21/11/2019

Sika has won the Swiss Technology Award 2019 in the "Innovation Leaders" category. It received the award for its new, high-performance adhesive technology used in lightweight construction in the field of transportation. The prize was awarded on November 21, at the Swiss Innovation Forum in Basel in the presence of 1,000 decision-makers in business, politics, science and the media.

Over one hundred companies competed for Switzerland’s most important technology prize, which is awarded annually by the Swiss Innovation Forum. Sika was recognized by the jury for its innovative strength and was awarded the prize for its latest innovation: SikaForce® Powerflex, a new adhesive technology that combines the characteristics of elastic and high-strength structural adhesives in a single product. SikaForce® Powerflex was developed to meet the requirements of lightweight construction in the field of transportation.

Lighter and environmentally friendlier vehicles thanks to Sika

One advantage of SikaForce® Powerflex is that it enables manufacturers of cars, rail vehicles, buses and trucks to implement new, lighter, less polluting vehicle concepts while maintaining body rigidity, good elasticity – and thus ideal mechanical characteristics. The mixed materials used in production and bonded with SikaForce® permit a reduction in vehicle weight, thus reducing energy consumption and harmful emissions.

Chief Technology Officer
"It is a great honor for us to receive the coveted Swiss Technology Award, which demonstrates Sika’s innovative strength once again. Our aim is to offer customers solutions with added value. With our prize-winning SikaForce® Powerflex adhesive technology, we not only support faster assembly processes, but also make a major contribution to meeting the challenges of the future – enabling lightweight construction, and thus contributing to environmental friendliness in the transportation field. " Frank Höfflin, Chief Technology Manager

Hardening at the touch of a button

The new adhesive features "curing by design" technology. This extremely fast-working curing technology can be triggered virtually at the touch of a button and reduces the assembly time by up to 50%. OEMs and other users can thus make their production processes much faster and more efficient.

About the Swiss Innovation Award

In the context of the Swiss Technology Award every year, prizes are awarded to outstanding technology-based innovations and developments from start-ups, universities and universities of applies sciences, and established companies.
This award is the most important distinction for innovation and technology transfer in Switzerland. Adopted by the Swiss Economic Forum AG in 2007, the Swiss Technology Award was presented for the 31st time at the Swiss Innovation Forum 2019.

Fabien Choffat, Head Product Development - 2C Adhesives, and Marko Zivaljic, Corporate Business Development Manager Structural Bonding, presenting the new adhesive technology at the ETH, Zurich
Image: Fabien Choffat, Head Product Development - 2C Adhesives, and Marko Zivaljic, Corporate Business Development Manager Structural Bonding, presenting the new adhesive technology at the ETH, Zurich
Sika wins Swiss Technology Award
Image: The Winning Sika Team
Winners of Swiss Technology Award SikaForce® Powerflex team