TI Automotive Announces Major Rastatt Investment

    RASTATT, Germany--May 16, 2002--TI Automotive will invest seven million euros (6.3-million dollars) in its technology and manufacturing centres in Rastatt, Germany, this year, according to Manouchehr Kambakhsh, the company's vice president for Global Advanced Engineering.
    The TI Automotive executive said the investment will further strengthen the Rastatt complex's position as the world's leading manufacturing, research and development facility for automotive fluid storage and delivery systems. The company will install a new fuel-tank blow-molding development and production line and put into place a mobile Technology Showcase Program.
    "This further commitment to our industry-leading research and development efforts will ensure that we stay at the forefront of developments in our field," he said. "The investment is designed to help us maintain our position as a creative and innovative supplier of fluid-handling systems to the world's automotive manufacturers."
    TI Automotive will invest 6.5-million euros (5.8-million dollars) to launch a new fuel-tank blow-molding system for the production of prototype fuel-system components. The new line will allow new products to be evaluated based on actual production experience, well before the start of production at the final manufacturing site.
    "The new system will enable us to shorten the product development process," Kambakhsh said. The new blow-molding unit will go into operation in June 2002 and will allow us to strengthen our fuel delivery expertise, manufacturing efficiencies and testing capabilities."
    He said TI Automotive also will invest more than 500,000 euros (450,000 dollars) to equip two production vehicles with next-generation fuel systems to showcase and evaluate technologies designed to meet stringent new evaporative emission requirements.
    The company's Technology Showcase Program will provide customers with first-hand information on TI Automotive's latest fuel-system developments.
    The demonstration vehicles will be a Mercedes C-Class, based in Rastatt and a Saturn SL, based at the company's technology centre in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Technologies that will be showcased include a 42-/14-volt electronically controlled fuel-delivery system, low-profile fuel-delivery module and low permeation fuel storage system.

    TI Automotive is the world leader in fluid storage, transfer and delivery systems including brake, fuel and air conditioning applications. Based in Warren, MI, the company employs over 21,000 people at more than 100 facilities in 26 countries. Further information about TI Automotive is available on the company's website at www.tiautomotive.com.