Covestro has announced that it will be strengthening its color, finish and material (CMF) capabilities to meet growing design needs from an array of industries. The company is also making the move from being a material supplier to an innovative partner. Recently, Covestro completed its first consulting project on CMF trends and material design for the Advanced Design Department at the Research and Development Center of Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC Design).
With the ever-growing number of consumers focusing on interior aesthetics and overall comfort, the choice of materials, haptics and lighting are all playing an important role when customers make purchasing decisions. In collaboration with GAC Design’s Advanced Design team, Covestro’s global Color & Design team in the Polycarbonates segment has developed a set of specially tailored design themes and solutions based on studies and surveys conducted into interior trends in China.
“The consulting services we provide to GAC Design’s Advanced Design team mark another new milestone for Covestro in CMF,” said Christopher Stillings, vice president and global head of Color & Design at Covestro’s Polycarbonates segment.
“In addition to our innovation capabilities in cutting-edge materials and processing technologies, Covestro has gained the expertise to transform CMF design trends into innovative color material finishing solutions that can be mass produced, creating more value for our customers through color and aesthetics. It is our goal to further expand our collaboration and service offering – in particular with our customers’ designers and CMF experts.”
“A reasonable selection of colors, materials and finishes for automotive interiors is key to improving comfort and aesthetics,” commented Stephen Chen, advanced chief designer at GAC Design. “Materials need to cater to the increasingly diversified interior designs for cars. Covestro’s expertise in materials and CMF can not only provide us with the most appropriate materials, but also help us showcase their aesthetic value.”
Having previously worked with GAC, Covestro used the company to leverage its thermoplastic composites to aid in producing lightweight seatbacks for the manufacturer’s concept electric cars.
“We are pleased to be working with GAC again, this time with their design team. In addition to their R&D and CMF teams, we have also collaborated extensively with design companies and academic institutions. We have strong expertise and a good track record in providing customers with integrated solutions and making their products more attractive,” said Terence Yau, vice president of Covestro’s Polycarbonates segment in China.
