Which submissions garnered the most points — within their category, considering sustainability aspects, and across all categories? On June 28, 2024, the winners were announced — staged for the first time at the Kameha Grand Bonn directly on the Rhine promenade, which, with its light-filled Dome, provided the perfect setting for the highly innovative components.
As our President Bernard Rzepka emphasized in his welcoming address, the submissions demonstrate that plastics play a crucial role in the technology and design of tomorrow’s vehicles. Many of the 43 components admitted to the competition can be recycled after use. Innovative materials and technologies not only improve driving experience, safety, and sustainability but also advance competitiveness and thus strengthen society.
This time, the components were presented category by category, and the winners were announced immediately afterward. The guests’ attention was repeatedly drawn to details that would mostly go unnoticed without explanation. Often, the solution is surprisingly simple — only the path to it is anything but easy.
You can find out who the individual winners and placed entries are by following the links on the right. We will gradually introduce the components to you on our LinkedIn channel for the AutomotiveAward.
Two highly interesting presentations formed the supporting program of the event. Mike Herbig spoke about the circular economy in automotive engineering, and Nick Sohnemann gave an outlook on the possibilities of artificial intelligence in the coming years. And the evening held another surprise — Dietrich Taubert, who had resigned his functions within our association in spring 2024, received honorary membership in gratitude for his more than 35 years of active involvement.
Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Young Professionals Award. Three master’s theses dealing with plastic applications and lightweight construction in automobiles were honored. With young people like the three award winners Maximilian Lang, Johanna Beckmann, and Marcel Piechnik, a generation is beginning its professional career that offers an optimistic outlook for the future.
We once again extend our sincere congratulations to all award winners for their highly innovative, forward-looking developments. We are now focusing on the next initiatives with which we will further promote and support innovations in plastics technology in vehicle manufacturing. We will regularly inform you about this on this page and on our association’s LinkedIn channel.
Finally, the most important point: Our heartfelt thanks go to the companies whose sponsoring made the SPE AutomotiveAward possible in the first place!