Integrated solutions

Leading global supplier of automotive components and systems Cooper Standard Automotive Inc. has more than 70 locations in 18 countries. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to vice-president of sales and engineering for Cooper Standard’s International division, Uwe Brinkmann, to see how this operation is flourishing.

Global automotive supplier Cooper Standard is headquartered in Michigan, USA; it was established in 1960 and has a global workforce of more than 19,000. Core product groups are body sealing systems, fuel, brake and emission systems, anti-vibration systems and thermal management systems. Its German locations play a key role in the manufacture and marketing of systems and components provided by the group. The locations in Lindau and Mannheim are specialis-

ing in sealing parts production for leading German automotive manufacturers such as Daimler, BMW and Audi. The other three German locations − Hockenheim, Schelklingen and Grünberg – are production sites for emission and fluid handling systems.

Cooper Standard’s vice-president of sales and engineering, Uwe Brinkmann, who is based at the international headquarters in Mannheim, explained how the German operation is integrated both as one overall business and within the company as a whole. He said, “In Germany we have a common management team that is dedicated to the effective running of the sites, with the support and solid foundation of the global company providing strength, innovative systems and global reach.”

Core products for major OEMs

The products manufactured at the Lindau and Mannheim sites are primarily sealing parts for high quality German-manufactured vehicles, including complex sealing systems for convertibles and coupés. The fluid operations produce, for example, a combination of hoses and water pumps that can build a complete system for fuel, electric and hybrid vehicles.

As a market leader for sealing products for European OEMs, Cooper Standard has a broad range of products in its portfolio. This area is moving away from simply supplying the sealing itself toward offering the complete sealing systems now demanded by custom-

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ers, with one pivotal point of contact delivering the whole system. The fluid operations are dedicated to the more ecologically sound future of the automotive industry, with the whole of the Cooper Standard global activities underpinned by a continuous search for ways to reduce and improve a vehicle’s overall carbon footprint, including better fuel economy, increased recyclability and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

This ecological focus plays a major role in the active R&D function at Cooper Standard, which has seen great investment in the very latest testing and engineering equipment. Mr Brinkmann added, “We’re working hard to develop new solutions across our sealing and fluid product lines, all with an environmental concentration, as we know this is an important area of growth potential. We are also seeing new regulations concerning automotive emissions, such as the E05/E06 regulations that demands cleaner emissions, and we’re seeing this market growing faster than any other. It’s also an issue that is important to the company as a whole, both from a commercial perspective and an environmental responsibil-

ity perspective. Much of our R&D effort is now going in this direction and we expect to continue our market-leading position in this new, growing area.”

Innovation drives Cooper Standard to develop cooler technology that can be used across its product portfolio, with the shared goals of better performance and better comparative pricing sitting closely alongside the ecological considerations, making the new solutions good news all round for the company, the customer and the environment.

Meeting local needs

Cooper Standard’s activities across Europe, particularly the Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland and the UK, serve all of the main automotive OEMs, with each country’s office dedicated to working closely with the needs of the local market. Mr Brinkmann added, “Although of course there are great similarities for each country, it is imperative that we actively tailor our service to the precise needs of each customer in each market. That way, we are sure to be offering a service that is playing its part in building strong, mutually beneficial relationships which will in turn make it more likely that future-focused solutions are integrated and adopted as quickly as possible.”

As Cooper Standard looks toward the future, its activities are not just focused on continuousl improvement of its existing sealing and fluid business, or the increasing environmental improvement across the range. The company is keen to widen its already-broad product portfolio by adding to it with related products that complement its service and add value to its offer. Mr Brinkmann said, “We have not been just a component supplier for some time, and this is always on the increase as we work to integrate the ingredients of a complete solution in our range, while still keeping to the ever more important ecological responsibility of our products and their performance. We are already able to deliver complete solutions to our customers by providing the products located beside our sealing systems in the vehicle. Following close communication with our customers we know that this provision gives extra support to their activities, particularly as the complete solutions come with the globally recognised Cooper Standard quality and service promise.” n