TPV consolidates its path towards the world’s top suppliers in the automotive industry as it achieved a remarkable success with the premium car manufacturer Volvo Cars.

The acquired deals include the development and production of structural chassis and automobile bodywork with the function of supporting and protecting the electric power. This way TPV enters the field of electric vehicles even more intensively and becomes one of the key suppliers of Volvo Cars in the field of electrification, currently one of the main trends in the automotive industry. More precisely, TPV is penetrating into the segment of aluminium products, introducing a range of new most advanced technologies.

On November 20, 2018, a new Collaborative Robotics Centre was launched at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, as part of the annual European Robotics Week.

The Centre is well equipped with cutting-edge technology in the field of collaborative robotics. It draws knowledge from human-robot interaction, guidance and navigation of vehicles, sensor integration, augmented reality and application of advanced technologies in industrial environment.

Igor Lekše, Director of Process Automatization at TPV, took part in a round table discussion on collaborative robotics alongside other contributors who shared their experience, namely Janez Novak (RLS), Hubert Kosler (Yaskawa), Martin Slivnik (Hella Saturnus) and Robert Čerin (Kolektor Orodjarna). Mr. Lekše shared TPV’s experience with collaborative robots used for picking and inserting sheet metal in forming tools, and handling of parts between operations in transfer tools.

TPV Day of Innovation is an annual event where TPV Group presents their innovation achievements of the previous year, and also points out new trends, aspects and findings in the area of innovation. In 2018, the event took place on 13 February, in the new showroom of TPV Group on Kandijska cesta 60.

The ceremony was opened by Marko Gorjup, Director – President of Management TPV d.o.o., who stressed the importance of innovations which allow us to adapt to changes and gain competitive advantage in the increasingly changing environment.

The innovators were greeted virtually by one of the biggest and most famous Slovenian inventors Peter Florjančič, author of roughly 400 patents. He addressed the innovators with words of encouragement and shared interesting stories and ideas about the birth of perfume atomiser and car airbag which he had sketched back in 1957.

Krunoslav Šimrak, the Director of R&D Division, presented the technology trends in the automotive industry, such as autonomy, electrification, connectivity and car sharing. The global innovation index for 2017 has revealed that the world’s most innovative countries have been Sweden, USA, Germany and Great Britain, where TPV’s biggest customers are located. Customers attach great importance to innovations and expect their suppliers, including TPV, to demonstrate such a commitment.

In TPV Group, innovations have become a significant part of all work processes and employees’ mentality. In 2017, a 10,000th innovative proposal was submitted by employees. The number of innovative ideas is increasing year by year. In 2017, TPV employees submitted almost 3,000 innovative proposals. Among the ideas, the Innovation Committee traditionally selects the most valuable proposal submitted by an individual and a team and additionally awards them.

At the ceremony, the awards and recognitions for the best innovative ideas were conferred by the Director – President of Management, Mr. Marko Gorjup, the Director, Member of Management, Mr. Ivan Erenda, and the Director of R&D Division, Mr. Krunoslav Šimrak. According to the Innovation Committee, Marko Malnarič was the most impressive innovator with the innovative proposal »Robotised manufacturing of a product for Range Rover vehicles«. The award for the most valuable team innovation was conferred to Srečko Basarac and Primož Kozan for their innovation »Feasibility study and implementation of protection in the press tool«.