AutoForm News
 

June 15, 2007:
 
AutoForm and INPRO Announce Cooperation

INPRO (Innovationsgesellschaft für fortgeschrittene Produktionssysteme in der Fahrzeugindustrie mbH) specializes in advanced manufacturing technology innovations for the automotive industry. INPRO’s field of activities, among others, includes forming simulation. The AutoForm expertise will be beneficial for INPRO’s parent companies (DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen, ThyssenKrupp, Siemens, BASF). AutoForm GmbH with its software solutions for sheet metal forming, follows the same trend as INPRO, delivering maximum benefit to its customers. A strategic partnership will combine the respective expertises in the future. The main goal is to offer market oriented and modern products, developed from innovative ideas and prototypes and make these accessible to INPRO’s partners.

Development of innovative advanced manufacturing technologies is very expensive and the transformation into productive applications constitutes a new risk. In order to reduce expenses and risks, INPRO and AutoForm have announced the cooperation, offering their unified services. Dr. Gerd Esser, General Manager of INPRO, stated: “An INPRO focus is the research and development of innovative methods in sheet metal forming, an area where AutoForm is active. Both our companies have market oriented products as a goal and our cooperation is beneficial for our customers. In addition, AutoForm’s market position, its world-wide activities, as well as its expertise regarding the industrial application ensure that prototypes are made commercially available.”

This cooperation, based on an intensive exchange of experiences and the combined expertise of INPRO and AutoForm, favours innovations and constantly offers improved products. Such an approach ensures the technological leading edge for both partners involved. As a further goal, the cooperation partners pursue a faster and strictly market oriented approach to successfully introduce new products. As a result, both partners and the parent companies can extend their fields of leadership and improve their market position.

Specific project agreements describe mutually defined project issues. A frame agreement regulates the cooperation. The fact that the INPRO parent companies have already financed a part of the development achievements is considered accordingly. All investing companies active in sheet metal forming, already use AutoForm software solutions today. Dr. Waldemar Kubli, founder and CEO of AutoForm added: “We are combining the expertise of both partners and these respective strengths complement each other, delivering direct benefits to our customers.”

Press Release [pdf - 48 KB]

Contact:
Dr. Markus Thomma
Director of Marketing
AutoForm Engineering GmbH
Technoparkstrasse 1
CH-8005 Zurich
Switzerland