The MAN Partnership History
MAN Truck & Bus SE is one of Europe’s leading truck and bus manufacturers, known worldwide as a Volkswagen Group member for its reliable, durable commercial vehicles. The collaboration between Carbon Composites and MAN began in 2014, when the manufacturer sought new suppliers for external composite components of the TGX heavy double-cab truck series. Our company successfully demonstrated its ability to meet the special requirements of heavy-duty vehicles.
The heavy commercial vehicle industry poses unique challenges for component manufacturers: parts must maintain their integrity under extreme conditions — severe mechanical stress, weather exposure, road salting, UV radiation, and continuous vibration. Meeting these requirements in full is critical for long service life and reliable operation.
Manufactured Components
The project primarily involves mudguards and associated cladding elements for the MAN TGX series. Mudguards are not merely aesthetic elements — they serve an important function in deflecting spray water and debris, thereby protecting other vehicle components and following traffic. For trucks, these elements are substantial in size, feature complex stiffening rib systems, and incorporate various moulded-in inserts to facilitate assembly. These present significant challenges in both production and tooling.
The elements we produce include both left and right mudguards, wheel arch liners, side cladding panels, and various aerodynamic components. Together, these parts contribute to the vehicle’s appearance and aerodynamic performance. In modern trucks, optimised airflow design is increasingly important for fuel efficiency, making proper cladding elements essential.
Heavy RTM Technology for Complex, Large Components
To manufacture the large-format, geometrically complex mudguards, we employ heavy RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding) technology. This process is ideally suited for producing durable, glass fibre-reinforced polyester (GRP) components that meet the stringent requirements of the truck industry. Heavy RTM technology enables the production of components with uniform wall thickness, complex rib geometries, and high mechanical properties.
During production, the glass fibre reinforcement is pre-positioned in the mould, and the resin system is then injected into the mechanically closed, temperature-controlled mould. After curing, raw parts are trimmed and machined using our CNC equipment. Tool design is particularly critical: precise alignment and proper temperature distribution of the large-format moulds is ensured through careful engineering and execution.
Surface Treatment and Painting
Mudguards and cladding elements are directly visible, making surface quality paramount. We perform all surface treatment in our in-house paint shop: from preparation through sandblasting, priming, topcoat application, and clear coat — every process step is handled internally. To achieve the precise colour shades specified by MAN and ensure durable, weather-resistant coatings, we conduct continuous quality control and colour measurement.
Quality Assurance and Durability Testing
Truck components must deliver extreme durability, as these vehicles can cover several million kilometres over their service life. Physical properties — flexural strength, impact resistance, UV resistance — are regularly verified through sampling and laboratory testing.
For painted surfaces, adhesion tests and weathering resistance tests are performed. These tests confirm that components meet MAN’s specifications and maintain their appearance and functionality over the long term. To ensure traceability, every component is assigned a unique identifier.
Results and Long-Term Partnership
Since the project’s launch in 2014, we have delivered more than 40,000 mudguards and cladding elements to MAN. The collaboration continues to expand: alongside the TGX, we now also produce components for the TGS series, and participate in prototype development for electric trucks. MAN’s satisfaction is reflected in year-on-year volume increases.
The project’s success is measured not only in business results but also in proving our competitiveness in yet another segment of the heavy commercial vehicle industry. The MAN partnership serves as a reference for other truck and bus manufacturers seeking high-quality composite components. This collaboration strengthens Carbon Composites’ position as a reliable Tier-1 supplier in the commercial vehicle industry.