Grupo Antolin, one of the largest manufacturers of vehicle interiors in the world, has entered into a strategic partnership with German integrated electronics provider AED Engineering. Thanks to this strategic partnership, Grupo Antolin will improve its electronic capabilities, which are vital in the transformation process it is undertaking to consolidate the company as a global provider of technological solutions for the automotive interior.
AED Engineering will bolster the work of Antolin’s new Electronic Systems Business Unit by partnering in the development of electronics for automobile manufacturers. It will also work with Antolin to bring added value to the Spanish multinational’s product portfolio. AED Engineering has more than 140 highly specialized engineers at its advanced engineering centres in Munich (Germany) and Murcia (Spain).
“At a time like this in the automotive industry, the ability to continue innovating and expanding our range of solutions to support the clients’ transformation process becomes ever more important”, says Grupo Antolin’s chairman, Ernesto Antolin. “I am convinced that the partnership with AED will allow us to continue creating value for our customers with products that have a greater technological content, thanks to electronics. We want to create smart interiors that meet the needs of our customers’ new connected and sustainable vehicles. We continue to make progress in our strategy to lead the changes that are taking place in the industry from the car’s interior”, highlights Ernesto Antolin.
Carlos Urquizar, founder and CEO of AED Engineering: “The partnership with Grupo Antolin will allow us to strengthen our market position in the automotive world and undertake the necessary investments for growth in our engineering centres. AED will be able to expand its electronic production capabilities to provide large series of electronic components to customers with excellent quality and competitive prices”.
Commitment to talent
The partnership with Antolin will allow AED Engineering to continue with its expansion plans and the development of its advanced engineering hub in Murcia, where more than 40 professionals already work. With the support of Antolin, AED Engineering will continue to incorporate new engineers to this technological hub. The German company has teamed up with the Polytechnic University of Cartagena to create the AED-UPCT Chair in order to develop automotive research projects, while training young engineers.
In this way, Antolin continues to support the development and recruitment of talent in the automotive industry. Its Electronic Systems Business Unit will start out with a team of more than 100 engineers, of which nearly 50 are professionals who have joined the company in recent months or will do so soon.
“The support of AED engineers, who will complete the work of our in-house professionals, must be a differentiating factor for us. With the experience and knowledge of AED and that of our own teams, we will be able to position Spain as a leader in electronics research applied to the interior of the car”, underlines Ernesto Antolin. In this sense, the company is also working with the Galician Automotive Technology Center (CTAG) in the development of new advanced electronics solutions.
“Since its inception, AED has been committed to research, development and innovation as tools of competitive excellence. The strategic partnership with Grupo Antolin will allow us to expand our investment in research and development and, in this way, establish ourselves as an innovative and knowledge-generating company. We believe that knowledge and the creation of new technologies is the key to progress, economic growth, well-being and digital transformation”, explains Carlos Urquizar.
SOURCE: Grupo Antolin
