The centre is a joint project involving Singapore Polytechnic, TUM Asia (the German Institute of Science and Technology – TUM Asia Pte Ltd) in Singapore, and the Institute for Carbon Composites (LCC) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany.
The universities and 10 industrial partners have signed a memorandum of understanding to form the centre, which will aim to improve education in the area of fibre composites, promote further development of the technology, and encourage companies to set up in the region.
As a first step, it is planned to open a Composite Laboratory in April 2013.
Electric vehicles
In supporting this project, SGL Group wants to intensify its ongoing cooperation with the Institute for Carbon Composites at the TUM, TUM Asia, and Singapore’s leading universities.
One ongoing project is the development of the world’s first electric taxi at the TUM CREATE, a joint research programme between TUM in Germany and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore with funding from the National Research Foundation of Singapore. TUM CREATE involves an international team made up of over 100 scientists and engineers.
- SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers (SGL ACF) – a joint venture of SGL Group and BMW Group based in Washington, USA – manufactures carbon fibre for use by BMW. The first vehicle to use the carbon fibre manufactured in Moses Lake will be the BMW i3 (previously known as the Megacity Vehicle), an electric car designed for urban areas, which is scheduled for launch in 2013. (See BMW / SGL joint venture opens US carbon fibre plant.)
