Award expands IMSE mass-production validation from automotive interior to exterior lighting; mass production to run at NBHX's new IMSE factory in China
Oulu, Finland / Shanghai, China – June 29, 2026 – NBHX, a premier supplier of automotive interior and exterior solutions, today announced it has been awarded a mass-production program by a leading automotive OEM in China for an exterior illuminated smart-surface application based on TactoTek’s In-Mold Structural Electronics (IMSE®) technology. The award marks NBHX's entry into high-volume IMSE production and represents the first automotive mass-production nomination for IMSE technology in China.
The awarded program covers an innovative exterior application that integrates lighting and electronics into a single ultra-thin, lightweight structure, enabling advanced exterior styling and strong brand differentiation. Mass production will run at NBHX's new IMSE-dedicated factory in China, located close to the customer's vehicle assembly operations to support efficient, localized program delivery.
The program expands the awarded IMSE mass-production validation from interior lighting to exterior lighting. Building on TactoTek's earlier automotive mass-production awards for premium interior lighting applications, IMSE technology has now been selected for serial-production business across both automotive interior and exterior lighting – two distinct and demanding application domains.
"We see the opportunities IMSE technology opens up, and this award is clear evidence of them," said Zhou Xiaofeng, Chairman of NBHX. "China is bold and progressive in its approach to design and manufacturing, and across automotive lighting applications, IMSE delivers benefits that conventional technologies simply cannot match. We are proud to deliver this application for a major global automaker, and our investment in a dedicated new production facility reflects our long-term commitment to industrializing IMSE technology at scale, also beyond automotive, in areas such as human robotics."
“China is one of the world's most cost-competitive, speed-driven, and execution-intensive automotive markets, and Chinese OEMs are among the most advanced globally in using lighting as a design, styling, and brand-differentiation element,” added Jussi Harvela, CEO at TactoTek. “This market dynamic aligns closely with the IMSE value proposition for thin, integrated, illuminated smart surfaces, where design freedom, integration, and total system efficiency are decisive. We are delighted with the progress IMSE adoption has made in China – in large part thanks to our licensee NBHX."
TactoTek provides the underlying IMSE technology platform, licensed know-how, and technical foundation behind the application. The nomination underscores how TactoTek's licensee model is converting ecosystem partnerships into a global mass-production automotive business. With awarded programs now spanning premium interior lighting in Europe and cost-competitive exterior lighting in China, IMSE technology has proven its relevance across the full breadth of the automotive lighting landscape.
About NBHX
NBHX is a leading Chinese Tier 1 supplier of automotive interior and exterior solutions, serving global OEMs with design, manufacturing, and innovation capabilities. The company is headquartered in Shanghai and operates across China and internationally. For further information, please visit www.nbhx.com.cn.
NBHX Media Contact
Eric Sun
General Manager of NBHX NICE BG
sunrunyao@nbhx.com
