NORMA Group has awarded its Innovation Excellence Award to a team of employees, whose project focused on developing a quick connector for thermal management systems in electric and hybrid cars. The eM Twist has been launched to the market earlier this year.

“It is our mission to be market leader in joining and fluid-handling technology for existing and future markets worldwide, including growth sectors such as water management and electromobility,” said Dr. Michael Schneider, CEO of NORMA Group, at the virtual award ceremony. “NORMA Group is filled with talented minds, who keep making the company a viable and innovative force in the joining solution industry. With our Innovation Excellence Award, we recognize employees and teams that contribute to our mission with outstanding projects.”

The winning team consists of product engineer René Schindler, simulation experts Dr. Daniel Kintea and David Schneider, test engineers Heinz-Peter Wolf and Tobias Ripper as well as Corporate Responsibility Manager Elias Schwenk. Within one year, the team developed the eM Twist, a light and space-saving quick connector suited for the usage in thermal management systems in battery-powered vehicles. It is developed for spigots according to the standard of the VDA (Verband der Automobilindustrie) and precisely geared to the temperature range and pressure requirements of electrically powered vehicles. During development the engineers concentrated on the essential components and the best possible use of materials. The connector saves around a third of CO2 in production and the supply chain compared to similar connectors in conventional cooling systems. The main reasons for this are the optimized use of raw materials in product design and less emissions through transport of the components.

NORMA Group’s Innovation Excellence Award recognizes an individual or team for their accomplishments in innovation for the Group. Every year, NORMA Group awards winners at regional and global levels. All employees worldwide are eligible for the Innovation Excellence Award. A multi-stage selection process evaluates the projects submitted based on multiple criteria, including degree of innovation and strategic relevance. There is a cash prize of up to 10,000 euros per team.