PRESS RELEASE
Release date: 30thSeptember 2016
Manufacturer plugs new market ahead of electric year
A Midlands design engineering business is ramping up operations to prepare for its biggest year yet in 2018, after successfully entering the electric vehicle market.
MarchantCain is already planning to relocate to larger premises in preparation for an expected surge in demand and production after agreeing a number of new deals with some major automotive OEMs, and engaging with a German low-volume electric vehicle manufacturer which has promised to bring affordable electric cars to the global market.
The German company is planning to bring the world's most affordable electric vehicle to the second car market, with a business model based around the circular economy philosophy of re-use, re-engineer and re-cycle. The new vehicle model, which is built using carbon fibre, will be sold to motorists on a use-and-return basis with vehicles being returned to the manufacturer upon contract end, to be refurbished, and sold onto a new owner.
The vehicle is being designed to be lighter and stronger than conventional vehicles for added range, with company officials claiming that the cars will have a range of more than 100 Km on a charge. MarchantCain has been engaged to advise the manufacturer on creating a model that is as lightweight as possible, using recycled materials. In particular, MarchantCain is prototyping a new lightweight window regulator system for the vehicle.
This bold leap into the electric vehicle market follows a successful period for MarchantCain, which has just completed a project to install electrochromatic ‘smart glass' in the new Bentley Mulsanne Grand Limousine, as well as agreeing new projects with major automotive OEMs for complex low volume manufacturing of lightweight interior components and active aerodynamic solutions. In addition, the business is continuing to work with established automotive OEMs including Porsche and JLR.
As a result of this demand, Rob Marchant, Managing Director of MarchantCain, is tipping 2018 to be the company's biggest ever year of growth, and revealed that the team is already planning for an increase in work which will really impact the company in two years' time.
He commented: "We follow markets and trends to achieve customer requirements and in this instance focused on reducing weight by changing materials and challenging traditional functional norms. Light weighting of vehicles and active aerodynamics are moving higher up the OEM agenda and, as a result of spending years specialising in this field, we are really reaping the rewards.
‘At a time when the business model for selling vehicles is changing to greater personalisation, OEMs are working to get more and more power and performance from their products. We can already anticipate that 2018 will be our biggest ever year as demand for vehicle customisation and light weighting continues to grow and we are already formulating our plan to scale up for this demand."
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About MarchantCain
MarchantCain is a specialist design and development company based in Coventry, with facilities for prototype and low volume manufacturing. The company thrives on providing innovative solutions for a range of automotive challenges, specialising in aerodynamics, door and window mechatronics including glass technology, and choreography.
For more information, contact Denise Taylor at Bridge on 02476520025, or emaildenise@bridgepr.co.uk.
Alternatively, contact Pam Cain on 02476100321 or emailpam@MarchantCain.co.uk