TRW to produce airbags in Brazil
O Estado de S. Paulo - 05/28/2008
TRW Automotive, a Brazilian manufacturer of seat-belts, steering wheels, brake systems and parts for engines, will start the production of airbags in the Country in the first half of 2009. R$ 15 million (US$ 9.1 million) will be invested in the project and the initial forecast is 120 thousand parts a year. Nowadays, the bag that fills up with air in strong collisions equips 26% of the cars produced in Brazil, a rate that will be 33% in 2012, according to estimates of the manufacturers. In the United States, Japan and West Europe, this safety item equips 100% of the new cars. Today, only Takata, from Jundiaí (SP), and Autoliv, from Taubaté (SP), set up airbags in the Country, with more than half of the components produced abroad. Takata may produce 700 thousand units this year, 45% more than in 2007. The company has capacity to produce 1 million units per year and it will invest R$ 4 million (US$ 2.42 million) in the modernization and new products. Autoliv assembles nearly 150 thousand units per year. TRW has not defined which factory will receive the airbag line yet, whether the unit in Limeira (SP) or the unit located in Lavras (MG). 120 work positions will be created. The group employs 5 thousand workers and it also has branches in Engenheiro Coelho and Três Corações (MG) and in Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo and Taubaté (SP). TRW intended to start the production in the end of this year, but it had to transfer it to next year due to negotiations with clients. The company is also negotiating the nationalization of the nylon thread used in the bag. The only component to remain being imported will be the gas generator that fills the bag with air. "The thread is special since the nylon needs to stand to strong impacts", explains the TRW director, Wilson Rocha. All car makers have worked in the development of this system for cars produced in Brazil, including the popular ones. Today, the system equips the most expensive models, such as Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Vectra and Peugeot 307. In this segment, 68% of the models come equipped with the item. In the segment of premium compacts, the system equips 17% of the cars.