Following the joint development between TenCate Advanced Composites and Italy’s Adler Group with regard to the Alfa Romeo 4C chassis, an exclusive supply agreement has been reached between the companies for the use of carbon fibre composite prepreg material.

The advanced material is being used for the production of the entire monocoque, a vehicle structure in which the chassis is integral with the body. The central passenger cell reduces vehicle weight and creates a highly rigid and safe basic structure.

The Alfa Romeo 4C is a small, lightweight, rear wheel drive sports car, which uses a carbon fibre tub, front and rear crash box, and hybrid rear frame mainly out of aluminium to keep its weight down. The 4C is thought to be one of the most important Alfa Romeo models in decades due to its use of advanced technologies and materials.

The TenCate/ Adler agreement encapsulates the relationship which began at the inception of this automotive project and sees the E700 series carbon fibre prepreg from the TenCate Advanced Composites manufacturing facility in Langley Mill (Nottingham), UK being used by the Adler Group in Ottaviano (Naples), Italy.

Frank Meurs, group director of TenCate Advanced Composites EMEA, comments: "This innovative project with the Adler Group is a major breakthrough for TenCate, as it is the first OEM project of this size in the automotive industry and is seen as a high profile application".

Paolo Scudieri, President of the Adler Group, comments: "We are proud of this partnership with TenCate and are sure that this agreement will lead to important technological developments as well as efficiencies in logistics, both of which will make the product even more competitive".

Optimised logistics

The support provided by TenCate to Adler has continued beyond the development phase of the project, with sales of Alfa Romeo forecast to reach up to three thousand cars per year. The two parties have agreed that an investment will be made to enable local production of the composite material, in order to optimise the logistic process and comply with "just in time" requirements needed for this important Alfa Romeo automotive programme. In addition, TenCate and Adler will work jointly on innovations for new automotive-related projects.