Ulf-Birger Franz , Head of the Hannover Region's Department of Economics, Transport and Education, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Grotjahn , Vice President of Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts, kicked things off with the key aspects of the transformation from the perspective of business development and science respectively. Dr. Michael Merwart, Head of neu/wagen, presented the tasks and approach of the transformation network and presented an initial version of the 2030+ vision , which will be further elaborated in the further course of the project with the stakeholders concerned, above all the medium-sized suppliers.
The other sessions focused on the approach to automotive-related transformation in the Hanover - Hildesheim region . Examples from research and industry showed how vehicles and their components can be manufactured in an economically and ecologically sustainable way, for example with the help of collaborative lightweight robots, additive manufacturing and artificial intelligence.
Finally, the working groups that will start in spring 2022 were presented. The four main topics are: components based on a circular economy, CO2-neutral mobility, sustainable production and hybrid business models. The neu/wagen transformation network will also be presenting these working groups in more detail online in the coming weeks. Interested companies can contact us at any time.
During the event, there was also an illustrative tour of the laboratories of the Institute of Process Engineering, Energy Technology and Climate Protection ( IVEK ), during which it became clear that the transformation is already here and there is a concrete need for action.
