Nexteer Automotive, a global leader in advanced steering and driveline systems, has now produced its 30 millionth electric power steering (EPS) unit. Nexteer has been putting these systems into vehicles from all of the top manufacturers since 1999, and supplies them for the whole range of vehicles, from small A-B European segments to full-size pickups and from sports cars to light commercial vehicles. Currently Nexteer is on one in every four small cars with EPS in Europe.
EPS systems are increasingly being used by vehicle manufacturers in the development of new models, because of the benefits they offer. Nexteer Automotive’s EPS systems are one of the best on the market when it comes to reducing cabin noise levels, and they also help to save the end user money and reduce the vehicle’s environmental impact. Using these systems can reduce fuel consumption by up to six per cent and CO2 emissions by 8g/km, and Nexteer estimates that its EPS systems have helped save more than 13 billion litres of petrol since 1999. In addition, they are packaged in a way that makes them suitable for even the smallest vehicles – A-B segments.
Nexteer Automotive has production plants in Tychy and Gliwice in Southern Poland and customer support centres in Paris, Torino in Italy and Russelsheim in Germany. Its locations mean it is well served to supply its OEM customers, which include BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen. Since the start of production, nearly half of the 30 million EPS systems sold globally were manufactured in Europe.
Nexteer Automotive has recently received recognition for the quality of its products too, winning a 2014 GM Europe SQ Excellence Award for superior quality at its Gliwice plant and 2015 PSA Best Plant Award for its Tychy facility. Nexteer’s EPS development process offers additional benefits with in-house design, manufacturing, validation and core technologies.
The 30 million milestone comes shortly after starting the construction of a new facility at Nexteer’s Tychy plant in Poland, a new warehouse area, which is located directly next to the current production plant to make production and material management easier and more efficient. The facility is planned to start operations in Q1 2016. This space also offers the potential of development into a manufacturing plant in the future.
Steve Spicer, Global Product Line Executive – Electric Steering, said: “Hitting this significant milestone comes at an exciting time as we celebrate not only how far we’ve come, but also where we’re heading with EPS and other technologies on the path to Advanced Driver Assist Systems and autonomous driving.”
