RadiciGroup automotive team visit Jaguar Land Rover: serving customers and sustainable innovation.
Last January, RadiciGroup was invited by Jaguar Land Rover to the Gaydon Design and Engineering Centre to present its range of automotive engineering plastics, synthetic fibres and nonwovens to the technical staff of the UK auto giant. Discussions around the thematic tables covered topics like innovation, material specificity and performance, customer-tailored services, design and eco-design, material recyclability and systemic sustainability actions.
On 27 and 28 January 2016, RadiciGroup was an invited guest at the Jaguar Land Rover Design and Engineering Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire (UK), for a twoday gathering to exchange ideas and knowledge. The British car manufacturer recently showcased its latest technologies at the Geneva Motor Show (03-13 March 2016).
During the presentation of its product portfolio for automotive applications, RadiciGroup engineers participated in an open dialogue with the numerous Jaguar Land Rover designers, engineers and technicians present at the meeting. Topics of discussion included: characteristics and performance of engineering plastics, synthetic fibres and nonwovens – all 100% recyclable – for automotive applications, opportunities for innovation and eco-design, actions on the sustainability front, and custom-tailored services for customers.
“During the two days at the Jaguar Land Rover centre, we had numerous in-depth one-to-one discussions on technical issues,” said Erico Spini, marketing and application development director Europe of RadiciGroup Plastics. ”We focused mainly on aspects such as the components using appropriate technologies and specialty polyamides, the possibility of realizing exterior parts with excellent surface appearance, the use of continuous fibres capable of delivering superior impact characteristics, and thermally conductive products. What’s more, the characteristics and performance of car body parts and under-the-bonnet supports.”
A wide range of nylon engineering plastics for automotive applications were brought to the attention of the Jaguar Land Rover designers and engineers: from RADILON® HHR and RADILON® XTreme high-temperature resistant specialties to RADISTRONG® long-fibre polyamides, RADILON® D bio-engineering plastics and RADILON® DT nylon 6.12 specialties. In addition to its range of engineering plastics, RadiciGroup presented a complete offering of its other diversified products for automotive applications: a wide portfolio of synthetic fibres – various brands of polyamide yarn and staple fibre (Radilon®, DORIX® and DORIX 6.10, Radifloor®, Raditeck®) and polyester yarn (from traditional Radyarn® to r-Radyarn® recycled yarn) – and nonwovens (Dylar®).
“From our face-to-face discussions with Jaguar Land Rover’s engineers,” said Arturo Andreoni, marketing and application development director of Radifloor®, “it was clear that obtaining a systemic view and direct knowledge of the properties and performance characteristics of the materials for their intended automotive applications was seen by them as added value. This was demonstrated by the many questions asked about our yarns and the innovations our Group was introducing to the market, particularly from the viewpoint of sustainability. Among the main topics of discussion were: recycling, use of biopolymers and recycled materials, and how to achieve maximum technical performance of final products.”
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