Johnson Controls Teams up with adidas Group and other Partners to Develop SPEEDFACTORY for Automated Sewing

BURSCHEID, Germany, May 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy sponsors research project 

Johnson Controls, a global multi industrial company with core businesses in the automotive, building, and the energy storage industries is working with leading sportswear manufacturer adidas Group and other partners to redefine the way textiles are manufactured. The partners want to increase automation in the production of textiles. In doing so, Johnson Controls as the leading manufacturer of vehicle seats and seating components, intends to optimize seating trim cover production.  

"Process innovations are just as important to Johnson Controls as product innovations," said Andreas Eppinger, group vice president technology management at Johnson Controls Automotive Seating. "The majority of sewing required for vehicle seat covers nowadays is largely done by hand. Although increasing automation in this area is very complex, we are convinced that it is feasible."

SPEEDFACTORY, as the project is known, aims to combine the capabilities of humans and machines. At the project's conclusion, the prototype of a system should be in place in which humans and robots work together to produce textile products.

While adidas Group aims to automate the production of sports goods, the goal of Johnson Controls is to automate the entire production process of vehicle seat covers. The company intends to optimize the cutting and sewing process as well as the complete handling of textiles. This new process will involve textiles being cut in a certain way, aligned, and then joined to make trim covers.

Johnson Controls is working on SPEEDFACTORY with the leading manufacturer of sports clothing and accessories, adidas Group, the mechanical engineering company, KSL Keilmann Sondermaschinenbau, the Institute of Textile Technology at RWTH Aachen University, and fortiss, an institute associated with the Technical University of Munich, Germany, with the mandate to facilitate research and technology transfer in software-intensive systems and services. The research project is being sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy.

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About Johnson Controls 

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 170,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful.

About Johnson Controls Automotive Experience 

Johnson Controls is a global leader in automotive seating, overhead systems, door and instrument panels, and interior electronics. We support all major automakers in the differentiation of their vehicles through our products, technologies and advanced manufacturing capabilities. With 240 locations worldwide, we are where our customers need us to be. Consumers have enjoyed the comfort and style of our products, from single components to complete interiors. With our global capability we supply approximately 50 million cars per year.

For more information, please contact:
Johnson Controls GmbH
Automotive Seating
Industriestraße 20-30
51399 Burscheid
Germany
Oliver Herkert
Tel.: +49-2174-65-4348
E-Mail: oliver.herkert@jci.com