BMW Group recognises suppliers for best innovations

Presentation of BMW Supplier Innovation Award

Munich. The BMW Group has presented its third BMW Supplier Innovation Award. A total of eight suppliers were honoured for their outstanding achievements in innovation and development.

The BMW Group recognises its most innovative suppliers as key partners in the implementation of new developments who make a decisive contribution to the success of the company. The Supplier Innovation Award pays tribute to their achievements.

Klaus Draeger, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network, explained: “Innovation is a decisive factor in a vehicle’s market success. Many customers ultimately opt for the car with the most impressive innovations. In fact, innovations are a key driver in our role as a pioneer in shaping the mobility of tomorrow.”

The BMW Group considers innovation the foundation of a company’s economic success and future competitiveness. The only way to master the challenges ahead for the automobile industry is through a high level of creativity and inventiveness.

“We intend to continue expanding and strengthening our innovation leadership. Close cooperation with suppliers is extremely important to us. This award is designed not only to recognise outstanding achievements, but also as an incentive for our suppliers to strive for a key competitive edge through their innovations for the BMW Group in the future,” added Draeger.

The BMW Group presented awards in a total of seven categories, as well as a special “Innovation Partnership” award. The categories span fields of technology where the company will define the future of individual mobility as a premium manufacturer.

The winners of the BMW Supplier Innovation Award 2014:

Efficient Dynamics

Bridgestone Corporation: Ologic technology for CO2-optimised tyres

Bridgestone Corporation has developed tyres with so-called “Ologic technology” for BMW i vehicles. The tyres are especially large and narrow, reducing rolling resistance and thereby improving CO2 figures and extending the range of pure electric engines. Thanks to the use of innovative materials and clever design, these tyres fulfil all driving dynamic performance requirements.

Lightweight construction

Corning Incorporated: Acoustic glass partition

Corning Incorporated’s Gorilla glass already features in thousands of smartphone models and is now being used for the first time in a car in the BMW i8’s acoustic partition. Each of the two glass layers is only 0.7 millimetres thick, making the partition 1.3 kilograms or 50 per cent lighter overall. The process up to series production of the partition took only 18 months.

Connected Drive

HERE Europe B.V.: Online map updates

This innovation enables maps to be updated directly in the navigation system via wireless network. The vehicle automatically checks whether new map data is available on a regular basis. The update is then downloaded via wireless network and the map installed in the vehicle is updated, ensuring that the customer automatically has access to the latest navigation maps. This feature places the BMW Group at the technological forefront of the premium segment.

New Technology Experience

ZIZALA Lichtsysteme GmbH: Laser light headlight system

The BMW i8 is the world’s first series-produced vehicle to feature a laser light headlight system. Thanks to this innovation, laser diodes – which were previously unsuited for automotive manufacturing – now meet all customer and operating requirements. BMW Laser Light doubles the high-beam range of conventional headlights to 600 metres and is 30 per cent more energy-efficient than LED headlights.

Quality

Pirelli & C. S.p.A.: Real Dynamic Curing technology

Innovative Real Dynamic Curing technology solves the problem of determining exactly when the inside of a tyre is cured in the vulcanisation process. Until now, it was simply heated for longer to make certain – however, this is detrimental to rolling resistance. Now temperature sensors enable precise vulcanisation to produce top-quality tyres.

Productivity

Grohmann Engineering GmbH: Production system for BMW i8 high-voltage battery

The system produces the BMW i8’s key technology – its high-voltage battery. Battery modules are assembled in the smallest possible space with high power density and long-term stability.

Sustainability

ASK Chemicals GmbH: Inorganic binders for zero-emission foundry process

Through years of development work, the supplier has perfected components, composition and manufacture of inorganic binders to the point where they can replace organic binding systems in large-scale series production. This enables the BMW Group to realise a zero-emission foundry process and further improve working conditions for its employees – at the same time, increasing productivity and the quality of the parts produced.

Innovation partnership

(Special “Innovation Partnership” award)

GENIVI Alliance: GENIVI open infotainment platform

GENIVI is an alliance of 170 automotive companies working together to advance development of head units. The head unit is the central component for in-car communications and entertainment. Due to the complexity and diversity of functions, it has become virtually impossible for the head unit to be developed by a single supplier. The GENIVI Alliance is committed to the open-source principle, whereby innovations developed by one partner are made available to all the others.

The result of these joint efforts was unveiled in autumn 2013 in the first generation of the open infotainment platform based on the Linux operating system, EntryNav, which now features in nearly all BMW models.

Corporate Communications

Frank Wienstroth, Business and Finance Communications

Telephone: +49 89 382-23021, Fax +49 89 382-24418, frank.wienstroth@bmw.de

Nikolai Glies, Head of Business, Finance and Sustainability Communications

Telephone: +49 89 382-24544, Fax: +49 89 382-24418, nikolai.glies@bmwgroup.com

Media website: www.press.bmwgroup.com

Email: presse@bmw.de

The BMW Group

With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 29 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2013, the BMW Group sold approximately 1.963 million cars and 115,215 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2013 was € 7.91 billion on revenues amounting to approximately € 76.06 billion. As of 31 December 2013, the BMW Group had a workforce of 110,351 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

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