Brose on track for further internationalization and growth in all business segments

Frankfurt (12.09.2007). By focusing consistently on being a specialist for vehicle doors and seats and an international manufacturer, the Brose Group has witnessed growth in all product segments and further expansion over the last two years. 

This increase in business is based on extending its position as a technology and quality leader in the automotive markets Europe, North America and Asia.

The international automotive supplier anticipates growth in all product segments and a four percent increase in turnover to 2.4 billion euros. More than half of the company’s business volume is generated outside Germany.

Compared to the year before, its headcount will grow by 500 to about 9,400. Every ninth employee is engaged in the development of new products and production processes.

The company invests approx. 8% of its turnover (200 million euros) in the development of new products and manufacturing processes, state-of-the-art information technology and personnel development.

There is at least one Brose product in every fourth vehicle produced worldwide. The Brose Group is therefore currently in 53rd position in terms of growth and market presence when measured against the 100 leading suppliers worldwide; it is the seventh-largest family-owned supplier company.

The corporate group intends to pursue its policy of expanding its business over the upcoming years. To tap further growth potential, the automotive supplier intends to step up its international activities, in particular, Japan, Korea, China, India and Russia.

By increasing its market share in the USA and Asia as well as tapping into new automotive markets and developing new products, the Brose Group intends to increase its turnover to 3 billion euros by 2010.

Two-thirds of its business growth will be generated abroad, predominantly in North America and Asia.
 

Expanding production capacities worldwide

In 2006, four company production facilities went operational in Germany, Sweden, Canada and China. In London/Canada, a plant was set up to produce seat adjusters. In Changchun, the Brose Group’s first own manufacturing company in China started production of door systems, window regulators, seat adjusters and closure systems for the Asian market. Two plants for the JIS production of door systems started operations in Gothenburg/Sweden and Sindelfingen; another JIS production site is in the process of being set up in Gifhorn and will begin supplying door systems for Volkswagen in 2008.

While sales companies have been set up in India and Russia, joint venture activities in Turkey facilitate market access to the Middle East.  Additionally, the automotive supplier will further pursue activities at the Asian Headquarters in Shanghai over the next 12 months.
 

IAA 2007: New products for body and interior – benefit-driven and economical

As Jürgen Otto explained, the company has gone on to develop new adjuster and drive solutions to wisely complement the existing product portfolio in its traditional areas of doors and seats, and to tap further potential in new market segments.

At this year’s Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, the company’s exhibits include power drives for comfortably opening and closing side-doors and liftgates as well as power adjustable rear seat systems for the 2nd and 3rd seat rows, which form part of a multifunctional interior in interaction with the power liftgate drive and an adjustable cargo space.

Brose underscores its expertise as a development and supply partner for a variety of door concepts by presenting a plastic door system with integrated window regulator rails as well as lightweight aggregate carriers made of high-strength steel. 

Moreover, the company will, for the first time, be presenting drives for a cargo space cover and sunblind which is integrated into the rear doors, as well as the first four-way sensor-controlled headrest worldwide.

At the IAA, Brose has brought along a concept vehicle to allow visitors a first-hand experience of the interaction of the new adjuster systems and drive solutions as well as the functionality of the products.

The majority of the new products on display have reached production maturity and contracts have already been awarded for some.
  
Focus on weight savings and cost optimization

The use of alternative materials like plastic and high-strength steels as well as the higher degree of component integration enables Brose to reduce the weight of a vehicle fitted out with all of today’s technology by several kilograms.

By taking a consistent lightweight design approach, Brose has been making a major contribution for decades toward reducing the weight of the vehicle without compromising on comfort and safety.
 
Achieving economies of scale through cross-model and cross-brand use of standard components

Combining million fold proven standard components into individual, cross-model systems brings about a reduction in investment, particularly in the area of seat systems, saving time and costs required for development. At the same time, the degree of automation increases and great economies of scale can be achieved through cross-model, cross-brand and cross-client use.

“We wish to meet the ever-increasing requirements of our customers with economical and benefit-driven solutions,” said Jürgen Otto during the company’s press conference at the Brose booth.

As the greatest supplier of electronics and electro motors in the respective performance category, Brose exploits standardization potential in drives and electronic control-units to achieve cost benefits through economies of scale.

The company subsequently uses the electronic control unit for power window regulators in the actuation of side-doors and liftgates. The same applies to the drives for sunblinds, where electro motors are used which have proved to be successful in a variety of car-lines, already in series production.
 
Power drives for side-doors and liftgates

Brose has extended its product range to include door drives, meeting an ever-increasing demand for comfort functions in the automobile. The new side-door drive makes getting in and out of cars much easier; large side-doors can be comfortably opened and closed via remote control. Integrated electronics provide greater benefit, even for manual actuation. A door-check halts the door in any position. When closed, an electronic control unit slows down its closing speed. Collision prevention and anti-trap protection features provide additional safety.
  
Two mechatronic systems have been developed by Brose to open and close liftgates; the spindle drive, which supersedes the conventional gas strut, and the push rod solution, which can be integrated under the car roof and is 20% lighter than comparable products. Now at market maturity, they will see use in several car lines over the next two years.

Both variants provide high levels of comfort and safety: the liftgate can be opened by remote control and closing noise is approx. 30 percent less compared to conventional products. The door drive units have anti-trap technology designed to prevent injuries. Additionally, there are sensors which detect obstacles during opening and closing, thus protecting the car against damage.
 
Power rear seat system for the 2nd and 3rd seat rows

Drawing on its decades of experience in developing and producing seat adjuster technology for front seats, Brose now applies this knowledge to rear seats, integrating, for the first time ever worldwide, a length, backrest and headrest adjuster into a power rear seat system. The adjuster concept enables power folding seats. Through the interaction with the electronically controlled liftgate drive, an extended cargo space is created, at the touch of a button, as part of the multifunctional interior. Additionally, the seats can – depending on the customer’s wish -  be repositioned or completely removed.
 
Plastic door system with a high level of integration

Another new showpiece is a door system with a fiber glass reinforced plastic functional carrier integrating the window regulator, loudspeaker space as well as mounting elements for essential door components. The first series production of this Brose innovation is scheduled for 2009.

Optionally, the power drive for a sunblind and an adjustable armrest may also be incorporated into the new Brose door system.

Providing the same level of crash safety as steel carriers, these product solutions achieve, through the use of fewer components, weight savings of up to 4 kilograms per vehicle as well as a reduction in costs.
 
Power drive for sunblinds

Compared to solutions already commercially available in cars on the market, the Brose drive for sunblinds provides significant weight and cost savings. The standardized concept can be easily adapted to different vehicles: as separate component or integrated into a door system. Here, Brose has exploited synergetic effects from its seat system business segment, using electro motors which have already proved successful in serial production.
 
Sensor-controlled 4-way headrest adjuster

Every year, more than 1 million car drivers suffer from whiplash syndrome, caused in rear-end collision accidents, due to the headrest being incorrectly adjusted. The Brose four-way power headrest adjuster which is celebrating its world premier at the 2007 IAA goes a long way to enhancing passive safety. In the newly developed adjuster component, the position of the head is detected by sensors via an electrical field. Electronics evaluate the data and make the optimal height and distance adjustments for the individual head position of the car occupant.  Now the right adjustment for the headrest is set, reducing the risk of whiplash.
 
More than one-third of car innovations equipped with Brose products

The Brose Group equips 47 of the 128 car models presented at the IAA 2007 for the first time with window regulators, door systems, seat systems, closure systems or door drives.  Within a short time, there will be at least one Brose product in every third vehicle produced worldwide.

You can download press photographs from our website www.brose.com/IAA.

Press contact:
Gabi Rujoub
Telefon: +49 9561 21 1653
Telefax: +49 9561 21 1704
E-mail: gabi.rujoub@brose.com