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'Innovation vital in Tier 2s': Tier 2s must get close to car firms, and form global...

NOORDWIJK, THE NETHERLANDS -- Tier 2 suppliers to the automotive sector, which include many polyurethane processors, are faced with a dilemma.

"Tier 2s are the innovators in the business," said Raphael Thienpont, president and ceo of Proseat GmbH + Co. KG.

And the size of Tier 2s means they are faster to react to market needs, he added.

But their smallness also means Tier 2s do not always have direct influence with the car makers, and their lack of global production is a drawback, Thienpont added, in a presentation at the Europur General Assembly

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