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Hydrogen is often talked about as “miracle resource” for sustainable mobility. Unlike battery electric vehicles (BEV), fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) use hydrogen as their energy source. Simplified, these vehicles have a fuel cell that mixes the bonded hydrogen with oxygen and converts the resulting energy into electricity. The end product is simply water (H₂O).
NORMA Group is making a key contribution to this market of the future with its product solutions – solutions that form the core of every critical module in a hydrogen system: With applications that include electric motors, fuel cells, tanks and air management systems, they connect and secure each and every component.
Why is NORMA Group committed to hydrogen energy?
“Hydrogen has the potential to revolutionize mobility in the future”, explains Jean-Francois Surleve, Director Global Product Management Fluid & Hydrogen at NORMA Group. “By 2030, 75,000 commercial vehicles will likely be running on hydrogen. The big advantage of fuel cell electric vehicles is their greater range, shorter refueling time and lower weight. These are key for truck fleets aiming for maximum utilization and uptime. As one of the leading suppliers of safety-critical components in the commercial vehicle sector, we view this as an ideal niche that fits perfectly with our expertise.”
When it comes to hydrogen, NORMA Group is pursuing a clear strategy: As a “one-stop shop”, the company offers comprehensive fastening and fluid solutions: “With a wide range of products for hydrogen applications, we have established ourselves as a leading supplier. We offer metal fasteners and a complete range of plastic pipes and connectors – all from a single source. With this approach, we are setting an example for the industry”, says Jean-Francois. “Hydrogen complements our focus on zero-emission technologies and is a perfect fit for our vision of creating superior solutions for a sustainable future.”
One example of NORMA Group’s innovative spirit is the recent development of a quick connector to vent the cooling of hydrogen stacks. “Hydrogen technology is extremely demanding: Our products must be absolutely leak-proof, conductive and ion-free”, explains Jean-Francois. “To ensure that this is the case, we work very closely with customers and suppliers.”
China: Driver of the hydrogen market
China plays a key role in the global hydrogen market. According to forecasts, in 2029, 70% of the world’s hydrogen commercial vehicles volume will be produced in the Asia-Pacific region, with China as the world’s largest consumer and producer of hydrogen today. A highly-regulated environment, which includes the standardization of specifications, is also driving market development.
“Our extensive experience in the areas of fuel, oil and cooling water systems as well as exhaust applications has earned us an excellent reputation in China”, says Jean-Francois proudly. “We owe this trust to the work of our team, which in recent years has devoted itself to developing new products and strengthening our brand locally. From working with OEMs to identify market needs and translating these needs into innovative solutions through to actively promoting them at trade fairs – it has been a real team effort.”
Jean-Francois Surleve at the ITB Advanced Mobility Fuels Summit in Shanghai, China.
The climate impacts of hydrogen
Hydrogen is the lightest of all elements. In its gaseous state, it is transparent and colorless. Therefore, when we talk about colored hydrogen, we are describing the production process used to produce hydrogen and the resulting impact on the climate. The central colors of hydrogen are green, blue and grey:
Green hydrogen:
During the manufacturing process, water is split into its components by electrolysis using renewable energy such as wind or solar power – hydrogen and oxygen are what is left. No emissions are produced during the entire production process.
Blue hydrogen:
Blue hydrogen results from the vapor reduction of natural gas. This produces carbon dioxide (CO₂). The CO₂ that is released is stored or directly processed industrially.
Grey hydrogen:
Natural gas is converted into hydrogen and carbon dioxide when heat is applied. The energy required for this process comes from fossil fuels such as oil, coal or natural gas.
Green hydrogen, in particular, will play a crucial role in China’s energy transition as the country works to achieve carbon neutrality and build a more sustainable economy. The strategic role of green hydrogen was emphasized as a long-term development direction in China’s “Hydrogen Industry Medium- and Long-Term Development Plan (2021-2035)”.
A hydrogen fuel cell truck as a symbol of innovative strength
To mark the 75th anniversary of the NORMA brand in December 2024 and as part of its ongoing commitment to hydrogen technology, NORMA Group developed a special product: a miniature hydrogen fuel cell truck.
This model is used to demonstrate NORMA Group’s full range of hydrogen system solutions, including tank straps, low-pressure hydrogen tubes, fuel cells, cooling water systems and quick connectors.
Yanchao Wu, Application Engineer MNE, Flora Hoo, Marketing Manager MNE APAC, Jean-Francois Surleve, Sami Sun, Marketing Coordinator MNE, and Johnson Shen, Sales Team Leader MNE.
Yanchao Wu, Jean-Francois Surleve and Johnson Shen.
“We wanted to create something that makes our work easy to grasp”, explains Flora Hoo, Marketing Manager MNE APAC. “The truck is the size of a toy, making it small enough to transport and give as a gift.”
The model has been very well received, both at customer presentations and at trade fairs: “It was a small gesture that had a major impact – a way to talk to initiate communication with our customers and partners about the future of hydrogen technology and to emphasize the importance of our solutions for a clean energy future”, says Jean-Francois.
Shaping the future of hydrogen mobility
NORMA Group is well-positioned to accompany and actively promote the ongoing development of hydrogen technology: “With our innovative products and our focus on quality and reliability, we are working to further expand our offer”, says Jean-Francois.
The focus is on future-oriented product solutions that meet the complex requirements of hydrogen technology: “For us, hydrogen is not just a market, but a promise – a contribution to a sustainable and emission-free future”, emphasizes Jean-Francois.
