Arnhem, 27 May, 2021. Teijin Aramid, a world leader in aramid, and Formula-Eindhoven, a foundation working towards bringing a Formula E race to Eindhoven, the Netherlands, are partnering to drive innovation in motorsports. By supplying Formula-Eindhoven with its strong, lightweight, and recyclable aramid fibers. Teijin Aramid will support the team’s competitive performance and sustainability, and contribute more widely to the automotive industry’s low-carbon transformation.

Automotive’s best-kept secret – that’s what you could call Teijin Aramid. The ultra-strong, lightweight synthetic fiber aramid can be found in many car parts but is rarely visible. And, because it’s often used in competitive high-tech applications, aramid’s manufacturers like to protect their ‘recipes’. To reinforce its reputation, the subsidiary of the Japanese Teijin Group works with the Formula E team Envision Virgin Racing, and now also with Formula-Eindhoven.

Teijin Aramid is a world leader in aramid, and half of its turnover comes from the automotive industry. Hendrik de Zeeuw, Senior Vice President Marketing & Sales Automotive: “Working for customers in 74 countries, we contribute to high-quality technology, from the Mars Rover to Formula 1 and Formula E. Almost every car contains aramid. Tires that have to be able to withstand speeds of more than 200 km/h contain the fiber. So do cooling hoses, automatic transmissions, clutch plates, and brake pads. And, in electric cars, aramid also provides battery protection.”

Teijin Aramid partnered with the Envision Virgin Racing Team in early 2020. De Zeeuw: “In Mexico, we were on the ‘front wing’ for the first time. The drivers did really well, so we saw a lot of Teijin products upfront. And the event confirmed our view: the racecars are largely the same, and there is limited room to make a difference. But the network around racing is particularly interesting to us. It’s a good way to start a conversation with industry peers who you wouldn’t normally meet in everyday life – about both motorsports and business more broadly.”

Why also support Formula-Eindhoven? “Our headquarters are in the Netherlands, we believe in the event, and we are always looking for partnerships in automotive – it would be very strange if we didn’t support this initiative. And, from experience, I know this is a real moment. Moreover, the Netherlands is increasingly racing-minded, so now we just have to make it work.”

Sustainability is strongly embedded in Teijin Aramid’s strategy, in terms of both the fiber’s applications and its production. Aramid is used to make materials strong, safe, and light. The lower the weight, the less energy needed, which is certainly essential for electric cars. De Zeeuw: “Another advantage is that you can recycle aramid effectively, which we’ve been doing for 20 years. Recently, we’ve also started recycling aramid at a chemical level, making its production and use circular. We share our products’ carbon footprints with our customers and, in this way, put our money where our mouth is.”

In teaming with Formula Eindhoven, Teijin Aramid continues to support real steps towards making sustainable mobility a reality. Formula E is not only a powerful mass appeal spectacle for sustainable technology  but also facilitates  important national and international networking across many industries and puts sustainable technology on the domestic business agenda in the Netherlands.

About Teijin Aramid
Teijin Aramid is a subsidiary of the Teijin Group and world leader in aramids. Its aramid products Twaron^® are renowned for their strength, sustainability, safety, heat resistance and low weight and are used in a variety of markets and segments, including automotive, safety and life protection, aerospace and a wide range of industrial applications. These high-performance materials are produced in the Netherlands, Thailand and Japan. For more information: www.teijinaramid.com

About the Teijin Group
Teijin (TSE: 3401) is a technology-driven global group offering advanced solutions in the fields of environmental value; safety, security and disaster mitigation; and demographic change and increased health consciousness. Originally established as Japan’s first rayon manufacturer in 1918, Teijin has evolved into a unique enterprise encompassing three core business domains: high-performance materials including aramid, carbon fibers and composites, and also resin and plastic processing, films, polyester fibers and products converting; healthcare including pharmaceuticals and home healthcare equipment for bone/joint, respiratory and cardiovascular/metabolic diseases, nursing care and pre-symptomatic healthcare; and IT including B2B solutions for medical, corporate and public systems as well as packaged software and B2C online services for digital entertainment. Deeply committed to its stakeholders, as expressed in the brand statement “Human Chemistry, Human Solutions”, Teijin aims to be a company that supports the society of the future. The group comprises more than 170 companies and employs some 20,000 people across 20 countries worldwide. Teijin posted consolidated sales of JPY 853.7 billion (USD 8.0 billion) and total assets of JPY 1,004.2 billion (USD 9.4 billion) in the fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2020.