Sumitomo Riko building R&D unit for anti-vibration rubber

Steinau, Germany – Sumitomo Riko has started the construction of a new technology centre in Steinau an der Straße, Germany for anti-vibration systems, the company announced 18 June.

The facility will be established under SumiRiko AVS Germany GmbH, a Hesse, Germany-based subsidiary devoted to the R&D and sales of anti-vibration rubber for vehicles.

The project consists of an extension of the current administration building and a technology centre and will comprise a total of 5,300 square metres of floor space.  Completion is set for spring 2019.

The company currently houses its Development and Process Technology departments in a rented building.

Sumitomo Riko has earmarked €10 million for the project, which will aim to develop tailor-made products for OEM customers amid the major changes in the automotive industry.

"The automotive industry is currently undergoing tremendous technological change through the use of electric drives and autonomous driving," said Tsutomu Matsuoka, executive managing director of the Sumitomo Riko Group.

The company expects to optimise the current development processes and create space for the development of new technologies through the new centre, according to Hiroaki Tanahashi, CTO of SumiRiko AVS Germany.

This will also create test benches for systems that improve the ride comfort of electric vehicles.

According to Olaf Hahn, managing director of SumiRiko AVS Germany and responsible for the AVS business Europe, Sumitomo Riko is already developing “many components” for new vehicle concepts.

"[These concepts] will soon go into series production and [we] are now rigorously aligning our development conditions with the new challenges," Hahn added.

Sumitomo Riko acquired the Anvis Group in 2013 and has since been seeking to expand its anti-vibration systems in Europe.