DYMAG Launches New Lightweight Carbom Composite Wheel At SEMA

Dymag, the British wheel company that developed the world’s first carbon composite auto wheel to SAE and BS standards, is launching its first new auto wheel for 10 years at SEMA 2015.

The company that became famous for making wheels to supply F1 and IndyCar racing teams and legends such as Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost, will unveil its new carbon composite wheel on their exhibitor stand (booth number 91112) and in the New Products Showcase. SEMA is the world’s premier automotive specialty trade event and attracts around 60,000 buyers over four days.

The launch comes hot on the heels of Dymag’s announcement that it has won £7.1m (USD 11m) UK government funding which will help the company to realise its ambitions to significantly reduce manufacturing process cycle times and enable high volume production of carbon composite auto and motorcycle wheels for the first time from a UK based purpose built site.

The new wheel comes 20 years after the company first introduced commercial production of carbon composite motorcycle wheels, and over 10 years since it launched the world’s first carbon composite auto wheels safety tested for street use.

As a result of government funding, Dymag has also been confirmed as a Tier 2 level member of the National Composites Centre, a partnership that will see the iconic British manufacturer team up with the UK manufacturing centre of excellence for composite products to develop its volume production process for lightweight carbon composite wheels.

Dymag’s funding package has come from the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI), a UK government programme designed to assist advanced UK manufacturers and is further supplemented by matched funding from a range of venture capital investors.

With the automotive industry buzz all about decreasing weight to deliver greater performance, safety and energy savings, Dymag’s carbon auto wheels are typically 40% lighter than an equivalent OEM aluminium alloy wheel of the same size.

Chris Shelley, Dymag’s Chief Executive, said: “The new wheel represents a big step forward in terms of performance, quality and the future ability to produce wheels reliably in higher volumes - using all the knowledge and experience we have built up over twenty years of making robust high quality carbon composite auto and motorcycle wheels tested to accepted international standards.

“All Dymag lightweight carbon composite wheels will be certificated for road use and will be available to be used for racing and track day applications, as well as premium OEM applications, tested to the most extreme loadings in the automotive industry. These are exciting, game-changing times for Dymag as the funding investment enables us to focus on developing high volume carbon composite auto and motorcycle wheels for a wide range of performance and luxury vehicles using advanced production processes and materials.

“We also plan to establish one or more long term strategic manufacturing partners in the UK and overseas to help continue to scale up and develop the business globally close to our customers.”

For further information on Dymag’s carbon composite wheel and its full range of auto and motorcycle wheels visit http://www.dymag.com/

About Dymag: http://www.dymag.com or https://www.facebook.com/dymagwheels

Started in the early 1970s, Dymag quickly moved to the technology pinnacle developing diecast magnesium wheels for Formula One and GT Racing cars and inventing the world’s first three spoke Magnesium motorcycle racing wheels. It was on these very motorcycle wheels that the legendary Eddie Lawson won the AMA Superbike Championship on a Kawasaki KZ1000-S1 in 1981 and 1982, and went on to win the 1984 World Motorcycle GP Championship on a Yamaha YZR500.

Building on their success, Dymag expanded into manufacturing Forged Magnesium wheels, Forged Aluminium wheels and finally invented lightweight Carbon Composite motorcycle and auto wheels with an equally enthusiastic response from bike and auto owners around the world. The company went into liquidation in 2009 and was rescued in 2010 by its current owners and has been successful in re-entering the motorcycle racing and aftermarket, supplying the winning BMW S1000RR ridden by Michael Dunlop in the 2014 Isle of Man TT, and 6 leading British Superbike Teams.

Dymag’s rich heritage on four wheels ranges from Formula 1, IndyCar, Rally/RAID, Moto GP, Superbikes, Isle of Man TT champions and race winners driving to victory on Dymags, as well as many production Supercar manufacturers.

Always at the forefront of materials technology over the past 30 years Dymag has progressed from its beginnings using diecast magnesium into forged magnesium and aluminium, before establishing itself as the world’s leading carbon auto and motorcycle wheels manufacturer in the 90s and 2000s.