AUTOTECH ENGINEERING SPAIN SL

Their core work

Autotech Engineering Spain is an automotive engineering firm specializing in advanced lightweight materials and sustainable manufacturing for the transport sector. Their work sits at the intersection of materials science and vehicle design — specifically developing hybrid composites and aluminium alloys that reduce weight, improve recyclability, and reduce dependence on critical raw materials. In the RECOTRANS project they contributed to manufacturing recyclable metal-thermoplastic composites; in SALEMA they focused on replacing scarce materials in aluminium alloys used for electric vehicle components. Their industrial profile suggests they bridge R&D consortia and real-world automotive production, contributing engineering and exploitation expertise rather than purely academic research.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their first H2020 project (RECOTRANS, 2017–2021), Autotech focused on manufacturing processes for recyclable composite materials in transport — the emphasis was on fabrication methods and material performance rather than supply chain concerns. By their second project (SALEMA, 2021–2024), the focus had shifted decisively toward material sourcing strategy: critical raw materials, substitution, and circular economy in the context of electric vehicles. This is a meaningful shift — from "how do we make better composites" to "how do we secure and close the loop on the materials we depend on," tracking the broader European policy shift toward supply chain sovereignty and the EV transition.

Autotech is moving deeper into EV material supply chains — future collaborations in battery enclosures, structural EV components, or green aluminium processing would align well with their current trajectory.

How they like to work

Autotech has participated exclusively as a consortium partner, never as project coordinator, across both projects — suggesting they operate as a specialist contributor rather than a project driver. With 33 unique partners across 11 countries from only 2 projects, they work in mid-to-large European consortia typical of IA and RIA funding schemes. This profile is consistent with an industrial player that brings manufacturing know-how and exploitation pathways to research-led consortia, rather than generating project ideas themselves.

Despite only two projects, Autotech has built a surprisingly broad network — 33 unique partners across 11 countries, averaging 16+ partners per project. This indicates participation in large, multi-partner European consortia with strong geographic spread beyond Spain.

What sets them apart

Autotech occupies a rare niche as a Spanish private automotive engineering company active in both composite manufacturing and critical raw material strategy — a combination that few industrial SME-scale players bring to EU consortia. Their dual grounding in manufacturing process (RECOTRANS) and material supply resilience (SALEMA) makes them a credible industrial bridge between materials researchers and automotive OEMs. For consortium builders targeting automotive or EV topics, they offer industrial exploitation credibility without the overhead of a Tier-1 automotive supplier.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SALEMA
  Largest funding received (€458,992) and most strategically current — directly addresses EU critical raw material dependency in the fast-growing electric vehicle sector, combining recycling, circular economy, and alloy engineering.
• RECOTRANS
  Autotech's entry into EU research, demonstrating early commitment to sustainable transport manufacturing through recyclable hybrid metal-thermoplastic composites — a technically complex material category with direct automotive application.