EconCore enters into license deal with Japanese company
December 24, 2019 - Belgium
EconCore, the technology provider for continuous production of thermoplastic honeycomb sandwich materials, has entered into a license deal with Japan-based Kotobukiya Fronte, a leading manufacturer of car interior components. The Japanese company has installed EconCore’s production technology to meet the market demand of weight and cost efficiency.
The innovative honeycomb material solutions of Kotobukiya Fronte are now offered under the brand name of M-Light.
EconCore offers a cost-efficient, continuous, high-volume production process for lightweight thermoplastic honeycomb sandwich panels, with customers and licensees in Europe, Asia and the Americas entering the transportation market with the honeycomb technology.
The honeycomb sandwich panels have benefitted the automotive industry. With the new license agreement, the production process is now being used by an established Tier one supplier who will further drive innovation and performance.
EconCore CEO Jochen Pflug said: We are very pleased and proud of having Kotobukiya Fronte join the family of our licensees. We’ve seen the market shift to lighter, sustainable materials, and OEMs insist on keeping costs competitive … This development is helping to evolve the automotive interior market and EconCore’s technology is helping to transform the market with its superior performance and enhanced acoustic properties. We are confident Kotobukiya Fronte is the right partner to develop new honeycomb products for automotive interiors and we are keen to support them.”
Adopting the process for continuous production of thermoplastic honeycomb panels, the Japanese Tier one supplier is shifting to a unique market position by integrating the innovative production and material technologies. The production of rigid panels integrated with in-line lamination of nonwoven and carpet surface layers enables a more efficient production process of finished automotive interior elements.
The lightweight thermoplastic honeycomb panels can be converted into relatively complex shaped parts within a short compression molding process cycle.
The innovative honeycomb material solutions of Kotobukiya Fronte are now offered under the brand name of M-Light.
EconCore offers a cost-efficient, continuous, high-volume production process for lightweight thermoplastic honeycomb sandwich panels, with customers and licensees in Europe, Asia and the Americas entering the transportation market with the honeycomb technology.
The honeycomb sandwich panels have benefitted the automotive industry. With the new license agreement, the production process is now being used by an established Tier one supplier who will further drive innovation and performance.
EconCore CEO Jochen Pflug said: We are very pleased and proud of having Kotobukiya Fronte join the family of our licensees. We’ve seen the market shift to lighter, sustainable materials, and OEMs insist on keeping costs competitive … This development is helping to evolve the automotive interior market and EconCore’s technology is helping to transform the market with its superior performance and enhanced acoustic properties. We are confident Kotobukiya Fronte is the right partner to develop new honeycomb products for automotive interiors and we are keen to support them.”
Adopting the process for continuous production of thermoplastic honeycomb panels, the Japanese Tier one supplier is shifting to a unique market position by integrating the innovative production and material technologies. The production of rigid panels integrated with in-line lamination of nonwoven and carpet surface layers enables a more efficient production process of finished automotive interior elements.
The lightweight thermoplastic honeycomb panels can be converted into relatively complex shaped parts within a short compression molding process cycle.