Launching the world's first HFQ line: why lightweight aluminium is the future of manufacturing

Six months ago, Impression Technologies established its first headquarters at a new factory in Lyons Park, Coventry. The facility would house the world's first Hot Form Quench (HFQ) production line, a process capable of creating lightweight, high-strength complex aluminium parts for cars, trains and aeroplanes.
HFQ works by heating aluminium blanks to a certain temperature before presenting them to a press. Inside the press, the blanks are formed and quenched in situ, enabling manufacturers to achieve a level of formability that's not available from other processes.
On Monday 10th October, Impression Technologies celebrated the official launch of its HFQ facilities with a formal ribbon cutting by Councillor Lindsley Harvard, the Lord Mayor of Coventry, and an inaugural speech from the former Director General of the CBI, Lord Digby Jones.
CEO of Impression Technologies Jonathan Watkins said: "We have been running here for six months and have already been producing parts for Aston Martin and other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). This launch was a great opportunity to present our technology to other OEMs, as well as our partners."
Everyone in the automotive industry is looking to lightweight their vehicles in order to lower CO2 and increase fuel efficiency. Using lightweight structures allows this to happen faster and to a greater extent, helping aluminium to compete with steel in an affordable way.
Commenting on the event, Lord Digby Jones said: "The reason why it's so important to get people to invest in businesses like this is because: without the investment you don't get the company; without the company you don't get the competitiveness; without the competitiveness you don't make the money and; without the money, you don't have the public sector."