Maserati inks pact to access Airbus Group innovations technology portfolio

Luxury Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati signed a master agreement providing access to technologies from Airbus Group Innovations, the R&D hub of the Airbus Group – a leader in aeronautics, space and related services.

Concluded at Maserati’s Modena headquarters, this agreement enables the company to make in-depth reviews of Airbus Group Innovations’ broad portfolio that covers manufacturing processes, production methods, metallics and composites expertise, systems integration and other know-how.

“By evaluating this broad spectrum of technologies, Maserati can benefit from Airbus Group capabilities exploited in several applications, such as airliners, helicopters and fast jets to spacecraft that are exploring the universe,” said Harald Wester, CEO of Maserati, and Chief Technology Officer of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

“We developed the Technology Transfer Framework with industry leaders such as Maserati in mind, and it is being selectively offered to a limited number of potential partners,” explained Wulf Hoeflich, the head of Airbus Group Technology Licensing. “Maserati is perfect for an agreement of this type, as the company is a benchmark in high-end automobiles, while having production volume that is flexible enough to implement new technologies.”

Hoeflich noted that Harald Wester has been personally involved in establishing the Technology Transfer Framework arrangement. “He recognized the Technology Transfer Framework’s value, and is ready to lead his teams in making the best use of the significant access to Airbus Group Innovations´ know-how that comes with this agreement,” he added.

With the Technology Transfer Framework arrangement, overview access is to be provided to Maserati across a wide range of Airbus Group Innovations’ technical areas during a multi-year period, allowing the company to identify technologies that could be “game changers” when utilized under license and applied to its automobile product line. The cooperation between Maserati and Airbus Group Innovations was supported by Cheers Interactive, the global partner of the Airbus Group Technology Licensing initiative.