AutoForm
{{Infobox company
| name = AutoForm Engineering GmbH
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| native_name_lang = de
| type = Private
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| industry = Software development
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| foundation = {{Start date and age|1995}}
| founder =
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| location_city = Wilen bei Wollerau, Switzerland
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| key_people = Olivier Leteurtre
(CEO)
Dr. Waldemar Kubli
(Founder and CPO)
| products = Software
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| num_employees = >400 (2019)
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.autoform.com/}}
}}
AutoForm Engineering GmbH located in Pfäffikon SZ Switzerland is a Swiss software developer. AutoForm’s software forms a platform for the engineering, evaluation and improvement of the sheet metal forming and BiW assembly processes. In 2009, the company had a 50-60% industry market share.[http://www.swiss-venture-club.ch/de/i/zuerich_content---1--1042.html SVC Swiss Venture Club, 11. März 2009] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530023423/http://www.swiss-venture-club.ch/de/i/zuerich_content---1--1042.html |date=May 30, 2009 }}
History
In 1995, the company emerged as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, which itself began with a dissertation written by founder Waldemar Kubli in 1990.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j9guX2vAiq8C&dq=autoform+Waldemar+Kubli&pg=PA169 |page=169 |publisher=Gabler Verlag |title=Born Globals: Internationale Wachstumsstrategien junger Unternehmen |author=Michael Pock |year=2010|isbn=9783834989598 }} Subsequently, the company created subsidiaries in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. In 2016 AutoForm was acquired by Astorg and in 2021 Carlyle acquired AutoForm from Astorg.{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/carlyle-nears-2-billion-deal-to-buy-switzerlands-autoform-engineering-11637077081 |title=Carlyle to Buy Switzerland's AutoForm Engineering in $2 Billion Deal |author=Ben Dummett |date=November 17, 2021}}
Products
The AutoForm products address various areas of application along the Sheet Metal Forming and BiW Process Chains, including product development, early planning, process & tooling, and tryout & production. In 2008 of the largest 20 automotive OEMs and most of their suppliers were using AutoForm.{{cite web |url=http://www.handelszeitung.ch/unternehmen-541 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706234143/http://www.handelszeitung.ch/unternehmen-541 |archive-date=2011-07-06 |title=Unternehmen |language=German |publisher=Handelszeitung |date=October 2008}}
Industry and research partnerships
AutoForm is involved in joint development projects for sheet metal forming and BiW assembly covering several industries. This includes work with automobile manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Daimler AG,{{cite web |url=https://capitalfinance.lesechos.fr/deals/lbo/carlyle-parie-sur-lindustrie-automobile-avec-autoform-1364885 |title=Carlyle parie sur l'industrie automobile avec AutoForm |language=French |date=November 18, 2021 |publisher=Capital Finance}} and PSA Group; tooling suppliers such as Magna International and Faurecia;Pock, 172. material suppliers including ArcelorMittal, and Thyssenkrupp Steel; and universities including ETH ZurichPock, 169. and Twente University.{{cite web |url=https://essay.utwente.nl/58357/ |title=OPTIMISATION OF A DEEP DRAWING PROCESS WITH EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION: APPLIED TO AN AUTOMOTIVE DEEP DRAWING PROCESS OF A B-PILLAR |year=2007 |author=Wijlen, E.V. |publisher=Twenty University}}