Borg-Warner Automotive Joint Venture Producing Transfer Case
10 September 1998
Borg-Warner Automotive Joint Venture Producing Transfer Case For Telco Safari and Mahindra Armada Grand in India
PUNE, India, Sept. 10 -- Drivers of two vehicles manufactured
in India can now benefit from improvements in safety, convenience, efficiency
and handling provided by a technologically advanced four-wheel drive system
designed and proven by Borg-Warner Automotive. A part-time, electric shift,
two-speed transfer case for the TELCO Safari and the Mahindra Armada Grand
went into production early this year at Divgi-Warner Limited, a joint venture
formed here in 1995 between Borg-Warner Automotive and Divgi Metalwares
Limited. Production is expected to exceed 12,000 transfer cases annually.
"Interest in transfer-case-based four-wheel drive systems is increasing
dramatically in India, and the market has excellent growth potential," said
Fred M. Kovalik, president and general manager of Borg-Warner Automotive
Powertrain Systems. "As the leading independent global supplier of
four-wheel-drive transfer cases for light trucks and sport utility vehicles,
we take great pride in bringing this state-of-the-art technology to the Indian
OEMs."
The Borg-Warner Automotive transfer case offers three driver-selected
modes: two-wheel drive for smooth, dry roads; four-wheel drive, high range for
off-road conditions; and four-wheel drive, low range for extreme off-road
conditions. Roads and driving conditions in India require the full range of
capabilities.
Divgi-Warner Limited also supplies Borg-Warner Automotive automatic
locking hubs to Indian OEMs and North American service requirements.
Automatic locking hubs engage the front axle to the front wheels when shifting
from two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive. The hubs can be disengaged when
shifting from four-wheel drive to two-wheel drive by simply backing up the
vehicle a few feet.
"Borg-Warner Automotive is market- and technology-driven to provide
customized solutions to customer needs, as evidenced by our presence not only
in India, but in North America, Europe, Korea and China," said Kovalik. "By
operating manufacturing, sales and engineering facilities in the world's key
emerging markets, including India, Powertrain Systems' product leadership and
systems integration capabilities are available to our customers locally,
wherever they are in the world. Working in partnership with our customers, we
focus our resources on achieving complete solutions that meet their specific
performance parameters, timing requirements and target costs."
Chicago-based Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc. is a product leader
in highly engineered components and systems, primarily for automotive
drivetrain applications. The company operates manufacturing and technical
support facilities in 12 countries serving the North American, European and
Asian automotive markets.
Statements contained in this news release may contain forward-looking
statements as contemplated by the 1995 Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act that are based on management's current expectations, estimates and
projections. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans,"
"believes," "estimates," variations of such words and similar expressions are
intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual
results to differ materially from those projected or implied in the forward-
looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include: fluctuations in
domestic or foreign automotive production, the continued use of outside
suppliers by original equipment manufacturers, fluctuations in demand for
vehicles containing the Company's products, general economic conditions, as
well as other risks detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including the Cautionary Statements filed as Exhibit 99.1
to the Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997.