INITIAL MOTIVATIONS AND FOUNDING OF THE COMPANY
Julius Ilmberger has been active in motorcycle racing since 1987 and, as a perfectionist, has always been committed to optimizing his motorcycles down to the last detail. He was fascinated early on by the undeniable advantages of the material carbon. At that time, however, carbon fiber parts were either not available at all or only in poor quality and at unaffordable prices. His personal enthusiasm for the material carbon, his futile search for suitable products, and his ambition in motorcycle racing eventually led Julius Ilmberger to manufacture his first carbon parts for personal use. By chance, he met his future business partner, who was already working in Slovenia with an early precursor of today's autoclave technology. At that time, the parts were lighter and more stable than anything known before.
The quality and advantages of the components in racing quickly spread first in the German and later also in the European paddocks. What started as occasional favors gradually turned into small-scale production. By 1990, the demand was so great that Julius Ilmberger founded his own company: Ilmberger Carbonparts. Born in racing, it soon became apparent that there was also a demand for such components on the street.
THE PATH TO STREET APPROVAL
In 2003, the time had finally come. This year marked a milestone for carbon as a material in the motorcycle scene. Julius Ilmberger recognized early on that a high-quality product must also be uncomplicated for the customer. Ilmberger Carbon therefore already had the first parts with ABE shortly after the turn of the millennium and enabled street-approved carbon parts from the factory even then. To this day, a unique feature. This allows for the direct use of the parts in German road traffic without cumbersome individual approval by the TÜV. Thanks to the high requirements and the well-monitored testing process, the ABE is also internationally recognized and provides the best possible basis for local approval in many countries around the world. Plug & Play took on a whole new meaning here. The ABEhas since been expanded model by model, so today the entire range of street parts from Ilmberger is covered and approved by an ABE.
In 2015, Ilmberger restructured and founded Premium Composite International (PCI), modernizing production in Slovenia and Bosnia. A breakthrough came with powder coating on raw carbon surfaces, offering enhanced durability. By 2016, Ilmberger secured contracts with major manufacturers like Ducati and BMW, contributing to projects such as the Panigale V4 and HP4 Race. The company's logo was also redesigned to reflect its new era.
The company's growth continued, hiring its 100th employee in 2019 and launching "Black Diamond Carbon," an innovative, sustainable manufacturing process.In 2020, despite the pandemic, Ilmberger adapted with safety measures and strategic stockpiling to prevent production disruptions. The company strengthened its BMW partnership, supplying WSBK and EWC factory teams by 2023.
Racing remains central to Ilmberger’s DNA. Since 2018, Julius Ilmberger Jr. has competed in ProSuperstock 1000 and IDM Superbike, testing new components under extreme conditions. As a mechanical and business engineering graduate, he is now taking on more esponsibility, ensuring the company’s future as a true family business.
