OREANDA-NEWS. The Detroit Free Press has honored Ford and DowAksa with its Automotive Difference Maker Award for the companies’ teamwork in developing carbon fiber for high-volume automotive light-weighting applications.

Ford and DowAksa reached a joint development agreement last year to advance research on high-volume manufacturing of automotive-grade carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is poised to play an important role in making vehicles lighter for optimized performance, improved fuel economy and reduced emissions. 

The goal is to produce innovative materials for the dev?elopment of cost-effective carbon fiber composite parts that are much lighter than steel while still meeting automotive strength requirements.

Ford and DowAksa are partners in the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, announced by President Barack Obama as part of the larger National Network for Manufacturing Innovation supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Together, Ford and DowAksa are one of six honorees to earn the award.