Automotive interiors supplier International Automotive Components (IAC) announced that its new Prestice 2 production facility in Prestice, Czech Republic, is fully operational and has started producing lightweight injection molded inner dash insulation for two premium European original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customers. With the future start of a major door trim program, the facility is expected to reach full capacity in 2018.
The new 18,000-square-meter (193,750-square-foot) facility went from concept to start of production in just eight months. The plant was set up following the IAC Production System (IPS) lean and quality principles and also currently produces trunk trim and dash insulation components for the 2016 European Car of the Year, the Opel Astra. IAC’s Prestice 2 plant is located approximately two kilometers (1.2 miles) away from the Prestice 1 facility, which is the company’s European Center of Excellence for Overhead Products.
The IAC injection molding process provides exact, reliable, forming of lighter inner dash insulation without compromising acoustic performance and also delivers better mass distribution to match the acoustic hotspots within the component, according to the company. Within its vertically integrated approach, IAC also has developed the customized injection molding resin to fulfill the high-quality requirements of the two premium customers.
Injection-molded dash inner insulation complements IAC’s offer of lightweight acoustical insulation products, which also includes what IAC says is the industry’s first sprayed polyurethane (PUR) inner dash technology.
PUR-sprayed inner dash insulation with back foaming reaches weight reductions of about 20 percent coupled with a superior acoustic performance. For the past few years, PUR-sprayed dash inner insulation has been in production at IAC Spartanburg, South Carolina, U.S., and IAC Straubing, Germany, where it just debuted on the new luxury SUV Maserati Levante.
“IAC is a world leader in injection molding and operates more than 1,000 machines around the world,” said Marcus Nyman, senior vice president, European Cockpit & Overhead Systems Business Unit. “Leveraging this extensive product and process development expertise, we have been able to offer our customers unique lightweight insulation solutions and ensure flawless production starts.”
