Engineering with Glass?

Lund University offers new ways of thinking about glass.

Glass is generally treated by engineers as, well, glass. It offers protection from wind, insects, rain, heat, and cold, but many engineers don’t consider its mechanical properties when designing new products. From the point of view of strength, it is literally invisible! This is especially true in the heavy machinery industry where machines can weigh 70 tons -- and our job is to protect the operator with the care that might be afforded an infant in a car seat. In the event of a roll-over or fall-over, the operator must emerge unscathed.

In the cabin environment most mechanical engineers would laugh at the idea of using glass as a load-bearing element. But they would be terribly wrong, as my team and I recently learned during an informal seminar at Lund University’s Department of Construction Science.

Challenged by Professor Erik Serrano and his colleagues, we convened a meeting to discuss engineering with glass – and we invited our cabin-specialist customers. What we learned was that the civil engineering industry is bravely exploring new applications for glass. Designers and architects are driving the demand for the wider usage of glass as an engineering material.

Our discussion also explored the topic of improving visibility for the operator in the cabin. Of course, there is a list of problems to be solved, but every solution starts somewhere as a spark in a meeting like ours with our clients and the experts from Lund. It was an open discussion where engineers representing a variety of product needs could share their ideas as well as learn about what’s taking place in other parts of their industry.

Thank you, Professor Serrano, Professor Persson, and Dr. Kozlowski, for hosting us in Lund! We look forward to building further on the ideas we discussed.


Tata AutoComp signs Memorandum of Understanding with Fortaco Group

Tata AutoComp signs Memorandum of Understanding with Fortaco Group -
aims to expand its offering to the farm equipment segment.

The farm equipment market in India is developing and requesting customized solutions in cabin design and user friendly working ergonomics as well as safety for end users. The market is expected to continue growing and supporting domestic and international need of excellent farm equipment products.

About Tata AutoComp Systems Limited
Tata AutoComp Systems Limited (Tata AutoComp), promoted by the Tata Group, provides products and services to the Indian and Global automotive OEMs as well as Tier 1 suppliers. Tata AutoComp has own capabilities in Automotive Interior & Exterior Plastics, Composites, Sheet Metal Stampings as well as Engineering and Supply Chain. Tata AutoComp has 7 joint ventures in partnership with leading companies from the Global Auto Component Industry through which it manufactures and markets automotive components and systems like engine cooling solutions, automotive batteries, rear view mirrors, command systems, HVAC, exhaust and emission control systems, seating systems and electronic solutions for passenger and commercial vehicles as well as suspensions for heavy commercial vehicles. Tata AutoComp has 34 manufacturing facilities spread across India and 8 facilities spread across North America, Latin America, Europe and China.

About Fortaco Group
Fortaco Group is the leading brand independent strategic Tier 1 partner to the heavy off-highway equipment industries offering technology, vehicle cabins, steel fabrications and vehicle assemblies. Fortaco Group has operations in 8 European Business Sites and 3 Technology Hubs, which are supporting our global customers.

AgriTech exhibition
At the agriculture exhibition “AgriTech” on 31 August - 2 September in Bangalore Fortaco and Tata AutoComp displayed together a new cabin designed and manufactured to address the requests and needs on the farm equipment market in India. The new cabin is based on the latest global cabin product and manufacturing technologies securing excellent customer experience and manufacturability.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Lars Hellberg
President & CEO
Fortaco Group Oy
Ph: +358 40 572 9488
lars.hellberg@fortacogroup.com

Mr. Shvetal Diwanji
Vice President Corporate Communications
Tata AutoComp Systems Limited
Ph: +91-20-66085119
Mob: +91- 9604400266
shvetal.diwanji@tacogroup.com


Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Estonia visited Fortaco factory in Narva

President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid visited Fortaco factory in Narva. President was welcomed by Lars Hellberg, President & CEO for Fortaco Group, Larissa Shabunova, Managing Director for Fortaco Estonia OU, Kimmo Raunio, CFO for Fortaco Group and Hannu Heinonen, Deputy Head of Mission, Finnish Embassy in Estonia.

After the presentations of Fortaco Group, Fortaco Estonia and Honorary Consulate of Finland in Narva President Kaljulaid was invited to see production facilities and the site of future factory which is under construction. During the tour at production President Kaljulaid was offered an opportunity to make a souvenir to herself with the official Estonia 100 years -logo. President Kaljulaid pressed the button on Bystronic Laser Cutting Machine and in a minute a blank souvenir was ready. By the end of the factory tour the souvenir was ready bended and painted. President Kaljulaid was positively surprised about the speed and quality of factory processes.

President Kaljulaid highly appreciated the great development of Fortaco Estonia, being the second biggest and the best employer in the Narva region. She was also surprised about the investment programs and technologies implemented and the complexity of products manufactured at Fortaco factory in Narva.

President Kaljulaid is wishing the best success for the Fortaco factory in the future.