BENTELER receives EFB “Innovative Alliance” quality seal

Hannover (Germany), October 22, 2026. The European Research Association for Sheet Metal Working (EFB) has awarded BENTELER Automobiltechnik GmbH the “Innovative Alliance” quality seal, recognizing BENTELER's long-standing commitment to collaborative industrial research.

EFB brings together companies and research institutions to jointly address challenges from industrial practice and make research findings applicable in day-to-day operations. At EuroBLECH in Hannover – one of the world’s largest trade fairs for the sheet metal processing industry – the association honored companies for their active commitment. The quality seal recognizes the concrete contribution to research activities and the quality of the collaboration, rather than an individual product or development. Michael Klandt, VP Engineering BENTELER Automotive Components EU, and Christian Hielscher, Director R&D New Structural Systems BENTELER Automotive Components EU, jointly accepted the award on behalf of BENTELER Automobiltechnik GmbH.

20 research projects completed since 2016

Since 2016, BENTELER has completed 20 research projects as part of the collaboration with EFB, with three more due to start shortly. The focus is on high-strength aluminum alloys and mechanical joining processes. Projects include, for example, the hot forming of aluminum, the durability of mechanically joined connections throughout their service life, and joining solutions for battery housings.

Bringing research findings into practice

BENTELER contributes technical expertise and production experience to these projects. The findings are shared with the relevant specialist departments at BENTELER. In this way, the collaboration connects concrete challenges from day-to-day work with application-oriented research.