01/31/2020
Sika’s long history of innovation has led to unparalleled success in becoming a recognized global technology leader in many markets, as well as creating value for Sika’s customers. Recently, Sika has won the Swiss Technology Award for its new, high-performance adhesive technology used in lightweight construction in the field of transportation.
Innovation – Strong Focus on Product Sustainability
Innovation is one of Sika’s strategic pillars.
By 2023 the company aims to achieve a quarter of sales with products less than five years old.
At Sika, innovation is always driven by customers’ needs. Which is why every new product that Sika brings to the market has to deliver on performance and on sustainability. As well as possessing significantly improved properties, it must also deliver sustainability gains. Already today, Sika offers its customers a wide range of environmentally friendly product technologies, for instance for energy-efficient construction and environmentally friendly vehicles. In the future, Sika products will not only deliver better performance but will feature enhanced environmental benefits as well.
Frank Höfflin, Chief Technology Officer, explains why at Sika innovation and entrepreneurial success belong together
Sika Wins Swiss Technology Award
Recently, Sika has won the Swiss Technology Award in the "Innovation Leaders" category for one of its newly developed high-performance products, an adhesive technology used in lightweight construction in the field of transportation.
This new solution, SikaForce® Powerflex, combines the characteristics of elastic and high-strength structural adhesives in a single product.
One advantage of SikaForce® Powerflex is that it enables manufacturers of cars, rail vehicles, buses and trucks to implement new, lighter, less polluting vehicle concepts while maintaining body rigidity, good elasticity – and thus ideal mechanical characteristics. The mixed materials used in production and bonded with SikaForce® permit a reduction in vehicle weight, thus reducing energy consumption and harmful emissions.
Constant Investments in Research & Development
At a total cost of CHF 2 million, Sika has recently commissioned a Digital Lab at its Zurich site as a sign of its continuing investment in 3D technology. This state-of-the-art laboratory houses the latest 3D printers, 3D scanners and various cooperative robots.
The aim is to digitize and automate both simple and complex processes, enabling Sika to progress towards Industry 4.0 and make the company even more future-proof.
The laboratory focuses mainly on producing CAD solutions and then visualizing them in virtual reality. As a result, Sika will be able to present architects, planners and other customers with new, three-dimensional designs that can be implemented with Sika technologies.
With its Digital Lab, the company is also aiming to optimize the collaboration between humans and robots, for example in the implementation of functional material tests, the automated application of materials, or the development of new materials and systems for 3D printing. Sika can therefore now offer customers specific services designed to optimize and accelerate processes and help increase productivity.
