Significant changes in manufacturing techniques, material usage and management of the supply chain have been initiated by the automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) over the past twenty-five years. Driven by the desire to reduce costs, the OEMs have been striving to limit their supplier base and transfer greater responsibility to suppliers. Components that were once manufactured in-house by the automotive companies, or by their subsidiaries, are now frequently sourced externally and are increasingly required as complete assembled sub-systems. 

Although the automotive industry only accounts for about 5% of total West European thermoplastics demand, it exerts a huge influence on plastics research and development as it often consumes the highest specification engineering polymers. Because of this the industry is a very good indicator of performance developments in engineering polymers, particularly in the custom injection moulding sector, where most automotive demand lies. 

AMI produces a large range of products that feature the automotive industry.