Atlas Copco opens expanded innovation center in Germany

In the new facility customers from the automotive and general industries get the opportunity to develop and test different advanced joining methods under one roof. "The innovation center gives us an increased capacity to drive innovation and create solutions together with our customers," said Henrik Elmin, Business Area President, Industrial Technique. The German facility is one of ten Atlas Copco innovation centers worldwide, from China to the U.S. The expansion of this facility increases the number of possible customer projects tested at the innovation center from about 250 to 500 annually. Increased space was also needed for customer and employee training, a new logistics system and more office space for existing and new employees. Atlas Copco invested about EUR 6.8 million in the upgrade. Over 400 employees work at the center that will mainly serve central and the south west of Europe. Adhesives are increasingly used for example by automotive manufacturers that want to use lighter materials such as aluminum instead of steel to make the vehicles more fuel efficient. Traditional welding can be difficult with the lighter materials, opening up for alternative assembly technologies.