Dana Corporation To Supply Complete Chassis System To Western Star Trucks
16 June 1999
Dana Corporation To Supply Complete Chassis System To Western Star Trucks
TOLEDO, Ohio, June 15 -- Dana Corporation today
announced that it has been selected to supply complete, heavy-duty chassis
systems for Western Star Trucks Inc.'s new facility in North Charleston, S.C.
The modules, to be used on Class 8 trucks, will be assembled at Dana's
Spicer Heavy System Assembly facility in Lugoff, S.C., and delivered just in
time, in sequence, to Western Star. Delivery is expected to begin in late
1999, with full production levels estimated at approximately 6,000 units
annually.
In the spirit of Dana's revolutionary Rolling Chassis(TM) module, this
system will include a ladder assembly frame, dressed front and rear axles,
suspension, steering gear, electric and pneumatic connection harnesses, and
other components.
Dana is a pioneer in heavy- and light-duty modular systems. Since 1987,
its Spicer Heavy System Assembly Division has been providing complete chassis
systems to other customers on a just-in-time basis from facilities in
Lancaster, Pa., and Lugoff, S.C. In 1998, the Lugoff facility was selected as
a finalist for IndustryWeek's "America's Best Plants" award. Both facilities
are ISO and QS-9000 certified.
Dana also supplied the first complete chassis system for use on a light-
duty application -- the Rolling Chassis(TM) module -- for the Dodge Dakota
pickup truck, which is manufactured in Curitiba, Brazil.
"We are very pleased that Western Star has chosen Dana to supply complete
chassis systems for its new facility," said Rick Clayton, president of Dana's
Heavy Truck Group. "We understand that our full chassis system will be one of
several assembly modules -- including cab, dashboard, and engine and
transmission -- creating a module-based factory environment and giving Western
Star great flexibility with lower investment. We look forward to delivering
the first module later this year."
Steve Hanley, general manager of the Spicer Heavy Systems Assembly
Division, cites Dana's people and the company's 12-plus years of experience in
heavy modules as a benefit for Western Star. "The future is here today, and
we can help our customers and their customers by taking the component supply
business to the next level," he said.
Western Star Trucks Holdings Ltd. manufactures heavy duty trucks for world
markets through its Western Star Trucks Inc. subsidiary in Kelowna, British
Columbia, and its ERF subsidiary in the United Kingdom. It also supplies
transit buses for the North American market through its Orion Bus Industries
subsidiary in Mississauga, Ontario, and Oriskany, N.Y. Western Star's
internet address is http://www.wstar.com.
The Spicer Heavy Systems Assembly Division is part of Dana's Heavy Truck
Group, one of Dana's seven strategic business units. The Heavy Truck Group
designs, manufactures, and supplies front, drive, and trailer axle and brake
components and modules; driveshafts; PTOs; cab modules; and complete chassis
modules for global truck and trailer manufacturers.
Dana Corporation is one of the world's largest independent suppliers to
vehicle manufacturers and their related aftermarkets. Founded in 1904 and
based in Toledo, Ohio, the company operates some 330 major facilities in 32
countries and employs more than 86,000 people. The company reported sales of
$12.5 billion in 1998. Dana's internet address is http://www.dana.com. Rolling
Chassis(TM) is a trademark of Dana Corporation.