Timken Broadens Expansion Of Precision Components In Latin America

Autoparts Report, Nov 5, 2002

The Timken Co. said it plans to begin production of precision components for automotive drivetrain applications at its bearing manufacturing plant in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Production will begin in less than a year.

"The expansion of our components business into Latin America, along with our recent European acquisition, capitalizes on our core competencies to deliver component solutions that meet customer needs globally," said Mark J. Samolczyk, president - precision steel components. "Localized manufacturing furthers the company's transformation objective of becoming more market- focused, and allows us to serve key North American customers in Brazil as well as other Latin American manufacturers in the most efficient and cost-effective manner."

This expansion is independent of the company's previously announced agreement with SKF to jointly produce forged and turned steel rings for tapered roller and ball bearing manufacture, Timken said. That joint venture established International Components Supply, Limitada, an independent equally owned manufacturing facility also located in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The joint venture supplies the companies' internal bearing operations.