering expertise, as well as outstanding skills in software development and automation, the Western Palati- nate boasts the best preconditions to come out on top in this global transformation process as one of the winning regions.

This brochure presents the regional network of capable companies and innovative research institutions, whose areas of expertise are interlinked. Ideal points of reference for entrepreneurs and investors who are on the search for a suitable environment for their investment.

Supported by:

ZukunftsRegion Westpfalz e.V. Bahnhofstraße 26-28 · 67655 Kaiserslautern · Tel. +49 631 20560110 Email: [email protected] · Web: www.zukunftsregion-westpfalz.de