Annual Report 2010 - Knorr-Bremse AG.

90 RepoR t | CoMMe RCIAL VeHICLe SYSteMS
Partnership with Volvo in Asia further expanded
Winning the order to develop and supply central braking system components for the Asian market has
enabled Knorr-Bremse to further expand its strategic global partnership with Volvo. From 2013 onwards
Knorr-Bremse will be supplying braking systems from its Chinese and Indian plants for medium and
heavy-duty trucks to be manufactured locally by Volvo.
At the end of 2010 Knorr-Bremse received an order for complete ABS and air treatment systems for the
trucks. The company also won the tender to supply the engine compressors, which will be manufactured
in India.
By producing for the local mass-premium segment Volvo aims to significantly expand its share of the
Asian market – one reason why Knorr-Bremse attaches such significance to the latest orders and the
expansion of its strategic product lines at Volvo.
Prizes and awards
“Best Brand” for fifth year running
For the fifth year running, Knorr-Bremse was named “Best Brand in the Commercial Vehicle Industry” in
the “Brakes” category. The award recognizes the reliability, quality and safety of Knorr-Bremse products
and is regarded by customers as a reliable indicator of quality. Readers of the trade journals lastauto
omnibus, trans aktuell and FERNFAHRER were invited by DEKRA, the vehicle inspection experts, and
publishers ETM to vote for the best brands in the commercial vehicle segment.
Participants were not just voting on brand recognition but also on the perceived value of the products
concerned and the degree of confidence they inspired. The fact that Knorr-Bremse won the award for
the fifth time running despite difficult market conditions is an incentive for the company to remain a
preferred supplier for its customers, offering them high quality, innovative and competitive products.
Knorr-Bremse wins die casting competition
In the 2010 International Aluminum Pressure Die Casting Competition, Knorr-Bremse, together with
Swiss supplier DGS Druckguss Systeme AG, won first prize in the category “Multifunctional near-net
shape castings” for its casing for the Electronic Air Control 2 (EAC2) for braking systems.
The term “near-net shape” is used by experts to describe products that have virtually achieved their
final shape following casting and only require minimal finishing. The process jointly developed by
Knorr-Bremse and DGS brings enormous advantages: During finishing of a component weighing 4.6
kilograms following conventional pressure die casting, anything up to a kilogram of waste can be
generated, whereas the figure for the new process is a mere 300 grams.