From the Sector

Vehicle manufacturers are increasingly looking for recycling solutions for end-of-life vehicles to meet sustainability targets and comply with new regulations that are accelerating the automotive industry’s transition toward a circular economy. In response, Autoneum has developed the N-Join1 carpet. This innovative, monomaterial carpet system, made from recycled materials, eliminates the need for latex and adhesives, thereby offering an eco-friendly solution for vehicle interiors.

The N-Join1 employs a unique process that joins the carpet surface together with the substrate in a single step. The substrate can be made from various materials including Autoneum’s Pure technology components made of 100 percent polyester, making N-Join1 easier to recycle without limiting customers’ design freedom. 

The new carpet system offers multiple benefits for vehicle manufacturers. As with other Autoneum interior floor products, N-Join1 is designed to ensure driving comfort with optimal noise protection in the passenger cabin. This innovation can be used together with the Di-Light carpet, which offers an attractive appearance even in highly curved carpet areas due to its uniform surface finish. 

Additionally, its monomaterial construction enables waste-free production and full recycling at the vehicle’s end-of-life. By eliminating the use of latex, which is water and energy-intensive, N-Join1 reduces resource usage and ensures cleaner production, supporting the automotive industry’s move towards more sustainable practices. 

Overall, the new carpet system achieves a significant reduction in the carbon footprint when com-pared to traditional carpet systems of equal weight. The greatest contribution comes from the end-of-life recycling potential enabled by the monomaterial system. 

N-Join1 is suitable for a wide range of vehicles, including both internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). It is currently available in Europe and North America.

Autoneum's new impact protection plate, made from thermoplastic composite material, shields the battery of electric vehicles from impact, fire and corrosion. The lightweight com-ponent not only meets the highest requirements in terms of shock resistance and durability but also contributes to improved energy management and thus to a longer range thanks to its thermal insulation properties.

The ongoing transformation of the automotive industry towards an increasingly electrified mobility requires new shielding technologies to protect the battery system in electric vehicles. In this regard, Autoneum's new impact protection plate offers a high-performance, safe and cost-effective option thanks to its mechanical and thermal insulation properties, low weight and ability to withstand extreme temperatures.

Autoneum’s composite impact protection plate shields the vehicle battery from damage caused by impact, fire and corrosion. It is significantly lighter than metal alternatives and at the same time ther-mally insulating, which contributes to a longer driving range. In addition, the part meets the highest requirements for impact resistance and springs back into shape without structural loss or deforma-tion even after repeated exposure to stones and road debris. The new impact protection plate is based on long-fiber thermoplastic (LFT) technology, which allows the greatest possible freedom in terms of design and construction as well as waste-free production. Moreover, the additional rein-forcement of the basic structure ensures maximum rigidity and impact protection at minimal weight.

The impact protection plate reflects Autoneum’s technological expertise in underbody shields, ther-mal management and the application of the LFT process, adapted specifically for battery electric vehicles. The technology for the composite impact protection plate has been validated by simulations and vehicle testing at different European OEMs.

Im Geschäftsjahr 2024 konnte Autoneum seinen Umsatz in einem leicht rückläufigen Marktumfeld um 4.2% steigern, unterstützt durch anorganisches Wachstum. Konsolidiert in Schweizer Franken erhöhte sich der Umsatz um 36.4 Mio. CHF auf 2 338.7 Mio. CHF. Gegenüber dem Vorjahr stieg das EBIT um 25.7 Mio. CHF auf 125.0 Mio. CHF, entsprechend einer EBITMarge von 5.3% (2023 ohne Sondereffekte: 4.3%). Der Free Cashflow erreichte im Berichtsjahr 109.7 Mio. CHF. Damit hat Autoneum alle finanziellen Zielsetzungen für 2024 vollumfänglich erreicht. Der Konzerngewinn verbesserte sich im Geschäftsjahr 2024 ebenfalls und erreichte 70.0 Mio. CHF (2023: 61.1 Mio. CHF). Aufgrund dieser positiven Entwicklung beantragt der Verwaltungsrat eine Dividende von 2.80 CHF pro Aktie.
 
Autoneum schloss das im Frühjahr 2023 aufgelegte, für die Zukunft des Unternehmens wichtige Strategieprogramm «Level-up One 6–8» erfolgreich ab, das verschiedene kurzfristige Initiativen zur Steigerung der Effizienz und des profitablen Wachstums zum Ziel hatte. Daraus entstand ein Fundament, auf dem die neue, langfristige Strategie Level Up mit überarbeiteten Mittelfristzielen definiert wurde. In Asien sind mit der Akquisition der Jiangsu Huanyu Gruppe in China sowie mit der Eröffnung neuer Produktionsstandorte in Changchun, China, und in Pune, Indien, bedeutende Fortschritte erzielt worden, um Autoneum in dieser Region deutlich stärker zu positionieren.
 
2024 verzeichnete Autoneum mit 3.2 Mrd. CHF den höchsten Auftragseingang in der Geschichte des Unternehmens. Dazu hat auch das Nutzfahrzeuggeschäft einen wesentlichen Beitrag geleistet. Die globalen Forschungs- und Entwicklungskapazitäten wurden weiter ausgebaut. Hierzu bildete Autoneum ein spezialisiertes Team im Bereich New Mobility und ergänzte das globale Innovationsnetzwerk mit einem R&T-Zentrum in Schanghai, China.

Gemäß den jüngsten Marktprognosen wird die Automobilproduktion im Jahr 2025 kein Wachstum verzeichnen. Autoneum erwartet daher für das Geschäftsjahr 2025 einen Umsatz von 2.3 bis 2.5 Mrd. CHF. Darin eingerechnet ist die Akquisition der Jiangsu Huanyu Group per 28. Februar 2025.
 
Aufgrund des erwarteten Umsatzes rechnet Autoneum für das Geschäftsjahr 2025 mit einer EBITMarge von 5 bis 6% und einem Free Cashflow von rund 100 Mio. CHF (ohne einmaligen Netto-Mittelabfluss für M&A-Transaktionen).

As in the previous year, Autoneum’s Swiss headquarters in Winterthur was again recognized as a Top Employer in Switzerland by the renowned Top Employers Institute in 2025. Fostering a people-centric culture is a central pillar of Autoneum’s Level Up strategy and thus an integral part of the global guidelines and people practices implemented throughout the company.

Participation in standardized certification programs supports organizations in making their commitment to an employee-oriented corporate culture measurable and tangible. Following the first successful participation of Autoneum’s Human Resources (HR) department at the Swiss headquarters in Winterthur in the comprehensive survey carried out by the renowned Top Employers Institute last year, the location was again recognized again as a Top Employer in Switzerland in 2025.

The internationally recognized Top Employers Institute certifies organizations based on their results in the HR Best Practices Survey. The survey covers six HR domains and twenty areas such as People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Wellbeing and more. Participation in this survey enables companies to objectively evaluate the measures, guidelines and people practices implemented in these areas.

The program has certified and recognized over 2 400 Top Employers in 125 countries/regions across five continents.

Autoneum expands its sustainable product portfolio for commercial vehicles with new polyester-based side and rear wall panels. Their carrier material consists of Propylat PET, the company’s eco-friendly and fully recyclable Pure technology made of 100 percent polyester. Autoneum’s components thus offer a significantly more sustainable alternative to the composite or thermoset resin panels commonly used in trucks today, which are difficult to recycle. Thanks to the unique material composition of Propylat PET, they contribute to optimized acoustic and thermal management.

With the establishment of a dedicated Business Unit Commercial Vehicles at the beginning of 2024, Autoneum has set the course for further sustainable and profitable growth in this market segment on a global scale. Manufacturers of medium and heavy trucks as well as agricultural vehicles thus benefit not only from Autoneum’s existing production footprint and comprehensive product and technology portfolio, but also from the Company’s longstanding experience in the development and manufacturing of environmentally friendly monomaterials. Components such as the new polyester-based side and rear wall panels support customers in improving the environmental performance of commercial vehicles and are therefore an important step towards a circular economy also in this vehicle segment.

The carrier material of Autoneum’s sustainable trim components consists of 100 percent polyester. Thanks to the high content of recycled fibers and the excellent end-of-life recyclability of Propylat PET, the side and rear wall panels from Autoneum are considerably more environmentally friendly than the composite or thermoset resin alternatives commonly used in trucks today. Furthermore, additional components can be welded onto the material without the use of adhesives or other chemicals, which further increases the products’ recyclability at the end of their service life. Due to the unique material composition of Propylat PET, the components also improve the acoustic and thermal insulation of the vehicle interior and are characterized by minimal emission of volatile organic compounds as well as low odor. In addition, Autoneum continues to invest in the develop-ment of monomaterial components for commercial vehicles, where both the carrier material and the aesthetic surface are made entirely of polyester, thus further advancing the transition to a sustaina-ble circular economy.

In line with the new Level Up corporate strategy, which focuses on innovation and a future-fit product portfolio among other things, Autoneum has further expanded its research and development activities in 2024 with a particular focus on New Mobility. In addition to establishing a specialized team to accelerate the development and market readiness of novel products and technologies for electric vehicles, the Company has complemented its global innovation network with a new Research & Technology (R&T) Center in Shanghai, China.

Innovation is and always has been an integral part of Autoneum’s corporate strategy and thus a key factor for business success. The Company’s innovation activities are also an important aspect of its vision: to be the global leader for innovative and sustainable solutions bringing comfort to every vehicle. Against the backdrop of the rapidly advancing electrification of mobility and Autoneum’s strategic focus on further expanding its presence in the Asian growth markets, the expansion activities of the company-wide innovation network this year concentrated on two key areas in particular: New Mobility and presence in China.

Responding to the increasing demand for new components for electric vehicles, Autoneum has formed a specialized team dedicated exclusively to New Mobility to further strengthen its position in this growing market segment. The New Mobility team was established in fall 2023 and has been completed over the past twelve months with members from different departments. It unites a broad set of skills from various fields of expertise such as product innovation, product development and industrialization, sales and business development. The team places a particular focus on accelerating the development and time to market of new products and technologies specifically for the fast-evolving battery systems and architectures of electric vehicles. It also acts as a catalyst for innovation pro-jects and strategic partnerships. The New Mobility experts work in close collaboration with the various departments across the organization and are based at Autoneum’s Swiss headquarters in Win-terthur, at the German locations in Gundernhausen and Munich and in Shanghai, China.

Shanghai is also the location of Autoneum’s third R&T Center worldwide, which was opened in China this summer to enhance the Company’s competitiveness in Asia and cater to the development and innovation needs in this key strategic market. The new center aims to intensify and accelerate the development and production of innovative components and materials, especially regarding e-mobility. The establishment of an R&T team in China allows Autoneum to develop products in a timely manner to respond to the dynamic market conditions and the rapidly evolving requirements of Chinese vehicle manufactures. In terms of material development, the center will support the wider organization in the further development of sustainable materials, especially polyester. In addition, it will promote the introduction of Autoneum’s environmentally friendly products such as the Company’s monomaterial carpet systems featuring Autoneum’s innovative and latex-free alternative backcoating (ABC) process to the Chinese market. Moreover, the R&T Center in Shanghai will also serve as a valuable point of contact with the 14 production facilities of the Jiangsu Huanyu Group, whose acquisition of a majority stake of 70 percent by Autoneum was recently announced and is expected to be closed in March 2025 (see media release of November 19, 2024). While the plants in China will benefit from the local R&T team’s expertise in the company’s technologies, the existing broad customer base of Jiangsu Huanyu Group will support Autoneum in better understanding and serving the innovation needs of Chinese vehicle manufacturers.

The new R&T Center in Shanghai complements the primary R&T Center in Winterthur, Switzerland, which supports the global network with its expertise and a vast array of services in the areas of pre-development as well as acoustic and thermal benchmarking, simulation and testing, and the center in Bocholt, Germany. The latter was integrated into Autoneum’s innovation network following the acquisition of Borgers Automotive last year and has since established itself as the Company’s competence center for trunk and trim components. Including the new center in China, a total of approximately eighty R&T employees – including engineers, chemists, physicists and product designers – are continuously working on new ideas aimed at the next technological breakthrough in acoustic and thermal management and shielding technologies.

Denis Albert is to become the new Head of Business Group North America and member of the Group Executive Board of Autoneum Holding Ltd as of January 1, 2025. The French-American dual citizen has many years of experience as a general manager in the international automotive supply industry in North America. He will succeed Greg Sibley, who will retire at the end of January 2025.

The Board of Directors of Autoneum Holding Ltd has appointed Denis Albert as the new Head of Business Group North America and member of the Group Executive Board as of January 1, 2025. Denis Albert has been Head of Sales Development & Strategic Project Manager for Post Merger Integration (PMI) at Autoneum since January 2024. In addition to his new position, he will continue to assume the role of Head of Sales Development.

Before joining Autoneum, Denis Albert worked for the French automotive supplier Forvia (Faurecia) for over 25 years, where he held various management positions, most recently as President of the Faurecia Interior Division North America. Over the course of his career, he has acquired profound knowledge of the North American automotive market and extensive experience in sales, business management, implementation of regional strategies, purchasing and technology. Denis Albert holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from the Institut Catholique d’Arts et Métiers in Nantes, France, and an Executive Master of Business Administration from the Mannheim Business School, Germany.

Following a one-month transition period, Denis Albert will take over as Head of Business Group North America from Greg Sibley, who will retire on January 31, 2025. Greg Sibley has steered Business Group North America through turbulent times since May 2019 and has made a decisive contribution to the turnaround in this region. The Board of Directors and the Group Executive Board would like to thank Greg for his significant and tireless commitment to Autoneum over the past five years and wish him all the best for his personal future.

In the presence of CEO Eelco Spoelder, Autoneum opened its new production facility in Pune in Western India on August 28, 2024. The opening of the third plant in the key automotive market of India is in line with the Company’s strategic focus on future profitable growth with a particular emphasis on Asian growth markets. Series production of carpet systems, interior trim, wheelhouse outer liners, e-motor encapsulations and other noise protection components for local and international vehicle manufacturers has already begun.

The plant in Pune in the western Indian state of Maharashtra is wholly owned by Autoneum and complements the existing production facility in Behror near New Dehli in the north and the joint venture plant in Chennai in the south of India. During the inauguration ceremony in Pune, Autoneum CEO Eelco Spoelder said: “With the opening of our new plant, Autoneum gains access to the third of the four major automobile production centers in India. By expanding our presence in this strategically important region, we can further strengthen our position in Asia, the world’s largest automotive market.”

The building spans an area of 7 500 square meters and includes modern production equipment. The Pune plant will supply both local and international customers with noise-reducing lightweight components for the interior and exterior of vehicles of all drive types. Pune will be the first Autoneum plant in India with the capability to produce Hybrid-Acoustics PET felts for e-motor encapsulation. Components made of Hybrid-Acoustics PET are characterized by their lightweight construction and noise protection that are optimized for electric vehicles. They consist entirely of PET, which is largely obtained from recycled fibers, and thus meet customer demand for environmentally friendly mobility solutions.

As announced in March, Pune is one of two plants that Autoneum is opening this year in the important Asian growth markets of China and India. The new joint venture plant in Changchun in the northern Chinese province of Jilin will ramp up production of inner dashes, interior floor insulators and other NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) components for European, Japanese and Chinese car manufacturers from the end of 2024. Both new plants in Pune and Changchun are strategically located thanks to their proximity to important customers. In India, Autoneum supplies European, American, Indian, Japanese and Korean vehicle manufacturers.

With the fully recyclable 100% polyester trunk side trim, Autoneum is putting the rear of the vehicle at the center of its efforts for a more circular economy in the automotive industry. The latest addition to Autoneum’s growing portfolio of sustainable monomaterial products made entirely from polyester is based on the existing Pure technology Propylat PET. The component demonstrates an excellent environmental performance in terms of recycled content, waste-free manufacturing and end-of-life recyclability.

New regulations such as the revised End-of-Life Vehicles Directive in Europe are accelerating the automotive industry’s transition from a linear to a circular economy. In this context, the recyclability of vehicles at the end of their service life is becoming increasingly important. This in turn raises the demand for automotive components that have an excellent environmental performance across the product life cycle and at the same time meet the highest standards of material quality and technical performance. Autoneum’s new 100% polyester trunk side trim helps customers achieve their ambitious sustainability targets while offering optimum durability, design flexibility and aesthetics.

As with Autoneum’s environmentally friendly monomaterial carpet systems, the new 100% polyester trunk side trim is fully recyclable. Production cut-offs can be reclaimed, processed and reused, ensuring a closed material loop. Thanks to Autoneum’s high-value recycling concept, the recycled fibers can also be granulated and spun into new fibers, which reduces the need for virgin raw materials and thus conserves natural resources. The carrier material is based on the lightweight Autoneum Pure technology Propylat PET and contains at least 50% recycled fibers. Like all variants of Propylat, the technology features a high proportion of recycled material and can be produced waste-free thanks to its complete vertical integration. In addition, Propylat PET consists of 100% PET and is therefore fully recyclable. The new monomaterial trunk side trim made exclusively from polyester is also available under the Autoneum Blue sustainability label. Blue products feature at least 30% recycled PET that was collected from coastal areas, thus making an important contribution to preventing plastic pollution in the oceans.

Autoneum’s sustainable concept for 100% polyester trunk components is not limited to side trim but can also be applied to tailgate and other trunk trim. Thanks to their unique material composition, the Propylatbased trunk trim parts are lightweight and sound-absorbing, thus contributing to the attenuation of tire and rear e-motor noise. In addition, their geometry can be tailored to individual customer needs while the textile surface improves the overall aesthetic of the parts and at the same time offers a high resistance to scratches. Autoneum’s eco-friendly 100% polyester trunk trim is available in Europe, North America and China.

Die Aktionäre der Autoneum Holding AG haben heute im Rahmen der ordentlichen Generalversammlung allen Anträgen des Verwaltungsrats zugestimmt. Für das Geschäftsjahr 2023 wurde eine Dividende von 2.50 CHF pro Aktie genehmigt. Neu wurde Martin Klöti in den Verwaltungsrat gewählt. Mit ihm erweitert sich der Verwaltungsrat der Autoneum Holding AG von sechs auf sieben Mitglieder.

Verwaltungsratspräsident Hans-Peter Schwald betonte in seiner Rede: „Die Übernahme von Borgers Automotive war ein strategisch wichtiger Schritt. Dadurch baut Autoneum seine globale Markt- und Technologieführerschaft mit nachhaltigen und leichten Akustik- und Wärmemanagement-Lösungen für Fahrzeuge deutlich aus.“

Die Aktionärinnen und Aktionäre genehmigten den Jahresbericht 2023 einschließlich der Konzern-und Jahresrechnung. Der Antrag des Verwaltungsrats, aufgrund des positiven Konzernergebnisses eine Dividende von 2.50 CHF je Namenaktie für das Geschäftsjahr 2023 auszuschütten, wurde von der Generalversammlung ebenfalls angenommen. Die Dividendenzahlung erfolgt ab dem 15. April 2024. Der Corporate Responsibility Report 2023 wurde im Sinne einer Konsultativabstimmung mit 99.48 Prozent genehmigt.

Hans-Peter Schwald wurde als Präsident, Liane Hirner, Norbert Indlekofer, Michael Pieper, Oliver Streuli und Ferdinand Stutz als Mitglieder des Verwaltungsrats für ein weiteres Jahr im Amt bestätigt. Hans-Peter Schwald, Norbert Indlekofer, Ferdinand Stutz und Oliver Streuli wurden in den Vergütungsausschuss wiedergewählt. Die Aktionärinnen und Aktionäre der Autoneum Holding AG haben ferner sämtlichen Mitgliedern der Konzernleitung und des Verwaltungsrats mit deutlicher Stimmenmehrheit Entlastung erteilt.