Henkel and Carbon Revolution join forces to speed one-piece carbon fibre wheel development
Henkel, a global leading provider of high-impact solutions based on adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings, has reached a strategic material supply agreement with Carbon Revolution, the world-leading Australian manufacturer of one-piece automotive carbon composite wheels.
The collaboration includes dedicated manufacturing facilities established at Henkel’s existing plant near Melbourne.
Wheels represent some of the most important mass on a vehicle due to their rotating, unsprung nature, and carbon composite technology is an emerging choice for global car makers.
Single piece carbon fibre composite wheels can offer up to 40 to 50 per cent weight saving relative to conventional aluminium wheels, and an attractive surface finish.
Konrad Brimo Hayek, Senior Business Development Manager for Automotive Components at Henkel, said: “Based on a number of years of close collaboration with Carbon Revolution, we have extended our proven portfolio of composite material technologies to create proprietary solutions that meet the demanding performance specifications of global car makers.”
“The collaboration with Carbon Revolution is targeted at providing various OEM carbon wheel programmes with the best solutions available and includes active support from Henkel via dual production capacities in the EU, and locally in Australia.”
Brett Gass, CTO at Carbon Revolution, said: “As lightweighting components, carbon wheels can make a significant contribution to minimising the energy consumed when spinning the wheels up and dragging them back down every time the car is accelerated or slowed.”
“This saves fuel on combustion engine vehicles and battery power of hybrid and fully electric vehicles, maximising their range.”
“Henkel’s advanced material technology also adds to the overall reduction of our carbon wheels in noise, vibrations, and harshness when compared to steel or aluminium wheels, which means automakers can save weight on additional sound insulation.”