Thyssenkrupp has launched the Automotive Body Solution business unit, which specialises in body assembly solutions and the production of lightweight body components for automotive customers.
The new unit has been created from the splitting up of the former System Engineering business unit, which previously combined four automotive engineering businesses at thyssenkrupp under one roof. Two of those have been lined up for sale, one dealing with drive and engine technology, the other with battery production. The two dealing with car bodies have been retained to form the new unit, a spokesman explains to Kallanish.
Of the two now merged units, one is classical engineering of machinery used in car body construction, while the other is actually a producer of body components. To this purpose, it uses the strip products typically made by thyssenkrupp Steel, but also from other suppliers.
The combination is unusual but makes sense, the spokesman maintains. According to the unit’s ceo, Falk Nüssle, “our order books are full and we are also benefitting from the trend toward e-mobility”. Its customers include Mercedes-AMG, BMW, Porsche, Audi, Lamborghini, Jaguar Land Rover, Bentley, Aston Martin and Tesla.
In its new structure the company has five development and production locations in Germany and a further six in other countries, in total employing 2,300 people. In the last fiscal year, the activities accounted for a revenue of €4.1 billion ($4.9 billion).