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Ford and DowAksa formalize agreement to advance the adoption of
cost-effective carbon fiber components through technology validation
and proof of concept to reduce vehicle weight and increase fuel
efficiency without sacrificing strength
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Agreement provides pathway for a high-volume manufacturing partnership
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New joint development agreement accelerates joint research announced
in January in partnership under new U.S. composites manufacturing
institute
Company Website:
http://corporate.ford.com/
DEARBORN, Mich. -- (Business Wire)
Ford and DowAksa today signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to
formally advance research on cost-effective, high-volume manufacturing
of automotive-grade carbon fiber, a material poised to play a
significant role in the drive to make vehicles lighter for greater fuel
efficiency, performance and capability.
The agreement, between Ford Motor Company, Ford Global Technologies and
DowAksa – a 50/50 joint venture between The Dow Chemical Company and
Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayii A.Ş – will combine DowAksa’s feedstock
capacity, carbon fiber conversion and downstream intermediates
production capabilities with Ford's expertise in design, engineering and
high-volume manufacturing. The goal is to produce materials that make
cost-effective carbon fiber composite parts that are much lighter than
steel but meet automotive strength requirements.
"This joint development agreement reinforces Ford’s commitment to our
partnership with DowAksa, and our drive to bring carbon fiber components
to the broader market," said Mike Whitens, director, Vehicle Enterprise
Sciences, Ford Research & Advanced Engineering. “The goal of our work
here fits within the company’s Blueprint
for Sustainability, where future Ford vehicles will be lighter with
optimized performance that would help consumers further improve fuel
economy and reduce emissions.”
“Today’s agreement marks another milestone in the partnership to develop
lightweighting solutions for the automotive industry,” said DowAksa
Chairman Heinz Haller. “Ford and DowAksa’s collaboration will accelerate
delivery of advanced materials and technologies to meet and exceed
expectations for high performance and fuel economy.”
“Automotive manufacturers’ use of carbon fiber composites has been
hindered by the absence of both high-volume manufacturing methods and
affordable material formats,” said DowAska Vice Chairman Mehmet Ali
Berkman. “This partnership combines the individual strengths of each
company to target these challenges.”
The JDA allows the companies to collaboratively generate new, lower-cost
automotive grades of carbon fiber that can be applied to aligned and
random fiber formats while maintaining compatibility with both thermoset
and thermoplastic matrices. The agreement also includes a pathway for
potential extension of development collaboration into a commercial
manufacturing partnership.
“DowAksa is committed to bringing the benefits of carbon fiber to the
industrial marketplace,” Berkman added. “By entering into this
agreement, DowAksa is taking a serious approach to providing
environmentally sustainable solutions, the goal being the manufacture of
much lighter vehicles with optimized performance and cost, which will
ensure reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.”
As announced in January, the companies will be part of the Institute for
Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), announced by
President Obama as part of the larger National Network for Manufacturing
Innovation supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. The JDA will
facilitate the companies’ efforts in conjunction with IACMI to overcome
the high cost and limited availability of carbon fiber in automotive
applications.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford
Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in
Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six
continents. With about 180,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the
company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company
provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more
information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.
About DowAksa
DowAksa was formed in June 2012, combining the strengths of Dow, as
the world leader in epoxy chemistry and resins, and the capabilities of
Aksa, the number one producer of acrylic fibers. The 50:50 joint venture
offers high-quality, reliably supplied, competitively priced carbon
fiber for industrial usage, focused on the transportation, energy and
infrastructure markets. See more about our capabilities at www.dowaksa.com.
Contacts:
The Glover Park Group
Brian Gluckman, 202-741-5562
bgluckman@gloverparkgroup.com
or
Ford
Motor Company
Deeptie Sethi, 313-594-0949
sdeeptie@ford.com
or
Bolger
and Battle
Wendy Traschen, 989-835-8171
wtraschen@bolgerandbattle.com
or
DowAksa
İrem
Çavuşoğlu, +90 212 393 01 01
irem.cavusoglu@dowaksa.com
Source: Ford Motor Company and DowAksa
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