Chanda ranga: Automotive Parts

Monday 6 August 2012

Automotive Parts

There is significant potential for the expansion of bio-based automotive parts and components manufacturing in the US Great Lakes region, to a newly-released study conducted by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), a nonprofit research organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The report defines bio-based materials as industrial products made from renewable agricultural and forestry feedstocks, which can include wood, grasses, and crops, as well as wastes and residues. These materials may replace fabrics, adhesives, reinforcement fibers, polymers, and other, more conventional, materials.

Encouraging bio-manufacturing and its associated value chain development, and building upon its current expertise in producing conventional parts for automakers, may position the Great Lakes region at a global competitive advantage as oil prices climb, and the demand for more bio-based parts increases. The objective of this study is to assist in identifying business opportunities for increased market penetration of bio-based products into the automotive supply chain.

—The Bio-Based Materials Automotive Value Chain

The study, produced by the Sustainability and Economic Development Strategies group at CAR, notes that the automotive industry’s adoption of bio-based materials has been gradually accelerating over the last several years. This emphasis has been spurred by government regulations, consumer preferences, and, in some cases, financial savings that can be realized from the adoption of these materials and technologies.