German transport equipment specialist BPW has acquired fellow German plastics expert Advanced Engineering & Technologies (ADETE).
The company is said to be a specialist in the development and implementation of innovative lightweight plastic and fibre composite solutions and has been operating in the European market since 1999.
“Plastic solutions are becoming increasingly important in the commercial vehicle industry, particularly because the requirements regarding low energy consumption and high efficiency are constantly on the increase,” commented Dr Bert Brauers, Managing Director Design/ Development/ Testing at BPW.
“We can produce even lighter vehicles together with the vehicle manufacturers through the use of plastics, thus enabling vehicle operators, namely shipping companies and fleet organisations, to reduce the fuel consumption per freight consignment.”
ADETE founder Dr Markus Steffens said the acquisition by BPW was a win-win situation. “The integration of ADETE into the BPW Group as a plastics specialist lays the foundation for growth at ADETE. Having a new, strong partner will make it easier for us to gain access to perceivably larger and increasingly international development projects in the area of plastics and fibre composites.”
BPW and ADETE have already been working closely together for several years. A jointly developed prototype of a lightweight axle made of fibre-reinforced plastic was recently shown at the Commercial Vehicle Show, IAA 2014.
“The potential for the use of plastics in truck and trailer components is enormous. We are specifically strengthening our development expertise in this area to develop other innovative solutions,” Dr Brauers said.
The actual take over will take place on 1 January 2015.
Image: Michael Pfeiffer, personally liable Managing Partner at BPW, welcomes Dr Markus Steffens (left) of ADETE and Frank Anna (right), Group Leader Design and Analysis at ADETE.