Author: tia_admin

100 years. If you take a moment to contemplate how long that really is and how much has changed in the past century, perhaps you’ll be able to acknowledge just how impressive it is for a business to endure for so long. Such durability requires so many understated attributes; innovation, resilience, flexibility, and application, to name a few.

2022 has seen us proudly commemorate our 100-year anniversary. We will celebrate by holding a series of commemorative events across our locations around the world and publishing a limited edition centennial book that takes a deeper dive into our illustrious history.

We’ve experienced our fair share of industry challenges since we were founded as the Harry Bundy Company some 100 years ago, but the aforementioned attributes have stood us in good stead on our journey. From Harry Bundy himself to our current President and CEO, Hans Dieltjens, we’ve been extremely fortunate throughout this journey to have consistently had a team that embodies these values, which today are reflected in all we do.

In the past 100 years, we have been faced with and shaped by five automotive megatrends, all of which have brought with them significant upheaval to the sector and have required an innovative response. The first of these was fuel, second hydraulic braking, third air conditioning, and then emissions reduction. The TI team of today are currently dealing with the fifth and most recent development, the electrification of the vehicle powertrain, and are tackling this with great success. Our Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer, Dom Milicia, noted that: “Electrification is a disruptive change in the automotive industry and will reward companies with an innovative attitude. As leaders in automotive fluid handling, it is a huge opportunity for TI Fluid Systems to adapt our technologies to rise to the challenge.”

Our strategy to maximise this opportunity is called Take the Turn. Under this strategy, we are already enhancing our capacity and capabilities to meet the changing demands of customers all over the world. Take the Turn is made up of three elements: Technology – our focus on vehicle electrification; Transformation – our commitment to a more sustainable business; and Talent – our investment in people and learning.

Over the last 100 years, we’ve endeavoured to build close relationships with our customers, and, as Hans Dieltjens acknowledges, it is these relationships that will see us move forward into the electrified age. “Building strong relationships with our customers is something that we have never compromised on in our 100 years of trading, and this will continue as we enter the next phase of our development as a company.”

Ultimately, the last 100 years have been about building towards the future. While it’s an honour to celebrate a century in business, our thoughts are immediately on gearing up for what comes next. As the curtain comes down on this centenary anniversary, we vow to build on the last 100 years in the next 100 years.

 

• TI Fluid Systems’ 2021 Sustainability Report sets out how its Take the Turn strategy supports the group’s sustainability and environmental, social, and governance initiatives
• Environmental commitments set out in the 2021 Sustainability Report include Scope 1 and 2 CO₂e emissions reductions, energy efficiency programs, and water conservation
• The group’s diversity and inclusion initiatives include gender hiring goals as well as a Women’s Network Mentoring Programme which provides opportunities for women across the global organisation to accelerate their careers
• The 2021 Sustainability Report is aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (“GRI”) standard

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan, USA (December 14, 2022) — TI Fluid Systems (TIFS) has today published its 2021 Sustainability Report underscoring its commitment to all aspects of sustainability. The first stand-alone Sustainability Report published by TI Fluid Systems is aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (“GRI”) standard and clearly sets out the company’s approach to its environmental responsibility and promoting the health and social wellbeing of its employees and the communities it operates in. It also highlights important environmental, social, and governance (ESG) achievements made by the company to date.

Sustainability is a key element of TI Fluid Systems’ Take the Turn strategy (T³) which addresses the risks and opportunities associated with the electrification of the automotive sector and the need to operate its business in a more sustainable manner. Take the Turn is made up of three elements: Technology – focusing on vehicle electrification; Transformation – committing to a more sustainable business; and Talent – investment in people and learning.

Technology

Product development to support the global automotive sector’s shift to electrification is a key element of the Take the Turn Strategy. TI Fluid Systems is capitalising on 100 years of experience in automotive fluid handling and management to develop efficient and economical thermal management systems for its OEM customers’ next generation of battery electric and hybrid vehicles. Since 2020, the company has held the London Stock Exchange’s Green Economy Mark which recognises that it generates 50% or more of its total annual revenue from products that contribute to the global green economy. In 2021, TI Fluid Systems’ lifetime revenue of product bookings for battery electric and hybrid vehicles totaled €1.7 billion.

Transformation

TI Fluid Systems recognises that, while its products contribute to the electrification and decarbonisation of the automotive sector, it must also transform its own business operations to be more sustainable. In 2021, the company committed to a 37.5% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 CO₂e emissions by 2039, consistent with the Paris Agreement Well Below 2°C scenario through increased use of renewable electricity together with energy efficiency projects. The company is now considering updated science-based CO₂e targets consistent with a 1.5 °C scenario.

The company is also committed to reducing water use and protecting the quality of water in the communities where it operates. It is implementing a strategy to reduce water use and increase water conservation, with a particular focus on areas with water scarcity issues, including a commitment to reduce water use across some plants by up to 25% by 2030.

Transformation also includes improving how TI Fluid Systems engages with local communities through involvement and development. In addition to many local community and charitable projects, the company is in the process of establishing a scholarship programme in several countries to help local female students pursue further education in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

Talent

The third element of the Take the Turn strategy recognises that TI Fluid Systems’ success is directly linked to its ability to recruit, retain, motivate and develop a diverse and talented workforce. In 2021, it introduced the Fluid Learning online platform, providing all salaried employees access to a range of education and developmental tools.

In 2021 TI Fluid Systems also set up the Women’s Network Mentoring Programme which provides opportunities for women across the organisation to accelerate their careers, while creating meaningful connections with leaders. That same year, its manufacturing facility in Montornès, Spain, received the Lismivo Award which recognises support for diversity in the workforce.

Hans Dieltjens, President and CEO of TI Fluid Systems, said: “Publishing our inaugural Sustainability Report is an important milestone in our journey to becoming a more sustainable business. As well as developing our product portfolio in-line with the industry’s shift to electrification, we are committed to evaluating and improving every aspect of our company to ensure that we operate in the most sustainable and responsible manner possible. Our 2021 Sustainability Report highlights some key achievements that we can be proud of, but we know this is just the beginning. Guided by our Take the Turn strategy, I am confident that our direction of travel is the right one.”

To read the full 2021 Sustainability Report, click here.

About TI Fluid Systems

TI Fluid Systems is a leading global manufacturer of fluid storage, carrying and delivery systems primarily for the light duty automotive market. With nearly 100 years of automotive fluid systems experience, TI Fluid Systems has manufacturing facilities in 104 locations across 29 countries serving all major global OEMs.

For more information, visit www.tifluidsystems.com.

Between the 11^th and 13^th of October, a team of 15 TI Fluid Systems representatives exhibited the company’s products, services, and innovations to our customers and the wider automotive industry at the International Suppliers Fair (IZB) 2022. Throughout the event, the company and our technologies were the subject of significant interest from our customers and fellow exhibitors, with our team involved in a series of constructive and promising business conversations. Of particular interest was the company’s Take The Turn strategy, which was showcased at the company’s booth.

The International Suppliers Fair (IZB) is Europe’s leading trade fair for the automotive supplier industry, and has become a major gathering for decision-makers over the years. Established in 2001, IZB is held every two years, with 2022’s event being the 11^th time that the automotive supplier industry has flocked to Germany to exhibit.

IZB 2022 was a resounding success for the industry – 953 companies across 37 countries exhibited, and approximately 43,000 people visited the exhibition. The event comprised six halls that were all populated with exhibitors, including the e-mobility section within hall one, where we set up our 60m² booth. Here, 15 TI experts from the company’s Engineering, Sales, Program Management, Product Management, and Business Development departments presented the company’s new generation technology, which focuses on electrification, and our Take The Turn strategy.

Across the event, our team hosted many of our customers at our booth. Numerous visitors mentioned that they were pleased to see that we have continued to focus on tank development and production, and others echoed this positive sentiment, noting that we are moving in the right direction.

Our thermal product strategy was also very well received. The team at Volkswagen were extremely pleased that we exhibited our system competencies and modular concepts for battery electric vehicles, for example, while our vertical integration approach was praised by visitors to the booth.

Our ITMA 1.X, IBFD and ITMS solutions were particularly popular, with Volkswagen staff appreciating our concept of combining coolant and refrigerant in one module. Exhibiting at IZB also demonstrated to us as a team that some of our practices set us apart from our competitors. We were reminded that the blow moulding technology we implement for our coolant modules is a unique selling point, with others applying injection moulding practices instead.

The exhibition has fueled excitement for what comes next in our journey. We’re delighted that the show generated so much interest in visiting our E-Mobility Innovation Center in Rastatt, Germany, and we look forward to hosting interested parties at the facility. IZB reiterated that we are on the right track, and so our next steps will centre on customer delivery, ensuring that we maintain our ability to always service the needs of our customers.

Many congratulations to the San Luis Potosí, Fuldabrück and Global Engineering teams for completing the installation of a new Multi-Layer Extrusion Line at our San Luis Potosí, Mexico plant.

The project began in Q1 last year, so its completion in May this year has been a long time in the making. The new machine will support production of fuel and coolant lines, giving us the capability to produce these products locally in Mexico. The machine is truly state of the art and will be able to produce up to six different layers of plastic.

Not only is this an important milestone in our localization initiative, it will also give the business a competitive advantage in the future, as Stefan Rau, Executive Vice President FCS, explains:

“The completion of this project is very important in the execution of our strategy. Thank you to everyone involved for all of your hard work. Next, we are to install a corrugated tube line in SLP, with the project set to finish next year.

“After this installation, we will add one high speed MLT line so that we can stop MLT production in Marysville. Having the MLT capacity and capabilities in Mexico, where we have the majority of our plastic system plant business, is absolutely essential, and we are making great strides towards our goal.”

On 24th and 25th May, several members of the TI Fluid Systems team attended the 2022 tank.tech Conference in Fürstenfeldbruck, near Munich. The biennial event sees representatives from vehicle, supplier and mineral oil industries meet to discuss current technologies and innovations in the field of fuel, SCR and water injection systems, as well as to exchange experiences.

The agenda for the event was diverse, with a wide array of topics up for discussion. Those present at the conference looked at the challenges presented to storage systems by the transformation of propulsion systems, future automotive trends, expectations towards fluid and energy systems, solutions for tank system technologies, current and future manufacturing methods for fluid storage systems, development methodologies, functionalities for storage systems, and infrastructure for energy and fluid storage and distribution.

Among our representatives was Martin Stickel, who took on a role within the event’s committee. Martin chaired the event’s opening day discussion on e-fuels and biofuels, and the impacts that these have on fluid and energy storage systems. Moez Haouala gave a thought-provoking presentation on how PHEV tank systems have evolved towards cost efficiency.

On the success of the event, Martin Stickel commented: “It is essential that we, as a business, continue to liaise with like-minded organisations to develop our product offering. The tank.tech conference is an excellent opportunity to hear from our peers every two years and discover how they have dealt with the same challenges that we are facing. The 2022 event focused on alternative energies, the environment and sustainability and was certainly a success from this perspective. We have now attended 13 iterations of the event, and we are looking forward to returning in 2024.”

The tragic events in Ukraine over the last two months have put everything in life into perspective. Business pales into insignificance at times like these.

Businesses can, however, help to unite people behind a common cause, and provide them with a platform from which to provide assistance. We saw that at times throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and that is exactly what we have seen again in response to the crisis in Ukraine.

At TI Fluid Systems, we are incredibly proud to work with such compassionate teams all over the world. Many of our employees have gone above and beyond to raise money and supplies for displaced Ukrainians. These efforts have taken place throughout the entire company’s network of global locations – it really has been a collaborative approach across the board.

An example of these phenomenal efforts comes from Poznan, where the TI team had a lasting impact on the city’s efforts to send goods to Ukrainian refugees. Volunteering at the Poznan International Fair and at the main railway station in the city, the team put their professional experience to good use, implementing changes to the refugee servicing process. These changes significantly accelerated the process of addressing the needs of those who have had to flee Ukraine.

The impact of the work undertaken by the TI staff was huge; the organisers of these efforts asked the team to train other volunteers to ensure that these standards were maintained. Many members of staff have insisted that, although the work was physically exhausting, it was worthwhile to meet the needs of those affected by the war. In Poznan, the TI team’s commitment has been incredible, and has been recognised by the Charitable Caritas Foundation and the local fire brigade, with both bodies awarding the team with certificates.

This support has extended further, beyond Poznan. In the Czech Republic, our team at Mlada Boleslav has played a crucial role in organising the delivery of essential goods to those in need. The team has also contributed financially to ensure that Ukrainian refugees don’t go without food, water, clothing, and shelter.

At our Jablonec site, our employees have donated money and supplies to the People in Need charity and have bought medical supplies and medicines that are to be shipped to Ukraine. The team have demonstrated their compassion by arranging for Ukrainian members of staff to have access to a meeting room to make free internet calls to their homeland, and by offering the relatives of these individuals employment.

Even further afield, in Telford, England, the team has sent multiple donations of essential items, ranging from medical supplies to baby equipment.

TI staff in Ukraine’s bordering countries have also demonstrated their solidarity with their neighbours, with many offering their homes and spare rooms to displaced Ukrainian people. This goodwill has extended throughout the entire company. So far, TI employees have contributed €33,500 to the Red Cross and to various organisations that have supported Ukrainian relief efforts. The company itself has added an extra €58,500 on top of this, taking our overall donation to €92,000.

We would like to say thank you to every single member of the team at TI Fluid Systems who has helped to support those affected by the crisis in Ukraine. You have done us and yourselves proud.

Over the last 100 years, there have only been five automotive megatrends that have significantly affected our company. The first of these was fuel, the second was hydraulic braking, third was air conditioning, then came reduced emissions, and now there is electrification of the vehicle powertrain.

With electrification coming to the fore, thermal management systems are now in the spotlight. The fluids within vehicles are used to heat or cool the key components that electrify the vehicle – the electric motors, power electronics and the battery. Thermal management is needed to optimize the vehicle for peak performance. For example, a battery functions best when in a narrow temperature range which means that it must be heated or cooled to achieve maximum range and performance.

We’ve been able to adapt our fluid carrying products and our manufacturing assets to meet the thermal management requirements of electric vehicles. Our HVAC team – now known as Thermal  – reacted to the shift to electrification and the opportunities that could come with it long ago, even when gasoline and diesel powertrains were still on the industry’s front burner.

Working closely with our global OEM customers as well as numerous battery manufacturers, we were able to understand where the world’s automotive market was heading. The message was consistent: electrification is going to be the future. Fortunately for us, this was a shift that we could really take advantage of through our product portfolio.

The hybrid electric and battery electric work that we have undertaken over the past several years has all stemmed from the early initiative of our HVAC team. The automotive industry’s journey towards electrification has started and is now accelerating. That’s why we are committing more knowledge and resources to our growing electric vehicle product portfolio. While the market for vehicles powered by internal combustion engines will shrink over time, it will not disappear overnight. So, we will continue to support our customers with market leading gasoline and diesel products as the industry shifts to electric vehicles.