Chinese Tire Manufacturer Cheng Shin-Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Selects MTS Testing System
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Oct. 6, 2003 -- MTS Systems Corporation today announced the receipt of a multimillion- dollar order from Cheng Shin-Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. (CSTC) in the People's Republic of China (PRC) for an advanced tire testing system. This is the first sale in China of an MTS Flat-Trac(R) Tire Testing System, widely recognized as the premier testing system for the development of new tires.
"MTS Flat-Trac technology is the standard by which the world measures tire performance," said Joe Chang, CSTC Research & Development Manager. "Employing such state-of-the-art equipment is critical to our mission of manufacturing superior products that meet and surpass international quality standards." CSTC is owned by two partners, Cheng Shin Rubber Industry Co. of Taiwan and Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. of Japan, both of which are repeat Flat-Trac customers.
According to Sidney W. Emery, Jr., MTS chairman and CEO, the sale of a Flat-Trac system to CSTC exemplifies both the growing size and sophistication of the Chinese market for advanced testing equipment and the prominent role of MTS in that market. "The PRC is the world's fastest growing automotive market and MTS is well positioned to take advantage of that growth," Emery said.
The MTS Flat-Trac III SS (Steady State) Tire Test System is designed to perform force and moment testing of passenger car and light truck tires for vehicle handling models and tire qualification. Patented Flat-Trac tire testing technology offers a robust and accurate way to characterize tire behavior while operating at speed, with control of load, tire attitude, and inflation pressure during steady state, dynamic, or simulation tests. Tire manufacturers use data from Flat-Trac systems for research and development and to provide their OEM customers with the accurate and reliable performance data that they require.
About CSTC:
Cheng Shin-Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. is a joint venture between Cheng Shin Rubber Industry Co., Ltd., Taiwan, and Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd., Japan. The company is located in the Hefeng Industrial Area of the Kunshan Economy & Technology Development Zone in Jiangsu Province, China. Its main products are radial passenger car/light truck, bias truck/bus, and industrial tires. CSTC has the estimated capacity to produce 20,000 tires per day with an annual capacity of 6 million radial tires. The majority of its products are exported worldwide through an existing distribution network, while the balance is sold to the domestic Chinese market. Additional information on CSTC can be found on the worldwide web at http://www.cst.com.cn/ .
About MTS Systems Corporation
MTS Systems Corporation is a global supplier of testing products that help customers accelerate and improve their design, development, and manufacturing processes. MTS products are used for determining the mechanical behavior of materials, products and structures and include computer-based testing and simulation systems, modeling and testing software, and consulting services. The Company also is a leading manufacturer of industrial position sensors. MTS had 1,900 employees and revenue from continuing operations of $327 million for the fiscal year ended September 28, 2002. Additional information on MTS can be found on the worldwide web at http://www.mts.com/ .