Laser-sharp Immico making sparks fly with on and off-track success

• Thermal management specialist reveals significant growth during first quarter of 2024

• New laser-cutting machine revolutionises Immico’s manufacturing processes

• BTCC success paving the way for innovative approach to heat-shielding solutions

Immico has been making sparks fly in recent weeks both on and off the racetrack, with a dominant performance in the 2024 British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season-opener – and a ‘game-changing’ new laser-cutting tool back at base that has enabled the company to considerably enhance its offering.

Founded just under five years ago, the Sarratt, Herts-based start-up – a member of the prestigious Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) – has rapidly been forging a reputation for itself on the motor racing scene, with its cutting-edge thermal management solutions helping drivers and teams to exploit that crucial edge and unleash the last vital fractions of a second that can make all the difference between winning and losing.

There was certainly plenty of winning last month. In the BTCC curtain-raiser at Donington Park, Immico-equipped cars sped to all three victories, pole position, a full house of fastest laps and six of the nine podium positions. And it is not only on the circuit that the pioneering British brand has been racing ahead.

Having recently extended its premises to cater to increasing demand, at the beginning of April, Immico invested in a state-of-the-art laser-cutting machine, which has significantly streamlined, simplified and sped up its manufacturing processes. It has been, says Managing Director Stuart Thorp, quite the breakthrough...

“The laser-cutter allows us to engineer our products in a much shorter timeframe – and importantly, without compromising on quality,” he explains. “We can design the parts in-house using CAD (computer-aided design) software, load them onto the machine and basically just press play.

“It’s substantially faster than cutting by hand, which has accelerated the whole process and that in-turn means we can take on more projects, tackle higher volumes, meet tighter deadlines and even branch out into other areas of manufacturing – it really is a game-changer in that respect.

“It also means we can now be so much more reactive, rather than having to plan ahead all the time. In the fast-paced, constantly evolving world of motorsport, that’s a huge benefit.”

The increased capacity has enabled Immico to broaden its services and expand into new realms, including reflective thermal management products made out of aluminium – a lightweight material with performance as ever at the forefront of considerations. It is, Thorp reasons, just as important to keep a car’s cool areas cool as to stop the hot elements from overheating – an obvious truth, perhaps, but one that is frequently overlooked.

“It’s a different approach to the bread-and-butter heat-shielding that we are used to,” he acknowledges. “Our core business remains the production of heat-shielding insulation for exhaust systems, but we are now also working on protecting cooler areas around the bulkhead – in this case, rather than insulating the hot areas, it’s about making sure the cool areas stay cool.

“Instead of retaining the heat inside the exhaust, the focus here is on keeping heat away from the cockpit, to protect the air intakes and prevent the driver from getting too hot. It’s another string to our bow and effectively makes us a complete thermal management one-stop shop.”

With defending BTCC champions NAPA Racing due to conduct back-to-back testing with the brand’s reflective thermal management solutions this season, Immico’s winning ways show no signs of slowing down anytime soon...

Racing Images: Jakob Ebrey Photography