“ACP stands for ‘advanced carrier products’,” he explains. “Our customers preform the carriers, co-extrude them with rubber or plastic, and finally they are connected to the car. Today, we supply around 60 automotive factories Europe-wide. Yet, all potential customers are our customers already. However, weatherstrips are needed by several other industries, too. Thanks to our horizontal integration, we are able to offer our customers close cooperation, even in the early stages of development. In 2002, we introduced a new process step in order to set ourselves apart from competitors. This new process step enhanced our speed and flexibility and enables us to produce small quantities, too.”
Altogether, ACP Deutschland has capacities for over 120 million meters of weatherstrips per year. The parent plant was founded in 1927 in Wuppertal, Germany. In 2002, ACP Deutschland was established by the HÜHOCO Group, a family enterprise.
“We are the youngest player in the market,” says the Managing Director. “We started with a team of six. Today, we have a staff of 32 and enjoy constant growth.”
Focusing on Europe, the company achieves around 30% of its annual turnover in Germany. ACP Deutschland will not rest on its laurels in the coming years.
“In our market, there is no such a thing as a standstill,” says Mr. Koch. “The automotive market is developing at a fast pace. The Opel Astra 2016, for example, does not have the same door seals as the 2012 model. We have to refine and improve our products continuously to meet the changing needs of our customers. Therefore, the close cooperation with our customers’ research and development departments will continue to be crucial for us. This will be particularly important for opening up new industries and markets.”