thyssenkrupp books major auto sector orders

In the last months thyssenkrupp has won major steering orders from German and international car makers. They cover the development and production supply of electronic power-assisted steering systems for some of the OEMs’ biggest model platforms. In total up to 3 million steering systems are to be supplied a year under the orders, representing total sales of around 4.5 billion euros. Production supplies to customers including German, European, Asian and American auto manufacturers will start from 2016 onwards.

Dr. Karsten Kroos, CEO of the Components Technology business area at thyssenkrupp: “The contracts to supply these major model platforms are an important milestone for our steering components business. Our efforts in recent years to step up the development of electric power-assisted steering technology have met with a positive response from our customers. The significant volume of these orders forms the basis for further profitable growth in our automotive components business.” The supply contracts are among the largest individual orders received so far by thyssenkrupp in the automotive business.

The thyssenkrupp-designed electronic power-assisted steering systems are more energy-efficient than conventional hydraulic steering systems, allowing fuel savings of up to half a liter per hundred kilometers driven. They are also a prerequisite for all electronic driver assistance systems such as automated parking, lane keeping assistance or autonomous driving. Moreover this technology offers major market and growth opportunities, with more and more car manufacturers also turning to this steering technology in the high-volume midsize and compact segments.

thyssenkrupp is already leading company in steering columns. With the extension of its product portfolio to include the full range of electric power-assisted steering systems, the company is receiving new orders that are boosting its growth above all in major automotive markets such as China and North America. Last year the Group opened a new steering components plant in Shanghai, and in April this year another facility started operation in the Mexican city of Puebla.

“We are keeping pace with the growth of our markets and customers and locating our production facilities where our customers need them. Development work is also being increasingly localized to meet the requirements of the different markets,” explains Dr. Kroos.

In the past three years thyssenkrupp has invested around one billion euros in its components business. Around 70 percent of this has gone into the global expansion of its auto components business in growth regions such as China, the NAFTA region and Europe.

thyssenkrupp in the automotive industry

thyssenkrupp is one of the world’s leading suppliers of materials and components to the auto industry. Nine out of ten premium class cars are fitted with components made by the company. One in three trucks feature drive components from thyssenkrupp. In the 2014/2015 fiscal year thyssenkrupp’s sales in the automotive sector came to around 9.8 billion euros. Customers include practically all the big auto manufacturers.

thyssenkrupp Components Technology business area

With around 29,000 people thyssenkrupp produces high-tech components worldwide for the automotive and machinery sectors. In the auto sector the product range includes assembled camshafts, cylinder head modules with integrated camshafts, crankshafts, steering and damping systems, springs and stabilizers as well as the assembly of axle modules. In the machinery sector thyssenkrupp supplies components for construction equipment, wind turbines and numerous general engineering applications. In fiscal year 2014/2015 the Components Technology business area achieved sales of 6.7 billion euros.