Düsseldorf, August 31, 2018 – Asahi Kasei has signed a contract as official partner with the organiser of the FIA World Rally Championship. In this world-leading rally series, drivers and vehicles compete against each other under the toughest and most diverse conditions. The Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA) has organised the World Rally Championship (WRC) in this form since 1973.
The partnership with the WRC will increase awareness of the corporate brand Asahi Kasei in Europe, where rally competitions have been held for almost 100 years. At the same time, the commitment as official partner supports the efforts of the automotive industry to improve vehicle performance through motorsport competitions under the toughest conditions. It consists of 13 events across 15 countries and five continents. The winner of each rally is the team that completes all the high-speed competitive special stages in the shortest total time. Drivers and co-drivers compete under extremely tough and varied conditions in dramatic surroundings, ranging from the ice and snow of a Scandinavian winter to the stifling heat of high summer in Sardinia.
Last year WRC was broadcast on television for a total of more than 13,000 hours in 155 markets, with a cumulative audience of 850 million people. WRC also has a huge digital profile, with more than 1.6 billion online engagements in 2017.
Asahi Kasei joins as official partner of WRC starting with „Rallye Deutschland 2018“ (August 16-19) in the Saarbrucken area (service park at Bostalsee) with a distance of around 1,200 kilometers and more than 200,000 viewers in 2017, viewed as the most difficult of the end-of-season asphalt encounters. The main challenges for the „Wales Rally GB“ (October 4-7) taking place in north Wales and Cheshire (service park in Deeside) with a total distance of around 1,400 kilometres, are treacherous and muddy conditions and unpredictable weather with rain, ice and fog.
At 1,400 race kilometres during the ‚Rallye de Espaoa‘ (October 25-29) in Catalonia (Tarragona province, Salou service park), the drivers face the challenge of two days driving on asphalt and one day mainly on gravel.
Its partnership with WRC will enable Asahi Kasei to enhance corporate brand recognition in Europe where there is a rich heritage of rally competition, while supporting the automotive industry“s effort to improve vehicle performance through motorsport competition under the most severe conditions.
Asahi Kasei is globally expanding its automotive-related business which includes engineering plastics for vehicle weight reduction, microfiber suede for seats with superior comfort, and sensors and communication systems utilizing audio and speech processing technology, CO2 – and alcohol sensors.
About Asahi Kasei
Asahi Kasei Corporation is a globally active diversified technology company with operations in the Material, Homes, and Health Care business. The Material division encompasses fibers & textiles, petrochemicals, performance polymers, performance materials, consumables, battery separators, and electronic devices. The Homes division provides housing and construction materials to the Japanese market. The Health Care division includes pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and acute critical care devices and systems. With approximately 34,000 employees around the world, the Asahi Kasei Group serves customers in more than 100 countries.
Asahi Kasei is „Creating for Tomorrow“ with all operations sharing a common mission of contributing to life and living for people around the world. For more information, visit
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/asahi/en/
www.asahi-kasei.eu/
More information about WRC and the races:
www.wrc.com/en/
www.adac-rallye-deutschland.de/
www.wrc.com/en/wrc/calendar/germany-2018/page/700–700-682-.html
https://walesrallygb.com/
www.wrc.com/en/wrc/calendar/spain-2018/page/703–703-682-.html
Company contact Japan
Asahi Kasei Corp.
Corporate Communications
Phone: +81-(0)3-3296-3008
Fax: +81-(0)3-3296-3162
The Asahi Kasei Group is a diversified group of companies led by Asahi Kasei Corp., with operations in the Material, Homes, and Health Care business sectors. Asahi Kasei distributes its innovative technologies and unique materials on markets worldwide.
With more than 30,000 employees around the world, the Asahi Kasei Group serves customers in more than 100 countries. Asahi Kasei is „Creating for Tomorrow“ with all operations sharing a common mission of contributing to life and living for people around the world.
Company-Contact
Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH
Sebastian Schmidt
Am Seestern 4
40547 Düsseldorf
Phone: +49 (0)211 280 68 139
E-Mail: Sebastian.Schmidt@asahi-kasei.eu
Url: https://www.asahi-kasei.eu/
Press
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Henning Küll
Louisenstraße 97
61348 Bad Homburg
Phone: +49 (0) 6172 27159 12
E-Mail: h.kuell@financial-relations.de
Url: http://www.financial-relations.de
