plus 4, Turkish automotive industry releases outlook for 2010 - SteelGuru

Turkish automotive industry releases outlook for 2010 - SteelGuru
Schaeffler Group Automotive at the 2010 NAIAS Detroit Auto Show - Yahoo Finance
Research and Markets: Composites in the European Automotive Market is ... - CNBC
VW puts city on automotive stage today - Chattanooga Times Free Press
NetLogic Microsystems Processor Powers Tinnos' Automotive Infotainment ... - TMCnet

Turkish automotive industry releases outlook for 2010 - SteelGuru

Posted: 09 Jan 2010 09:08 PM PST

According to a report entitled "View of Turkey's Automotive Industry in 2009 and 2010 released by the Turkish Automotive Manufacturers Association, Turkey's motor vehicle production in 2009 decreased 21.9% YoY totaling 869,953 units.

Accordingly, Turkey's motor vehicle exports in 2009 amounted to 628,973 units, declining by 30.9% YoY while the domestic market expanded by 9.01% to 574,000 units, boosted by the increase in demand for passenger cars driven by the government's tax reduction policy in March to September 2009.

The OSD also announced its outlook for the Turkish automotive industry in 2010:

1. In 2010, since there will be no additional incentives in Turkey or in the European Union, the demand in the local Turkish market and in the export markets is expected to be at 2009 levels.

2. Since the increase in demand was provided by the incentive measures in 2009, if the effects of the economic downturn continue then demand is foreseen to contract by about 10% in 2010.

3. Due to the limited change in demand in local and overseas markets, the output of the industry is expected to remain at 2009 levels.

4. Despite the unfavorable conditions faced by the automotive industry, the positive signs in the banking and financial system indicate a possible better outlook regarding the foreseeable future.

5. The Turkish automotive industry which has been restructured in the crisis period is seen to be in a more advantageous position as compared with the automotive sectors of the new EU member states, due to the strong efficiency of its workforce and its high total quality management standards.

6. Due to the stagnant demand for commercial vehicles, production cuts are planned for these vehicles in early 2010. A tax reduction of eight percentage points is seen as vital for this segment.

(Sourced from Steel Orbis)

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Schaeffler Group Automotive at the 2010 NAIAS Detroit Auto Show - Yahoo Finance

Posted: 08 Jan 2010 10:04 AM PST

DeTROIT, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Schaeffler Group Automotive returns as a hospitality sponsor at this year's Detroit Auto Show and will feature a series of innovations for engine, transmission and chassis during Preview Days. As was presented at the IAA International Motor Show in Frankfurt and the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, the world's first fully-variable hydraulic valve control system UniAir/MultiAir, the direct shift transmission with dry double clutch and the wheel bearing with face splines, will be on display in the Schaeffler Group suite.

The Detroit Auto Show begins with press days on January 11 and 12 and its doors will remain open until January 24, 2010. Schaeffler Group Automotive will have these innovations on display in the Skyline Room located on the second level concourse.

The Schaeffler Group

The Schaeffler Group is among the innovation leaders in Germany with around 1,250 patent applications annually. With its brands INA, LuK and FAG, it is a renowned supplier to the automotive industry as well as a leading manufacturer of rolling bearings worldwide. Around 66,000 employees generated sales of approximately 8.9 billion Euros in 2008. Our main customer is the automotive industry with around 60 percent of our sales. The Schaeffler Group is a renowned development partner to the industry with system expertise for the entire drive train. Precision products for engines, transmissions and chassis applications ensure reduced energy consumption and lower emissions as well as increased driving comfort and safety. Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket supplies distributors and independent workshops with replacement parts and services.

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Research and Markets: Composites in the European Automotive Market is ... - CNBC

Posted: 08 Jan 2010 08:24 AM PST

DUBLIN, Jan 08, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3f1404/opportunities_for) has announced the addition of the "Opportunities for Composites in the European Automotive Market 2009-2014: Trends, Forecast and Opportunity Analysis" report to their offering.

Composites are becoming the material of choice for replacing traditional materials such as steel, aluminum and engineering plastics in European automotive industry. Compared to traditional materials, composites have higher strength-to-weight ratios, chemical and heat impact resistance, offer greater design flexibility. The future of the composite materials in European automotive industry market compared to competing materials looks good. Also, Europe has come up as leading region using advanced high performance carbon-epoxy composites in racing and luxury cars, though at a nascent stage. However, demand for composites dropped significantly during 2008 and expected to drop in 2009 as overall automotive market dipped in 2008 and expected to drop in 2009. According to the new report "Opportunities for Composites in European Automotive Market 2009-2014: Trends, Forecast, and Opportunity Analysis," composites materials market is expected to reach $1824.9 million by 2014. Composites consumption in automotive applications such as air intake manifolds, front end carriers, interior headliners, pickup box, switches are expected to grow above 4% CAGR during the in the next 5 years.

Producers, focusing on innovations and cost leadership will win most of the volume growth. Automotive OEMs are looking for new ways to reduce vehicle weight, further increasing fuel economy and thus increasing environmental performance. By developing new materials to meet the demanding application requirements with a focus on weight and cost reduction, composites materials suppliers will gain more market share during the next six years.

This unique 169 page report provides all the valuable information and tools that you may need in operating your business successfully in the European Automotive composites market. In today's global economy, you need every advantage that you can find to keep you ahead in your business. Learn about current trends, identify key players, and explore the directions that the European Automotive composites market is heading for.

Features of This Report: To make informed business, investment, or strategic decisions, professionals need accurate and timely information. The author believes that the market report titled "Opportunities for Composites in European Automotive Market 2009-2014: Trends, Forecast, and Opportunity Analysis" fulfils this core requirement. This is a vital reference guide for composite materials suppliers, automotive part manufacturers, investors, researchers, executives, distributors and many others who operate within or follow the composite marketplace.

Some of the features of this market report are: Market size estimates in terms of value ($) and volume (mill lbs) materials consumption in European Automotive industry. Porters Five Force Analysis for European Automotive Composites market in terms of Supplier Power, Buyer Power, Barriers to Entry, Threat of Substitution and Rivalry. Growth trends for last 5 years and forecasts for next 5 years in terms of dollar shipment and lbs consumed in total European composites market and also for various application segments such as Air intake manifold, connectors and front end carriers. Trends and forecast for various raw materials such as SFT, LFRT, LWRT, GMT, CFRT, SMC, and BMC; Resins such as Polypropylene, Polyester etc. Market penetration of competing materials in various applications such as headliner, intake manifolds, front end carrier, valve covers, etc. Over 95 figures/charts and 23 tables in this 169-page market report to help you make more informed business decisions.

Brief descriptions on major industry leaders Who Can Benefit From This Report: This study is intended for material suppliers, parts fabricators, OEMs, investors, executives and consultants. This multi-client market study is used by small to multi-national Fortune 500 companies and utilized for a variety of reasons as follows.

Business development Strategic planning Business presentation Determination of market size and trend Competitive analysis Personnel training Budgeting Investment Decision Methodology The author has been observing the European Automotive Composites market for the last 5 years and has used the following sources for the completion of this research document.

In-depth personal and telephone interviews with over 10 major automotive molders. The main focus of these interviews was to investigate all composite parts (type of materials, manufacturing processes, etc.) in more than 10 auto makes such as all Volkswagen (VW), PSA (Peugeot-Citroen), Ford Europe, General Motors (GM) Europe, Renault, Fiat etc. platforms. The author conducted in-depth interviews with all major composite material suppliers to automotive industry such as DSM, DuPont, SABIC and BASF. Extensive search of published literature, market and database information including news, articles published in Composites-Week newsletter. A compilation of the experiences, judgments, and insights of the author's professionals, who have analyzed and tracked composites and automotive market over the years.

The author collects a lot of unintelligent data from a variety of sources and converts into intelligent data as follows. The intelligent data is used by our clients for making confident business decisions.

Executive Summary Despite economic slowdown significant opportunities exist for composites in the European automotive market and the market is expected to reach $1824.9 million by 2014. According to the author the European automotive industry output will expand significantly from 2009 to 2014. Following the rapid growth in auto production, composite materials demand in European market is forecast to increase by 6.87 percent per year and reach $1824.9 by 2014.

The author has analyzed the European Automotive composites market and just published a comprehensive research report entitled "Opportunities for Composites in the European Automotive Market 2009-2014: Trends, Forecast and Opportunity Analysis".

As per the study composites are being increasingly used as they can reduce weight up to 35%, which improves fuel economy. Composites also reduce tooling and assembly costs as composites have lower tooling and equipment costs; they are competitive compared to steel at lower production volumes in certain automotive applications.

The use of composite materials, which initially was driven from exterior applications, has now spread to all areas of the vehicle's interior and under-the-hood applications. Under-the-hood and interior applications represent good growth potential. As the overall penetration was only 3% in automotive materials in 2008 there is much more potential for composites. As per the study polypropylene based composites will drive the future growth of the European Automotive composites market.

According to the author the critical success factor for composites material producers will increasingly be not only developing new products at low cost; in addition, the author believes the most successful companies will be those that can develop application-specific, customer-focused solutions and have the ability to help their customers achieve long-term business objectives, such as increasing performance or lowering costs.

This research report contains European Automotive Composites Market Overview, Applications, European Automotive Composites Market Analysis, Materials and Manufacturing Process, Competitive Analysis, Trends - European Composites Market, Forecast - European Automotive Composites Market, Materials Suppliers and more. This insightful report can help you make confident business decisions in this globally competitive marketplace.

Key Topics Covered: Executive Summary European Automotive Composites Market Applications European Automotive Composites Market Analysis Materials and Manufacturing Process Competitive Analysis Trends - European Composites Market Forecast - European Automotive Composites Market Materials Suppliers List of Figures List of Tables Companies Mentioned: BASF DSM Composite Resin DUPONT Lorenz GmbH Menzolit GmbH MITRAS Ranger RTP SABIC Innovative Plastics TETRA-DUR GmbH Ticona For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3f1404/opportunities_for SOURCE: Research and Markets CONTACT: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager, press@researchandmarkets.com U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Copyright Business Wire 2010 -0- KEYWORD: United States

Europe

North America

New York INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Automotive

Aftermarket

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VW puts city on automotive stage today - Chattanooga Times Free Press

Posted: 09 Jan 2010 09:51 PM PST

Contributed photo
VW‚s plant under construction in Chattanooga is to begin production system trials around midyear.

Volkswagen is powering up efforts to show the world it's serious about becoming a major player in the United States with its Chattanooga plant serving as the cornerstone of its growth plan.

Today at its Virginia U.S. headquarters, top officials of the German company will tell more than 100 automotive journalists, most of whom are from Europe and China, that it's full speed ahead in making cars again in America after two decades.

"We're sticking to the plan and making progress," Volks-wagen Group of America's Steve Keyes said about the $1 billion plant set to open in little more than a year.

A number of journalists have been skeptical about the automaker's plan to make up ground in the United States after driving away from producing cars here in 1988 when it closed a Pennsylvania plant, he said.

"We need to change that perception," Mr. Keyes said, noting today's event is part of a ramp up of marketing initiatives for its U.S. strategy dubbed "Mach 18."

VW aims to more than triple sales in the United States to 1 million vehicles annually by 2018.

The two-day stopover by journalists at VW's headquarters outside Washington, D.C., in Herndon, Va., will include briefings with the carmaker's key officials in the country.

Frank Fischer, chief executive of VW's Chattanooga operations, is expected to lay out what's in store for the plant's future.

Stefan Jacoby, VW Group of America's chief executive, will talk about the company's U.S. blueprint, 2009 highlights and the outlook for 2010.

plant 'on track'

Guenther Scherelis, general manager of communications for the Chattanooga operations, said the journalists will continue to Detroit for the start Monday of the North American International Auto Show.

Plans are to make clear to the group that VW is committed to boosting market share in the U.S., he said.

"We're serious about our engagement here and looking forward to being an American producer," he said.

Mr. Keyes said VW is "hitting all the milestones" in the construction of the Chattanooga production facility that will make a midsize sedan new to North America.

VW will make a new compact sedan which it will unveil in late summer. That vehicle is to be made in VW's Mexico plant, he said.

In addition, VW will show the foreign journalists the new Up! Lite, a three-door, four-seat version of a small car powered by a hybrid powertrain.

SALES CLIMB

Last week, VW of America reported December 2009 sales which were 16 percent above a year earlier.

While December marked VW's sixth consecutive sales month above the prior year, it sold 4.3 percent fewer cars in the U.S. last year than in 2008. Still, VW competitors such as Toyota and General Motors were off by double-digit percentages in the period, figures show.

Mr. Keyes said VW is benefiting from a lot of new product that was introduced in 2008. Among those vehicles were so-called clean diesel- powered autos which VW officials said have taken hold in the marketplace.

"People have embraced the new technology," Mr. Keyes said. "The initial buyers were die-hard diesel people. But we've seen all-new customers we never saw in the showroom before."

Volkswagen's clean diesel models accounted for over 20 percent of the brand's total December sales with 4,378 units, according to the carmaker.

VW officials have said up to 30 percent of the cars made in Chattanooga could hold clean-diesel technology.

VW timeline

* January -- Winner to be announced of contest designing key foot bridge connecting Chattanooga factory and parking lot; workers start occupying training center

* First quarter 2010 -- Hiring of equipment maintenance workers ramps up

* Mid 2010 -- Hiring of production employees accelerates; production system trials begin

* Early 2011 -- Start of production of new midsize sedan

Source: Volkswagen

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