TI Automotive Consolidates Testing Facilities

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich.--July 23, 2002--TI Automotive is relocating two of its North American test facilities and investing more than $2.5 million in its technical center in Auburn Hills to enhance the efficiency of its worldwide testing capabilities.
    The two labs - one in Warren, Michigan, and another in Sanford, Florida - are being transferred to TI Automotive's Auburn Hills facility. Each lab tests brake, fuel, air conditioning, heater, engine-oil and transmission-fluid hose assemblies. In all, 18 positions from the Warren and Sanford facilities are being transferred to Auburn Hills.
    TI Automotive's Caro Test Centre, which conducts full-range testing on fuel-system components, will continue to operate in Caro, Michigan, with increased integration of its activities with the technical center in Auburn Hills.
    The company is investing $1.5 million to transfer the Warren and Sanford laboratories, renovate machinery and upgrade existing Auburn Hills facilities. TI Automotive is earmarking an additional $1 million for further improvements, expansions and new test equipment in Auburn Hills.
    "Integrating the two labs into our Auburn Hills location will allow TI Automotive to use test technologies and expertise more efficiently," said Joe Roznowski, director, Global Test Group, North America. "The Auburn Hills Technical Centre will continue to work closely with TI Automotive's Rastatt Technology Centre in Germany, ensuring global testing consistency.
    "With this consolidation, most of our testing can be done internally. We now have more flexibility and efficiency among our labs. We also will be able to provide a quicker turnaround to our internal clients."
    The company also plans to spend nearly $6 million to launch a new fuel-tank blow-molding system for the production of prototype fuel-system components at its Rastatt Manufacturing Centre. The system will allow new products to be evaluated under actual production conditions.
    TI Automotive has invested nearly $500,000 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 are a Mercedes C-Class, based in Rastatt and a Saturn SL, based at the company's technical center in Auburn Hills. Technologies that will be showcased include a 42-/14-volt electronically controlled fuel-delivery system, a low-profile fuel-delivery module and a low-permeation fuel-storage system.
    TI Automotive is the world leader in fuel 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 130 facilities in 26 countries. Further information about TI Automotive is available on the company's website at www.tiautomotive.com.