Doors & Closures in Car Body Engineering 2025

Doors & Closures in Car Body Engineering 2025

Doors and Closures remain crucial, very unique elements in automobile development, due to their large outer surface area and the consequent impact on a car’s appearance, to their immediate sensual (haptic and acoustic) relevance for the customer’s vehicle experience, to their multitude of integrated, tightly packed functionalities, and, not least, to their high crash safety relevance.

With all that, hang-on part development also needs to respond to significant challenges:

    • In terms of materials, what choices are economically viable to realise lightweight, sustainable and high-performing solutions?
    • In what way can doors and closures adapt to or, better still, push forward future mobility scenarios, with changing customer demands and use cases?
    • For next-generation electric vehicles, how should new features such as frunks or the charging access best be carried out? What influence does battery design have on door engineering?

All these and further questions will be addressed at Automotive Circle’s Doors and Closures in Car Body Engineering 2025 conference, again gathering its leading international network of specialist engineers in Bad Nauheim (Germany) on November 18-19, 2025, to exchange views on latest innovations and trends in modern hang-on part development and production.

Don’t miss any updates by following our hashtag: #ACDoorsandClosures

We are looking forward to your participation and to meeting you in Bad Nauheim!

Our conference highlights:

Doors & Closures Systems Award

You are part of the jury! This award is bestowed by the Automotive Circle for the most convincing series OEM hang-on part development.

Accompanying Exhibition

Benefit from the exhibition on site, where topic-specific products and services will be displayed!

Technology Clinic

The audience is invited to benchmark the door opening and closing performances for a selection of current vehicles brought to the conference location.

Meet the Speakers

During the breaks, the speakers will be available for individual questions and further discussions.

Conference Agenda

All times in UTC+1

Program is subject to change.
Status as of: September 4, 2025

Participants

International OEM Advisory Board

Stephan Gülich

Audi AG

Reinhard Peis

BMW Group

Ray Gillis

Ford

Kazutaka Imamura

Honda R&D Co., Ltd.

Stephane Ringenbach

Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center GmbH

Kevin Welch

Jaguar Land Rover Ltd.

Jie Zhou

Li Auto

Fumio Tejima

Nissan Motors Co., Ltd.

Hengru Guo

Pan Asia Techn. Automotive Center

Thierry Ginestet

Groupe Renault

Petr Simon

Skoda Auto a.s.

Martin Schumilas

Stellantis

Eraldo Pignata

Stellantis

Tyler Morgan

Stellantis

Olaf Kühn

Volkswagen AG

  • Car body engineers, managers and employees of international OEM
  • System suppliers and engineering service providers
  • Experts from institutes

All responsible for projects regarding vehicle doors and closures in the areas of pre-development, development, planning and production.

  • Audi AG, DE
  • Auto-Entwicklungsring Sachsen GmbH, DE
  • Autotech Engineering Spain, S.L., ES
  • BMW Group, DE
  • COB Bearing GmbH, AT
  • EDAG Engineering GmbH, DE
  • Enterprise Garage Consultancy, US
  • Ferrari, IT
  • Ford, US
  • Ford Otosan, TR
  • Fuchs Lubricants Germany GmbH, DE
  • General Motor Company, US
  • GH Induction Deutschland, DE
  • Groupe Renault, FR
  • Hirotech Corporation, JP
  • Hoerbiger Automotive Komfortsysteme GmbH, DE
  • Hoerbiger Automotive Sp. z o.o., PL
  • Honda R&D, JP
  • HQ Europe GmbH, DE
  • Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG, DE
  • Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc., US
  • Hyundai Motor Company, KR
  • Hyundai Motor Europe, DE
  • ITW Automotive Products GmbH, DE
  • Jaguar Land Rover Ltd., GB
  • Kiekert AG, CH
  • Laubinger & Rickmann GmbH, DE
  • Li Auto, CN
  • Magna Engineering & Testing GmbH, DE
  • Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH & Co. KG, AT
  • Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., IN
  • Mayser GmbH & Co. KG, DE
  • Nissan Motors Co., Ltd., JP
  • Novelis Deutschland GmbH, DE
  • Pan Asia Techn. Automotive Center, CN
  • SaarGummi International Systems GmbH, DE
  • Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics GmbH, DE
  • Shanghai Lixiang Automobile Co., Ltd., CN
  • Sika Services, DE
  • Skoda Auto a.s., CZ
  • Stabilius GmbH, DE
  • Stellantis, DE
  • Stellantis, FR
  • Stellantis, IT
  • Stellantis, US
  • Sunstar Engineering Europe GmbH, DE
  • Suzuki Motor Corporation, JP
  • Teijin Automotive Technologies Wuppertal GmbH, DE
  • tesa SE, DE
  • Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd., JP
  • Toyota Motor Europe, BE
  • trinamiX GmbH, DE
  • Volkswagen AG, DE
  • WITOL / Witte Automotive GmbH, DE

Status as of: August 22, 2025

Exhibition & Sponsoring

Exhibitors on site

Become a sponsor or exhibitor

Take advantage of the high coverage of the Automotive Circle and profit from the sponsoring options before and during the events. Show your competence and services, matching the conference subjects, to the numerous car body engineers of international OEM. Thus, you are strengthening your brand awareness in the automotive industry!

Come on board as an exhibitor or sponsor and benefit from this excellent platform to strongly promote your company’s capabilities as a reliable supplier!

Detailed information for various exibition and sponsoring options will follow here soon!

Your contact for exhibition & sponsoring:

If you have any question or want to request additional information on exhibition & sponsoring options, please contact

Ms. Frauke Haentsch

Director Sales

frauke.haentsch@vincentz.net
T +49 511 9910-340

More information

Super Early Bird

Participation fee

1.795 €*

for registrations received by August 17, 2025

Early Bird

Participation fee

1.995€*

for registrations received by October 17, 2025

Standard

Participation fee

2.195 €*

for registrations received after October 17, 2025

Organizer
Vincentz Network GmbH & Co. KG
Plathnerstrasse 4c
30175 Hannover, Germany

T. +49 511 9910 – 384
F +49 511 9910 – 379
jannike.von.kampen@vincentz.net

Date & Venue
November 18-19, 2025

Digital Participation or
On site Participation @
DOLCE by Wyndham Bad Nauheim
Elvis-Presley-Platz 1
DE-61231 Bad Nauheim

T +49 6032 303-0
F +49 6032 303-529
info@
dolcebadnauheim.com
www.dolcebadnauheim.com

Accommodation is available at the conference hotel.

We kindly ask you to make your own hotel reservation at the conference hotel. Rooms are available from € 159,- to € 179,-, depending on the room category. All rooms include breakfast for a price of € 5,- per person and day. Please refer to: “Automotive Circle”.

The following cancellation conditions apply for all categories:

All reservations can be cancelled free of charge up to 4 weeks before arrival. Up to 2 weeks before arrival 60% of the room rate will be due. From 2 weeks before arrival 80 % will be charged.

Participation Fee

On site or digital (choice is all yours):

Super Early-bird
1.795 €*
for registrations received by August 17, 2025
Early-bird
1.995 €*
for registrations received by October 17, 2025
Standard
2.195€*
for registrations received after October 17, 2025

A 10% group discount on the rate that is valid at the time of registration is available. This will apply when 5 or more attendees from the same company address register at the same time.

Students will get 50 % discount on standard prices on presentation of a valid student ID.

The access data for the digital conference participation will be send out via e-mail approx. one week prior the conference. The prerequisite for this is that all payments have been received in full.
* All prices plus 19 % German VAT. All conferences in Europe are subject to VAT. To reclaim, please contact your local tax office.

Participation Fee includes

On site participation: Fees including full conference participation, incl. conference materials and list of delegates, the authority for downloading the presentation on the internet, luncheons, catering, the participation in the evening networking event and on-demand access to the presentation videos for 2 weeks after the conference.

Digital participation: Fees including full digital conference participation, incl. conference materials and list of delegates, the authority for downloading the presentation on the internet and on-demand access to the presentation videos for 2 weeks after the conference.

Registration

Registration is preferably done via the event’s website, alternatively by e-mail or regular mail. The confirmation of participation and invoice will be sent via e-mail. Without this confirmation, there is no claim to participation in the booked event. Registrations will be considered in the order in which they are received, except EuroCarBody. However, the number of participants is limited in all cases.

Technical Plattform for digital participation

This virtual event of the Automotive Circle is planned and conducted using electronic tools and platforms. The following tools are used:

  • Cvent Attendee Website (via browser, compatible with the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Microsoft Edge)
  • Vimeo Player
  • Slido

Each participant is responsible for using these tools. If it is not possible to use them, e.g. due to internal company requirements, this does not entitle the participant to cancel the digital participation free of charge.

Conference Language

The conference is held exclusively in English. All documents are predominately composed in the English language.

Cancellations

Fees will be refunded in full if notice of cancellation is received by October 17, 2025. Please understand that event preparation and organization involve financial and human resources. Therefore a fee of 50% of the participation fee will be charged, if the notification of cancellation is received after October 17, 2025. Should notification reach us after November 3, 2025, or in case of non-participation, 100% of the participation fee will be charged. Substitutions of delegates may be made at any time.

Cancellations and changes must be made in writing and will be confirmed by the organizer. Cancellations due to health reasons can be cancelled free of charge at any time with a medical certificate. If a participant is demonstrably unable to attend due to travel restrictions, he/she has the option of converting the attendance participation into a digital participation (if this is offered). Any cost differences will be reimbursed).

The participant undertakes to follow the instructions of the organizer and the venue. Failure to do so may result in exclusion from the event.

The organizer reserves the right to change the program or to cancel the event in the event of special circumstances (important reason). In particular, the organizer is entitled to take such measures in cases of force majeure, due to official orders, in the event of a situation endangering the life, body or health of the participants. In these cases, the organizer shall not be obliged to pay damages and/or reimbursement of expenses to the participants. This applies in particular to any cancellation fees incurred by third parties (e.g. hotel bookings, train or flight tickets).

If the digital event has to be canceled by the organizer due to insufficient number of participants, technical complications or due to illness of one or more speakers, already paid participation fees will be refunded in full. Further claims do not exist.

Invitation Letters

Please contact us if you need invitation letters for visa requirements. We will be happy to assist with this after we have received your registration. There requests are usually handled by us within 2 working days and we typically send the invitation letters out as a PDF file via eMail. If you require an original letter we can send it out by regular mail. Please understand that if you need letters sent via express mail that we have to further the delivery and handling costs to you.

Program Changes

Automotive Circle reserve the right to revise event content and change implementation tools. There is no claim to a specific lecture, workshop or references. Registered trademarks: No guarantee is given that the products, processes and other names mentioned are free of third-party property rights.

Data Protection

As participant of an event, you agree that data such as company, address (zip code, city, country), first name, name and job function of the attendee will be published on the list of participants. The list of participants is available to all participants of the event in digital form. The list of participants could also be used by sponsors and exhibitors for advertising purposes. Objection against publication and circulation of your data may be made at any time until 3 weeks prior to the event and has to be made in writing to the organizer. The address data are processed for customer service and information purposes in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Company’s name, city and country might be published on the Internet as reference for upcoming Automotive Circle events. Personal data will be forwarded to the local health authority on request.

Pictures, Videos & Recordings

By registering you understand that your participation and attendance at the event may be videotaped, filmed and/or audio recorded. You agree that the recording may be used for any lawful purposes that Vincentz Network, or its designees, in their sole discretion, may determine.

Picture credits

Vincentz Network, Hotel Dolce Bad Nauheim

Miscellaneous

With your binding registration you agree that film, image, word and sound recordings may be made of you during the event. These recordings may be used without restriction by Vincentz Network or authorized parties in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Also have a look at our Privacy Policy.

Hanover, November 2024

What can you expect from the digital participation?
  • Follow the live stream of all presentations or on demand* until 2 weeks after the conference
  • Ask you individual questions during the Q&A session to the speakers during the live stream
  • Exhibitor forum and the possibility to get in touch with the exhibitors
  • Messaging and chat functions to get in touch with others
  • Download of the presentations

*Will be provided after the conference

Acces data to the digital platform will be send out approx. one week before the conference starts.

Technical Plattform

The virtual event of the Automotive Circle is planned and conducted using electronic tools and platforms. The follwoing tools are used:

  • Cvent Attendee Website (via browser, compatible with the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Microsoft Edge)
  • Vimeo Player
  • Slido

Each participant is responsible for using these tools. If it is not possible to use them, e.g. due to technical company requirements, this does not entitle the participant to cancel the digital participation free of charge.

Review

New Audi A5 doors closure system – challenges during the development
Robert Winkel, Jermaine Most, Audi AG, DE

The Doors & Closures Systems Award is given to the best automotive OEM series hang-on part development, presented and exhibited at the annual Automotive Circle conference Doors & Closures in Car Body Engineering, explaining its engineering concept, product properties and production processes.

Congratulations!

Your Contacts

Dr. Dirk Meine

Presidium

+49 511 9910-319

Jannike von Kampen

Senior Event Manager

+49 511 9910-384

Frauke Haentsch

Director Sales

+49 511 9910-340