Delivering system-tailored sensors

DELIVERING SYSTEMTAILORED SENSORS

Sensata Technologies is one of the world’s leading suppliers of sensing, electrical protection, control and power management products. Philip Yorke looks at a company that is proactive in its offering of systemtailored solutions for both diesel and petrol engines. Sensata’s latest temperature and pressure sensor, known as TMAP, is seeing strong growth owing to the increased use of turbochargers as a result of the downsizing of petrol engines.

Founded in 1916 in the US, Sensata Technologies is a world leader in mission-critical sensors and controls. On average Sensata manufactures 17,000 different products and ships more than 1.3 billion units a year under the familiar brand names of Klixon®, Airpax®, Qinex® and Sensor-NITE®. The company’s devices are used in sectors such as automotive, appliances, aircraft, industrial, marine and data communications.

Today the company is divided into two major business divisions: Sensing Solutions, where it is a major player in the electrical power protection industries; and Performance Sensing, where it is a market leader in automotive, heating, ventilation and air conditioning markets. Sensata operates business centres and manufacturing facilities in 15 countries, as well as a network of sales and marketing offices worldwide. In 2014 the company employed over 17,000 people and recorded revenues of more than €2.4 billion.

Sensata’s European head office is located in Almelo in the Netherlands and the company has business centres and manufacturing sites in Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, the Dominican Republic, Japan and in Korea. In addition, it has facilities in Malaysia, Mexico and the United States.

Diverse portfolio

Sensata is the number one globally when it comes to pressure sensing for automotive applications and a broad range of other industrial markets. The company makes pressure sensors with ceramic capacitive and hermetic technologies for a full range of automotive systems, from

improving performance to helping the environment by significantly reducing vehicle emissions and improving overall efficiency.

Sensata Technologies is well known for its extensive sensor portfolio for diesel and petrol engines and for its innovative, systemtailored solutions for designers and manufacturers. The industry is constantly challenged by new emission regulations, as well as the need for greater engine fuel economy and improved product reliability in order to support extended service intervals.

The latest example of Sensata’s pro-active sensor development is related to the engine air-intake manifold pressure and temperature sensor known as the TMAP. This high-tech sensor measures the pressure and temperature of the air intake for optimised engine performance. The next generation of engines will continue to make more use of advanced exhaust gas recirculation known as EGR, to support engine efficiency and ensure compliance with emission regulations.

In this respect, the air provided to the engine intake manifold uses up to 30 per cent recirculated exhaust gas. Sensata also uses its latest sensor technology to improve temperature response time combined with analogue or digital SENT output. For heavy on-off road vehicles such as trucks, wheeled loaders and agricultural tractors, Sensata’s ‘Heavy Vehicle Off-Road’ business offers a robust version of the same sensor that can cope with specific demands like vibration and extended lifetime requirements.

Global expansion

Sensata Technologies continues to see strong global growth across its two key business sectors. This has recently been enhanced by the company’s acquisition of a major US sensor technology company: Custom Sensors and Technologies (CST). This strategic acquisition will significantly increase Senata’s footprint in the US and

extend its current portfolio of products. The acquisition includes major brands such as the Kavlico, BEI, Crydom and Newall product lines. This is in addition to its key manufacturing sites in the US, the UK, Germany, France, China and Mexico.

“The acquisition of CST’s sensing portfolio is in line with Sensata’s strategy to ‘Win in Sensing’. This acquisition further extends our sensing content beyond automotive markets and builds scale in pressure sensing,” said Martha Sullivan, Sensata Technologies president and CEO. “These are long-standing Sensing brands that are well respected by leading OEMs. We are excited to welcome this talented team into Sensata’s global organisation.”

Paul Vasington, Sensata Technologies CFO added, “On a standalone basis, this is a profitable and highly cash generative business with margins of approximately 26 per cent and Sensata brings significant, value-creating synergies. Including interest and integration expenses, we expect this acquisition to break even to adjusted net income in the first full year and to be up to 0.26 accretive to adjusted net income per diluted share in the third year.”

In July this year Sensata made another major acquisition with the purchase of Schrader International, the leading global manufacturer of sensing and valve solutions. The company continues to redefine tyre pressure monitoring systems by announcing an innovative enhancement to its award-winning EZ-sensor. For the first time, aftermarket distributors and service professionals have access to a single ‘SKU’ fully programmable, OE replacement TPMS sensor that covers the vast majority of TPMS-fitted vehicles in North America. n