Automotive interiors supplier International Automotive Components’ (IAC) new Prestice 2 production facility in Prestice, Czech Republic, has become fully operational.
The plant has started producing its lightweight injection moulded inner dash insulation for superior interior acoustical performance for two premium European OEMs. 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-metre facility went from concept to start of production in just eight months. The plant is 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 kilometres away from the Prestice 1 facility, which is the company’s European Center of Excellence for Overhead Products.
The greenfield site produces IAC’s industry-leading injection moulded dash inner, which provides an estimated 40 percent weight reduction compared to a conventional vacuum-formed product. IAC says its injection moulding 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. Within its vertically integrated approach, the supplier also has developed the customised injection molding resin to fulfill the high quality requirements of the two premium customers.
Injection moulded dash inner insulation complements IAC’s offer of lightweight acoustical insulation products, which also includes the industry 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, USA and IAC Straubing, Germany, where it just debuted on the new luxury SUV Maserati Levante.
“IAC is a world leader in injection moulding 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”.