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The History of Ilmberger Carbon - Born in Racing, Approved for the Street.
Initial Motivations and Founding of the Company
Julius Ilmberger has been active in motorcycle racing since 1987 and, as a perfectionist, has always been committed to optimizing his motorcycles down to the last detail. He was fascinated early on by the undeniable advantages of the material carbon. At that time, however, carbon fiber parts were either not available at all or only in poor quality and at unaffordable prices. His personal enthusiasm for the material carbon, his futile search for suitable products, and his ambition in motorcycle racing eventually led Julius Ilmberger to manufacture his first carbon parts for personal use. By chance, he met his future business partner, who was already working in Slovenia with an early precursor of today's autoclave technology. At that time, the parts were lighter and more stable than anything known before.
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The quality and advantages of the components in racing quickly spread first in the German and later also in the European paddocks. What started as occasional favors gradually turned into small-scale production. By 1990, the demand was so great that Julius Ilmberger founded his own company: Ilmberger Carbonparts. Born in racing, it soon became apparent that there was also a demand for such components on the street.
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The Path to Street Approval
In 2003, the time had finally come. This year marked a milestone for carbon as a material in the motorcycle scene. Julius Ilmberger recognized early on that a high-quality product must also be uncomplicated for the customer. Ilmberger Carbon therefore already had the first parts with ABE shortly after the turn of the millennium and enabled street-approved carbon parts from the factory even then. To this day, a unique feature. This allows for the direct use of the parts in German road traffic without cumbersome individual approval by the TÜV. Thanks to the high requirements and the well-monitored testing process, the ABE is also internationally recognized and provides the best possible basis for local approval in many countries around the world. Plug & Play took on a whole new meaning here. The ABE has since been expanded model by model, so today the entire range of street parts from Ilmberger is covered and approved by an ABE.
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Start of Production in Bosnia
Another defining milestone occurred after the end of the Yugoslav Wars. Many people fled from war-torn Bosnia to the then already more stable Slovenia, and some of them found their calling in the manufacture of carbon parts. Entire families had already been working in Slovenia for years on the carbon parts for Ilmberger Carbon. However, once the situation in Bosnia stabilized again, many of them returned to their homeland in Bosnia.
Due to the close connection to the employees and their valuable know-how, it was decided to accompany the people back to their homeland and open a new production facility there. A large part of the original core team in Bosnia, as well as in Slovenia, is still actively working with us today, over 20 years later, forming the basis of what is known today as Ilmberger Carbon. In 2015, another significant milestone on the way to today's company occurred. After some internal restructuring, the production company Premium Composite International was founded.
Founding of PCI and the Path to Own Production
Under the new name PCI, development at the Slovenian location and production at the Bosnian location were continued and modernized. In the course of the move, both locations were further developed and space for innovations was created. This reorganization soon bore its first fruits. For the first time, the technology of powder coating on the raw surface of carbon was developed and introduced into series production. Once again, Ilmberger was a pioneer. The powder coating is applied additionally and thus provides a primer for the clear coat above. This innovative production step is still unique in the production of carbon today and enables long-lasting protection of the otherwise sensitive surface of the carbon part.
First OEM Orders for BMW and Ducati
In 2016, the first motorcycle manufacturers also showed their trust in Julius Ilmberger and his newly founded production. With the front fender of the Panigale V4, the still relatively young company received its first series order. Many more were to follow, and so Ilmberger is now a fixed part of Ducati's supply chain.
Also in the same year, Ilmberger Carbon was selected by BMW Motorrad as a supplier for the HP4 Race after an internal selection process. With then only about 25 people in the entire operation, it was a mammoth project that was successfully managed. An HP4 Race still stands as a memento in the company's showroom today. In the course of this, the company logo was revised to do justice to the new era stylistically as well.
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The Next Generation
In 2018, by a happy coincidence, the racing career of the currently youngest, Julius Ilmberger junior, began. This led him to the ProSuperstock 1000, as well as the IDM Superbike. With his experience from professional racing, he tests many of the new components, especially in the field of aerodynamics, under the toughest conditions himself to advance the parts even further. Racing was not only the impetus for founding the company but has always been an integral part of the company's DNA. Therefore, it is not only actively pursued at Ilmberger but also supported and promoted in many ways. Both generations use their skills to regularly test new prototypes and materials under extreme stress. The different driving styles enable a broad data base, which flows directly into development.
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Further Developments and Adjustments
2019 marks another milestone. The high quality of the parts continues to spread. As a now established supplier at Ducati and with steadily growing demand at Ilmberger Carbon and other OEMs, the 100th employee is hired. Technical development also continues. In April of the year, the brand name "Black Diamond Carbon" is registered. A novel manufacturing process for carbon parts that combines the spirit of sustainability with a distinctive design.
In 2020, while the world seems to stand still, the pandemic is well weathered in uncertain times thanks to high safety and hygiene standards throughout the operation, despite the most adverse conditions. Temporary production outages are accepted, but the virus cannot spread in the operation. The increased protective measures and raw material problems lead to enormous production bottlenecks. Delivery times regularly exceed several months. Although many customers are willing to wait patiently, an immediate measure is taken, which has been maintained to this day. If an item is not in stock when ordered, it is put on backorder. Only when the entire order is deliverable is the invoice created and due for payment. This allows for planning security for each individual customer, even in uncertain times, as a free cancellation is possible at any time. In addition, backordered parts are produced on an express lane in production so that they can be delivered faster.
At the same time, measures are being taken in production in the background to prevent such extreme situations, even under the most adverse external circumstances, in the future. Among other things, a gigantic material warehouse is being set up to ensure production for months, even without resupply. Unique in the industry in this dimension so far.
Official Appearance in the WSBK
As time goes on, the partnership with BMW Motorrad deepens. Since 2023, both the factory teams in the WSBK and the EWC teams have been equipped by Ilmberger Carbon. At the same time, through the development and distribution of the stock fairing, with our long-standing partner alpha Racing, racing is further promoted at all levels. Even today, Ilmberger Carbon is proud to deliver the best carbon fiber parts in the industry to motorcycle enthusiasts worldwide from Bavaria.
Further Developments
The future as a family business is secured by son Julius Junior. Like his father and grandfather before him, he grew up on European racetracks and is addicted to the motorcycle virus. After successful training through mechanical engineering studies and subsequent business administration studies at the TU Munich, he gradually takes on more responsibility and tasks in the company. The word "family business" is fully embraced at Ilmberger, and the next steps of innovation are already planned.
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