Innovation Collaboration Center

Kitzingen, 28 August 2026 - Innovation flourishes where people, ideas and technologies converge. With the evolution of the former Innovation Industrialization Center (IIC) into the Innovation Collaboration Center (ICC), LEONI has redefined the way new technologies are developed, validated and brought into industrial application. Located in Kitzingen (Germany), the ICC serves as a platform for cross-functional collaboration, advanced manufacturing and technology development, accelerating innovation cycles and driving the future of mobility through cutting-edge products, processes and production solutions.

Innovation has always been part of LEONI's DNA. Yet as the automotive industry is transformed by electrification, automation and increasingly complex vehicle architectures, innovation itself must evolve. To meet these demands, LEONI transformed its former Innovation Industrialization Center (IIC) into the Innovation Collaboration Center (ICC). More than a name change, this transformation reflects a strategic shift towards greater collaboration, stronger cross-functional integration and faster innovation. Today, the ICC brings together experts from product development, industrial engineering, production, advanced manufacturing and research in a single environment. Its mission is clear: break down silos, accelerate the journey from idea to implementation and create solutions that help define the future of automotive wiring systems.

Where ideas become industrial solutions
The ICC serves as the bridge between innovation and industrialization. Within its dedicated development and testing environment, new technologies can be evaluated, validated and prepared for large-scale implementation under real production conditions. By aligning product and process development from the earliest stages, the center helps reduce complexity, increase standardization and accelerate technology transfer into serial production. Close collaboration with customers ensures that requirements are incorporated early in the development process, enabling solutions that are both innovative and ready for industrial deployment. This integrated approach shortens development cycles, speeds up time-to-market and strengthens LEONI's competitiveness. A recent example of the ICC's impact is the successful completion of the Smart Manufacturing Cell (SMC) project. Through close collaboration across disciplines, an automated taping and clip assembly solution was developed, approved for serial production and is now being prepared for industrial ramp-up. The project demonstrates how the ICC transforms promising concepts into scalable manufacturing solutions that create measurable value for both customers and operations.

Collaboration as a competitive advantage
What sets the ICC apart is its collaborative mindset. The center actively connects specialists across disciplines, locations and business functions to solve complex challenges and unlock new opportunities.
Alongside strengthening internal cooperation, the ICC serves as a platform for collaboration with customers, suppliers, universities and technology partners. These partnerships enable the development of forward-looking solutions for modern vehicle architectures, advanced automation concepts and next-generation electrical systems. By bringing together diverse expertise and perspectives, LEONI creates an environment where innovation moves faster, ideas develop further and solutions deliver greater impact.

Driving the technologies of tomorrow

The ICC is already contributing to innovations that will shape the future of the automotive industry. Its teams are developing wiring system solutions that simplify vehicle assembly, advancing next-generation flat wiring technologies and creating flexible manufacturing concepts capable of supporting a broad range of products and customer requirements. A particular focus lies on transforming traditionally product-specific assembly systems into flexible and scalable production lines that can adapt to changing market demands and future vehicle architectures. At the same time, the center is exploring the opportunities of digitalization and artificial intelligence in manufacturing. Through feasibility studies, prototypes and research initiatives, the ICC is laying the foundation for future AI-driven production environments that enhance efficiency, quality and flexibility. These activities underscore LEONI's ambition not only to respond to industry transformation, but to actively drive it.

Creating measurable business value

Beyond developing new technologies, the ICC is designed to create measurable value across the entire product lifecycle. By bringing together expertise from engineering, operations, quality and industrialization, the center enables end-to-end integration across the value chain while strengthening collaboration between business functions and leadership teams. This integrated approach supports optimized automation solutions, faster market introduction of new technologies, improved sustainability and greater cost efficiency. As a result, innovation is not only accelerated but translated into tangible business benefits for customers, operations and LEONI as a whole.

A hub designed for innovation

Located at LEONI's Wiring Systems headquarters in Kitzingen (Germany), the Innovation Collaboration Center provides more than 3,000 square meters of office, workshop and development space designed to foster creativity, collaboration and technological advancement. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for prototyping, automation, validation and technology demonstrations, the ICC offers the ideal environment for transforming ideas into industrial reality. More importantly, it provides a setting where experts can collaborate closely, test solutions rapidly and accelerate the development of future technologies.

Shaping the future together

The transformation from IIC to ICC marks a significant milestone in LEONI's innovation journey. By placing collaboration at the heart of its innovation strategy, the company has created a unique platform that connects people, technologies and ideas across the entire value chain. As the automotive industry continues to evolve, the Innovation Collaboration Center will play a vital role in developing smarter, more efficient and more sustainable wiring system solutions. By accelerating technology transfer, fostering closer customer integration and turning innovative concepts into scalable industrial solutions, the ICC is strengthening LEONI's competitive position and helping drive the future of mobility. The ICC is more than a place where innovation happens. It is where the future of wiring systems takes shape.