On Wednesday, May 7, 2025, a representative of the Ford Motor Company visited the SGL Carbon site in Ort im Innkreis, Austria, to present the prestigious Q1 Award - the highest honor Ford bestows on its suppliers.
The Ford Q1 Award is a global benchmark for the best suppliers. To qualify for this status, suppliers must meet a number of criteria that are scored on a point system. Suppliers must demonstrate the highest standards of quality and reliability but also drive continuous improvement to ensure mutual success.
"We are very pleased that SGL Carbon, with its production site in Ort im Innkreis, has achieved the highest quality standard Q1 for the Ford Company. SGL Carbon has been a strong partner for many years and will hopefully remain so in the future. The implemented quality standards meet our quality requirements at Ford 100%. Congratulations on this award," said Lukáš Brdlík, Site STA Engineer Chassis at Ford Motor Company in Prague.
GFRP leaf springs made in Austria
SGL Carbon's Business Unit Composite Solutions manufactures fiber-reinforced composite components for the automotive industry in large series at its site in Ort im Innkreis, Austria, with a focus on leaf springs and battery case components.
Since 2019, the site has also been supplying the Ford Motor Company with leaf springs made of glass fiber-based composite for several vehicle models, such as longitudinal leaf springs for the rear axle of the Ford Transit. For Ford, this was the first leaf spring project with composites in series worldwide.
In 2021, Ford won the SPE Innovation Award for the spring system in its F-150 pickup truck model, which also uses a leaf spring component from SGL Carbon.
The Q1 status is further proof of the excellent cooperation with Ford and the high quality of SGL Carbon's components. This makes the site in Ort im Innkreis one of the most efficient partners within Ford's global supplier network.
"We are delighted to receive this award, which once again highlights the quality of our products. We would like to thank all our colleagues who have contributed to this achievement - success like this can only be achieved through teamwork," said Thomas Brunnmeier, Head of Quality Management at the Ort im Innkreis site.
