Inventors of Delphi's Common Rail Injector and System Honored With 2004 'Boss' Kettering Award

TROY, Mich., March 29 -- Delphi Corporation today named 5 of its top inventors as winners of the "Boss" Kettering Award, one of the company's most prestigious engineering achievements, in recognition of their outstanding engineering achievements for Delphi's Common Rail Injector and System. The Common Rail system is a complex technology including several electromechanical components, designed to match the requirements of a large number of direct injection Diesel engine types in terms of packaging, system costs and control flexibility. Several years of design and process development were necessary to introduce this technology to the marketplace.

This year's award-winning inventors include Vincent Bazinet, Mike Cooke, Nourredine Guerrassi, Martin Hardy and Guillaume Meissonnier.

"Through the 'Boss' Kettering Awards, the spirit of innovation and technological leadership continues to have a strong impact on the Delphi organization," said Donald Runkle, Delphi vice chairman, Enterprise Technologies, and chief technology officer. "These individuals have demonstrated the technological prowess, innovative spirit and creative passion that result in game-changing technologies. And for those accomplishments, we salute them."

  Additionally, the following runner-up innovations were recognized:
  *  Energy Absorbing Steering Column (Delphi Steering)
  *  CVT Pump (Delphi Steering)
  *  HEC Pump with Boost Reservoir (Delphi Steering)
  *  Lens and Retainer Assembly (Delphi Electronics & Safety)
  *  Side impact Crash Sensor (Delphi Electronics & Safety)
  *  Global Door Latch (Delphi Thermal & Interior)
  *  Condenser with Dehydrator Subcooler (Delphi Thermal & Interior)

The "Boss" Kettering awards program was established in 1976 to recognize individuals who have developed outstanding inventions that have identifiable and substantial benefit to Delphi. It was named after Charles "Boss" Kettering, the legendary Delphi inventor, who registered more than 140 patents in his name.

Each winning inventor receives the "Boss" Kettering Award and joins a very select group of Delphi's top inventors. With the addition of this year's winners, over 100 employees have been named "Boss" Kettering winners since Delphi became an independent company in 1999.