TRW Celebrates Milestone Production of Electrically Assisted Steering Products
LIVONIA, Mich., March 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (NYSE: TRW) is celebrating the production of its 15 millionth Electrically Powered Hydraulic Steering (EPHS) unit and its 10 millionth Electrically Powered Steering (EPS) unit worldwide.
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Frank Lubischer, vice president of engineering, TRW Steering & Suspension, commented: "The production of our 15 millionth EPHS and 10 millionth EPS units marks an important milestone for TRW and highlights the success of our electrically assisted steering (EAS) product portfolio, since the start of core development in 1992."
TRW's EAS systems have been in production for over 10 years and, most recently, the company launched its most innovative EPS Belt Drive technology on a range of vehicles, including the Ford Fusion, Flex, Taurus, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MkT and MkS.
Significant fuel economy and CO2 emissions benefits can be realized with both systems compared with traditional hydraulic power steering. The technology can deliver a fuel savings of 0.3 to 0.4 L/100km, with a corresponding reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of approximately 7-8g/km.
According to Lubischer, demand for these technologies is set to increase: "Pending proposals from a range of national governments including North America and China, in addition to established emissions targets for the European Union, will establish more stringent CO2 emissions legislation in line with consumers' desire to protect the environment and with fuel prices reaching record highs globally - the development and growth of EAS technology is likely to accelerate over the next several years."
EPHS technology is a proven, off-the-shelf solution which can be used for most passenger vehicles' steering load requirements. With flexible packaging and mounting options, the technology offers much of the functionality, fuel efficiency and emissions reductions of a full electric system. EPHS is ideal for Hybrid Electrical Vehicles (HEVs) as a technology that can be used across both the conventional and hybrid powertrain platforms. The high degree of flexibility enables the lowest possible engineering costs; it also has the shortest time to market of TRW's EAS systems.
TRW offers two EPS solutions, to cover the full vehicle platform range, which consume power only when steering assist is needed. The first is the column drive unit which is mounted on the steering column and the second is belt drive where the assist power is applied directly to the rack with a belt drive and ball nut mechanism.
Lubischer concluded: "TRW is well positioned to support vehicle manufacturers in their quest for improved fuel efficiency. We have proven technologies that can be adapted easily for conventional and hybrid applications. This makes it easy for our customers to fit a system that further improves fuel economy, beyond the powertrain itself."
About TRW
With 2009 sales of $11.6 billion, TRW Automotive ranks among the world's leading automotive suppliers. Headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, USA, the Company, through its subsidiaries, operates in 26 countries and employs approximately 63,600 people worldwide. TRW Automotive products include integrated vehicle control and driver assist systems, braking systems, steering systems, suspension systems, occupant safety systems (seat belts and airbags), electronics, engine components, fastening systems and aftermarket replacement parts and services. All references to "TRW Automotive", "TRW" or the "Company" in this press release refer to TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated. TRW Automotive news is available on the internet at www.trw.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains statements that are not statements of historical fact, but instead are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties which can cause our actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements, including those set forth in our Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 (our "Form 10-K"), and in our Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended April 3, July 3 and October 2, 2009, such as: the financial condition of our customers adversely affecting us or the viability of our supply base; disruptions in the financial markets adversely impacting the availability and cost of credit negatively affecting our business; any shortage of supplies adversely affecting us; any further material contraction in automotive sales and production adversely affecting our results, liquidity or the viability of our supply base; escalating pricing pressures from our customers; commodity inflationary pressures adversely affecting our profitability or supply base; our dependence on our largest customers; costs of product liability, warranty and recall claims and efforts by customers to adversely alter terms and conditions concerning warranty and recall participation; our substantial debt and resulting vulnerability to economic or industry downturns and to rising interest rates; costs or liabilities relating to environmental, health and safety regulations; strengthening of the U.S. dollar and other foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations impacting our results; any increase in the expense of our pension and other postretirement benefits or the funding requirements of our pension plans; risks associated with non-U.S. operations, including economic uncertainty in some regions; work stoppages or other labor issues at our facilities or at the facilities of our customers or suppliers; assertions by or against us relating to intellectual property rights; the possibility that our largest stockholder's interests will conflict with ours or our other stockholders' interests; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in our Form 10-K and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revision to any of these forward-looking statements.
SOURCE TRW Automotive Holdings Corp.
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