Pioneering cool flow technology Tristone Flowtech

PIONEERING COOL FLOW TECHNOLOGY

Tristone Flowtech is a one of the global leaders in the development of flow technology systems for engine and battery cooling, as well as air-charge and air-intake automotive systems. Philip Yorke talked to Günter Frölich, the company’s president and CEO, about its latest investments and innovative products, as well as its growing involvement in the Asian market.

The Tristone Flowtech Group is one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers of fluid applications in the field of engine cooling, battery cooling, turbocharger and air-intake systems. This international group was formed in 2010, as a spin-off from the former fluid automotive business division of Trelleborg AB of Sweden. The group has modern manufacturing facilities in Germany, Mexico, Spain, France, Italy and Poland, as well as in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Turkey and in the meantime also in China. Today, Tristone supplies most of the big, global OEMs in the passenger car market, as well as many of the leading Tier-one suppliers to the automotive industry.

In 2011 the company employed over 2200 people worldwide and recorded sales of around €180 million. This figure represents an annual growth rate of 14 per cent, demonstrating significant growth over the previous year. In addition to its projected sales growth for the forthcoming year, the company is also anticipating improved profitability due to its ongoing restructuring programme and optimisation measures and has a solid equity share of more than 35 per cent of the balance sheet.

Smart design technology driving sales

With a strong focus on innovative R&D, Tristone Group is building on its heritage and expertise in order to meet the challenging technology and manufacturing needs of its Automotive customers. For example, in the engine and battery cooling sector, Tristone’s ‘Smart Design’ battery cooling modules focus on an integration with the traditional engine cooling modules and the partnership of PA-pipes, dual surge tanks and polymer pipes to achieve weight and space optimisations together with optimal performance. From simple to complex solutions Tristone advanced engineering technology is designed to meet its customers’ demands and expectations.

Mr Frölich said, “One of our main strengths is our ability to provide the market and our customers with what they need, not only today but tomorrow, and our commitment to a strong R&D investment programme has kept us ahead in our fields of business. And we are delivering to our customers a quality level less than 10 ppm in average of our plants. We have the most advanced technology on offer in our battery cooling applications that are now integrated with our advanced engine cooling systems. We therefore believe that we have a true technological edge. This is driving our growth in the mass market passenger car sector, particularly in the engine cooling segment. In addition, we are achieving a market share of above 25 per cent of all cars in the hybrid or electric battery sector. This is currently a very small proportion of the total market, but the one that is seeing the highest level of investment right now.

Rayconnect International, part of the ARaymond Network, is a worldwide leader for low pressure automotive fl uid handling connections.

With eight production plants and a comprehensive commercial agent network, Rayconnect is an advanced solution provider in all regions (NAFTA, South America, EMEA, China, India, and South-East Asia).

Product portfolio features quick connectors for fuel, engine cooling, turbo, air conditioning, power steering, SCR, and brake application fi elds.

Rayconnect is strongly focusing its innovation strategy around value integration (sensors, valves) to meet new environmental regulations.

Since 1998, Rayconnect has been Tristone’s strategic supplier for engine cooling line Quick Connectors.

Thanks to its expertise and global footprint, Rayconnect shall help Tristone to consolidate their powertrain thermal management leading position within the next years.

Performance Fluids Ltd

Performance Fluids Ltd are a market leader in the design, development and supply of specialist lubricants with activities on many continents. Tristone have selected Performance Fluids Ltd to be their chosen global supplier of hose release agents as they have production capabilities in all the geographic locations where Tristone is present and will provide bespoke products for them.

Performance Fluids knowledge and understanding of the rubber industry was one of the key factors in Tristone selecting Performance Fluids as a partner.

“Our latest generation of products are much lighter and offer greater efficiency and value than ever before. We work closely with our OEM partners to develop new energy-efficient products, especially in the integrated engine and battery-cooling system areas. As a growing medium-sized player, we are not as big as the market leaders but I believe that we are more flexible, more innovative and more customer-orientated. Our commitment in these areas means that our five-year strategic plan should see us on target to achieve a turnover of around €300 million by the year 2017.”

Asian markets providing the springboard

The Tristone Flowtech Group is well placed to see further global expansion with its eight state-of-the-art manufacturing sites located in

Rayconnect International SAS

Rayconnect International SAS is an independent company that is exclusively dedicated to the design, engineering, marketing and sales of quick connectors and fluid products for the automotive and heavy duty truck industries.

QUICK CONNECTORS FLUID HANDLING CONNECTION SOLUTIONS

Please visit our website www.rayconnect.com and download our product catalogue or use the contact form to send us your question regarding our range of products and the benefits they provide.

eight countries, and with its technical support offices situated in four of those countries. In addition, the group has its own resident engineers working on eight of its OEM customers’ sites. In July 2011 the company took over the former Veyance Automotive plant in Mexico, thereby supporting the Group’s further penetration of the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Association) automotive market. This new automotive plant covers more than 11,000 m2 of productive space and is already manufacturing engine-cooling and batterycooling applications for the automotive industry in Mexico and the USA. By the end of 2013 the plant will employ more than 300 people and deliver advanced cooling system components to automotive companies such as BMW, VW, Chrysler, Ford, Cobasys, GM and other First-tier suppliers.

However, the main thrust of the group’s focus is the Asian market and in particular China and India. Underscoring its commitment to the Asian markets Tristone recently signed a significant technical assistance agreement (TAA) with the leading Indian automotive supplier: Bony Polymers Ltd, based in Faridabad, near New Delhi, India. Mr Frolich added, “This signed TAA is supporting the Tristone Flowtech Group’s penetration of the Indian automotive market and will be the basis to establish our manufacturing footprint in the Indian region”.

This recently signed TAA will provide the framework within which the Tristone Flowtech Group and Bony polymers will be able to combine their joint strengths and expertise, with the objective of growing the automotive business for the two companies in the region, by working together on common projects.

It is also anticipated that Tristone will provide technical support in the areas of production and logistics for engine cooling hoses, pipes, surge tanks and turbocharger hose applications via the TAA, with a view to forming a joint venture company in India at a later stage. Currently Bony Polymers Ltd. is supplying a wide range of products to some of the largest automotive OEMs in the region, such as Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, SML Isuzu and to the HeroMotoCorp.

And the new plant in China Shuzhou has been ready since November in preparation for the start-ups foreseen in 2013 with the first customers Ford and Volvo. n