Dorel Juvenile Group Revolutionizes Car Seat Design With FlexTech™ Energy Management System

COLUMBUS, Ind., May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG), a division of Dorel Industries (TSX: DII.A, DII.B) and the nation's largest juvenile products manufacturer, today announced the latest development in car seat safety with the S1 Rumi™ Air Harnessed Booster Seat.  The first car seat to feature the revolutionary FlexTech™ Energy Management System, the S1 Rumi™ Air is designed to absorb external crash forces, providing an extra layer of protection for children. This new technology was developed by engineers at the Dorel Technical Center for Child Safety.

A first in the industry, the FlexTech™ Energy Management System features an internal truss design, a methodology employed by architects to provide flexibility and distribute forces within structures.  With FlexTech™, DJG has translated this trusted design methodology to car seat engineering, providing families with one of the safest, most secure car seats on the road today.  The Rumi™ Air's truss design absorbs and mitigates external force or impact, so children have more support and protection in the event of a crash.

In addition to the state-of-the-art energy management design, the S1 Rumi™ Air also features Air Protect® Side Impact Technology, an advanced system that exceeds all safety testing methods to provide the greatest amount of protection to a child's head in the event of a side-impact collision.  This technology was developed jointly by Dorel and Kettering University.

For customized safety as children grow, the Rumi™ Air features an easy to adjust 12-position headrest, allowing parents and caregivers to properly align the Air Protect® system with their child's head, where it is needed most.  Side impact collisions are among the deadliest type of collision for children, accounting for one in three child crash fatalities, nearly all of which are caused by head trauma.

"Our Air Protect® technology is an innovation we're extremely proud of, and it has saved the lives of several children since its introduction," said Dave Taylor, President and CEO of Dorel Juvenile Group.  "The FlexTech™ Energy Management System is the next generation of car seat safety - as it revolutionizes the design of car seats to provide the best protection for our children."

The S1 Rumi™ Air was tested and rated a Booster Seat Best Bet by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety.  Booster seats are designated as Best Bets when they correctly position seatbelts on average booster-age kids in most vehicles.  A good booster directs the lap belt across a child's upper thighs and positions the shoulder belt at mid-shoulder.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently announced new recommendations to keep children in a belt-positioning booster seat until they reach 4 feet 9 inches tall. The S1 Rumi™ Air Harnessed Booster Seat provides one of the highest weight ranges available for a booster seat, accommodating children up to 65 pounds forward-facing and up to 100 pounds belt-positioning.  In addition, the Rumi™ Air offers features including a no-rethread harness, single-hand adjust headrest and integrated cup and snack holders, combining safety, style and convenience for parents.

The S1 Rumi™ Air is currently available exclusively at Babies"R"Us and Toys"R"Us stores in the United States, and online at www.Babiesrus.com. For more information, visit www.safety1st.com/S1.

Dorel Industries Inc. (TSX: DII.B, DII.A) is a world class juvenile products and bicycle company.  Established in 1962, Dorel creates style and excitement in equal measure to safety, quality and value. The Company's lifestyle leadership position is pronounced in both its Juvenile and Bicycle categories with an array of trend-setting products.  Dorel's powerfully branded products include Safety 1st, Quinny, Cosco, Maxi-Cosi and Bebe Confort in Juvenile, as well as Cannondale, Schwinn, GT, Mongoose, IronHorse and SUGOI in Recreational/Leisure.  Dorel's Home Furnishings segment markets a wide assortment of furniture products, both domestically produced and imported.   Dorel is a US$2.3 billion company with 4700 employees, facilities in nineteen countries, and sales worldwide. 

SOURCE Dorel Juvenile Group

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