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Autins group chief executive Gareth Kaminski-Cook explains how his company helps the car industry make cars that are lighter and less noisy - and how it has diversified during the pandemic to survive and thrive
Finding ways to improve cars’ acoustic and thermal performance is big business as consumers demand ever more comfortable and quieter vehicles. It’s why top brands including Aston Martin, Bentley Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo and BMW all work with the AIM-listed Autins Group to design their cars.
The Rugby-based designer, manufacturer and supplier of acoustic and thermal insulation products is a leader in the €1bn European noise vibration and harshness (NVH) market, where manufacturers compete to enhance the passenger as well as driving experience. “We are brought in to remove the shake, rattle and roll,” says Autins group chief executive Gareth Kaminski-Cook. “Carmakers come to us with a concept for a new design and we help them find solutions to the NVH problems they experience.”
The company launched as Automotive Insulations in 1966 and its turnover has now risen to around £30m, with 75pc of sales in the UK
The company also provides solutions for commercial vehicles, such as buses and heavy plant machinery, to make drivers more comfortable in their cabins.
The current challenge for Autins and its automotive clients is around the growth in electric vehicles, where the lack of an internal combustion engine means there are different sound issues to solve. “When driving an electric car you hear things you might not have heard in the past, such as road noise, the air conditioning, the changing of gears and other localised sound,” explains Kaminski-Cook.
The company will discuss specific noise issues a manufacturer is having, then test different materials at a range of noise frequencies to come up with a solution. For example, if a car battery gives out a high-pitched sound, Autins will suggest what material to use to create a barrier or absorb the sound. Audio engineers may also support on-site customer testing to experience the challenge first-hand. The company is also being asked to help producers make their cars lighter and more energy efficient.
Autins manufactures a patented, lightweight, high-performance acoustic material with thermal properties. Called Neptune, the non-woven microfibre product provides acoustic absorption and improves performance by around 40pc. The company has already supplied the material to a number of electric cars, where its performance is particularly suited to create more comfortable sound and energy control.
Autins’ product development team is based at its technical centre in Nuneaton, where engineers offer ongoing support to customers. They also work collaboratively with car manufacturers and with suppliers to discover solutions to NVH challenges by analysing existing products and new materials.
The company launched as Automotive Insulations in 1966 and its turnover has now risen to around £3
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