“The automotive industry is currently facing changes with global consequences. Topics such as sustainability, decarbonisation and digital networking demand international cooperation between companies, political decision-makers and stakeholders along the entire supply chain. To that end, it is essential to work together to set the standards for the future. The IZB 2024 demonstrated that the supplier industry is ready and willing to shape this transformation with innovative solutions,” emphasises Thomas Krause, Spokesman of the Board of Wolfsburg AG, the organiser of the IZB. According to Krause, the next IZB in 2026 will reveal which of the innovations discussed at this year’s event have successfully made their way into series production.
With its stronger presence as an exhibitor at the IZB 2024, Volkswagen AG focused on dialogue. “Our IZB concept was a success: The four Volkswagen Group Hubs focusing on different topics enabled us to discuss a multitude of potential solutions to central challenges with our partners, and we will continue to advance possible implementations of these solutions after the IZB. Our discussions yet again underlined the fact that we all share responsibility – both Volkswagen and its partners in the supplier industry. Only by working together can we make solutions for strengthening the automotive industry a reality, in a sustainable manner and as fast as they are required,” concludes Dirk Große-Loheide, Member of the Extended Executive Committee of Volkswagen AG and Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand responsible for Procurement.
Focusing on innovations and future topics
This year’s IZB shone the spotlight on the technological innovations and solutions of more than 50 exhibitors, which are summarised and presented in the “innovations@izb” report. These include 16 world premieres developed in response to the challenges facing the future of mobility, which were showcased to the general public for the first time at the IZB 2024. A multitude of exhibitors also made the most of the IZB Live Stage in Hall 4 as an opportunity to present their innovations and premieres. The stage additionally hosted more than 30 specialist talks, panel discussions and keynotes on the key topics of the event, namely Interior & Exterior, Electronics & Connectivity, Powertrain & Battery and Metal, Car Body & Chassis.
“The Live Stage allowed us to present our innovation roadmap to an international audience of trade visitors before discussing it in more depth in many personal conversations and in the Tech-Hubs with Volkswagen,” explains Craig Piersma, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Gentex. The company demonstrated how a classic rear-view mirror can be transformed into a strategic electronic module, with a number of functions in and around the mirror – such as glare protection and cameras – performing safety and ADAS tasks and displaying additional information in the displays alongside the rear view.
A variety of topics were discussed intensively at the IZB, for example new technologies, their rapid integration into development and production processes and, above all, aspects of sustainability. As a long-standing partner of Volkswagen, Kirchhoff Automotive presented innovative lightweight solutions that support and promote sustainability and efficiency in automotive production. In the panel discussion on “Metal, Car Body & Chassis”, Dr Heiko Engels, Executive Vice President - Sales and Technical Development / Managing Director of Kirchhoff Automotive Deutschland GmbH, underlined the importance of innovative materials and processes based on the example of the company’s new steel grade “SIBORA”. The material offers higher crash safety while simultaneously reducing vehicle weight and improving the CO2 footprint of components.
High-quality exchanges
New exhibitors at the event were also very pleased with the high quality of their discussions and the thematic orientation of the IZB 2024. “Shaping the mobility of tomorrow means placing a clear focus on sustainability – together with the automotive industry by means of cooperative partnerships. Pirelli is striving to become climate neutral by 2030 and consistently focuses on recyclable and bio-based materials, for example those in P Zero E, in its production activities. We are delighted to be able to present these messages and goals at this year’s IZB trade fair,” declares Mattia Bussacchini, Senior Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer at Pirelli.
This year’s IZB featured a wide variety of exhibitors. In addition to ten of the world’s fifteen highest-volume automotive supplier companies, Volkswagen itself also participated as an exhibitor and invited visitors to enjoy intensive professional exchanges with its representatives at a total of four stands – the so-called Volkswagen Group Hubs – thus fulfilling a request made at past events.
The trade fair also continued its tradition of welcoming both a multitude of exhibitors from Asia and a large number of companies from Lower Saxony, including around 20 companies based directly in the automotive location of Wolfsburg. At a joint stand with ES-Tec, Marc Wille, CEO of Cubos, presented the “SolarLink“, a brand-new, patented product in the field of charging technology for B2C use. “We integrate our solution directly into the photovoltaic system and enable bidirectional charging of electric vehicles,” says Wille. The company demonstrated its solution by running its entire stand, including its test robots, independently on energy from an electrified Porsche 911.
The International Suppliers Fair (IZB) takes place in the German city of Wolfsburg every two years. The specialist trade fair for automotive suppliers offers an opportunity to discuss the latest trends, technologies and partnerships in the automotive industry and also provides an overview of the industry’s innovative strength. The IZB is organised by the company Wolfsburg AG.
The text is available at: www.wolfsburg-ag.com/presse
Wolfsburg AG | Communication
Anke Hummitzsch
Phone: 01520.1661107
E-mail: anke.hummitzsch@wolfsburg-ag.com