The new Citroën C4 Cactus is one of the highly regarded stars of this year's Geneva Motor Show. Indeed, the French crossover offers numerous technical innovations - and it could redefine automotive manufacture with respect to safety. With the "Airbump" innovation, polymer specialist and automotive supplier REHAU has developed a new generation of side impact protection for the model range in France.
Even before the launch of C4 series production, which is due to begin in the middle of this year, the "Airbump" development is creating a sensation. As a market innovation, it once again highlights the expertise of the international polymer specialist based in Rehau, Upper Franconia as a development partner to well-known automotive manufacturers. In this case, PSA Peugeot Citroën set the requirement to design door panelling in elastic material that should serve both as a design element and as side protection against scratches and dents.
The product clads the long side of the vehicle and is based on air-filled capsules in polyure-thane, a thermoplastic that stands out for its high level of flexibility. In the event of a light side impact, the capsules can sink in by up to two centimetres then return to their original shape. - This provides extra protection on the vehicle, which offers many advantages particularly in the traffic of large cities or in car parks. It prevents damage in the event of bumps from car doors or collisions with shopping trolleys.
"Airbump" is an innovation initiated and launched by REHAU on its French site in Morhange. It is something of which the company is proud even beyond France. "The development of innovations is fundamental for REHAU all over the world and characteristic of our principal strategic focus," says Stéphane Heising, Head of Key Account Management PSA at REHAU. In today's automotive industry, marketable innovations are undisputed major growth factors, which mobilise many human and financial resources.
The development partnership between REHAU and PSA has existed for over ten years - a constructive co-operation for which the supplier alone has won four prestigious awards from the car manufacturer in the last five years. Between 2008 and 2013, the company was awarded the "PSA Quality Award", the "Supplier Award" for industrial performance and most recently the "Supplier Award" for its innovation. In December 2011, REHAU was honoured with the title of "Preferred Supplier".
The polymer specialist produces the "Airbump" door panelling for the Citroën "C4 Cactus" including air capsules on its Spanish site in Tortosa and is delivering directly to the PSA assembly lines in Madrid from April 2014.
Even before the launch of C4 series production, which is due to begin in the middle of this year, the "Airbump" development is creating a sensation. As a market innovation, it once again highlights the expertise of the international polymer specialist based in Rehau, Upper Franconia as a development partner to well-known automotive manufacturers. In this case, PSA Peugeot Citroën set the requirement to design door panelling in elastic material that should serve both as a design element and as side protection against scratches and dents.
The product clads the long side of the vehicle and is based on air-filled capsules in polyure-thane, a thermoplastic that stands out for its high level of flexibility. In the event of a light side impact, the capsules can sink in by up to two centimetres then return to their original shape. - This provides extra protection on the vehicle, which offers many advantages particularly in the traffic of large cities or in car parks. It prevents damage in the event of bumps from car doors or collisions with shopping trolleys.
"Airbump" is an innovation initiated and launched by REHAU on its French site in Morhange. It is something of which the company is proud even beyond France. "The development of innovations is fundamental for REHAU all over the world and characteristic of our principal strategic focus," says Stéphane Heising, Head of Key Account Management PSA at REHAU. In today's automotive industry, marketable innovations are undisputed major growth factors, which mobilise many human and financial resources.
The development partnership between REHAU and PSA has existed for over ten years - a constructive co-operation for which the supplier alone has won four prestigious awards from the car manufacturer in the last five years. Between 2008 and 2013, the company was awarded the "PSA Quality Award", the "Supplier Award" for industrial performance and most recently the "Supplier Award" for its innovation. In December 2011, REHAU was honoured with the title of "Preferred Supplier".
The polymer specialist produces the "Airbump" door panelling for the Citroën "C4 Cactus" including air capsules on its Spanish site in Tortosa and is delivering directly to the PSA assembly lines in Madrid from April 2014.
