Category: Blogs

Earlier this year, our Product Management team delivered a series of comprehensive training sessions for the wider TIFS team. Delivered between May and July, the sessions were designed to ensure that TIFS employees have a thorough and professional understanding of our products. To ensure that the sessions took the varying levels of technical understanding of our staff into account, the sessions were tailored for different people. Level 0 sessions were designed for those with a very basic understanding, Level 1 was suited for those in sales roles, and Level 2 sessions were designed for the experts in our engineering department.

Each level focused on different products and target groups. Level 0 sessions provided a basic understanding of both our traditional and new product portfolio, while Level 1 went slightly deeper, examining our new Coolant and Refrigerant products. Both levels were suitable for members of our sales, engineering, purchasing, quality, and operations teams.

Level 2 was more advanced, taking a deep dive into the technical specifications and troubleshooting processes of our Coolant and Refrigerant products and modules. The sessions were held at our state-of-the-art e-Mobility Innovation Center (eMIC) in Rastatt, Germany, and TIFS employees from South Korea, Japan, India, the United States, France, and China were present for a series of hands-on activities and in-depth discussions about the product lines. These discussions included extensive technical reviews between the delegates and trainers.

Having gained practical knowledge and skills from the immersive sessions, the delegates are now equipped to deliver effective training to colleagues in their local teams. We would like to express our thanks to our team of product experts for sharing their insights and delivering the sessions.

Our global Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) committee is dedicated to championing inclusivity across the business. Tasked with creating a safe and engaging working environment for the company’s 27,000 employees, the team have been hard at work to reinforce TIFS’s mindsets of embracing change, winning as a team, and being a continuous learner.

In recent months, the committee’s focus has been on educating the business’ global workforce on Allyship. Defined as the willingness to take action in support of another person or community, Allyship is a crucial part of our goal to enable true diversity, equity, and inclusion.

To help ensure that Allyship is understood and adopted across the business, the D&I committee worked in tandem with TIFS’s Women’s Empowerment Network to hold an Ally Workshop. 20 male members of the TIFS team were selected to participate in the event, with all 20 holding critical, influential roles within the company. The purpose of the workshop was to help participants understand what it means to be an Ally and what is expected of Allies.

The workshop was a huge success and the feedback on the event was overwhelmingly positive. In particular, the business’ UK-based Director of Corporate Reporting, Simon Howell, was so inspired by his experience that he was eager to discuss his thoughts on what he learnt. Check out Simon’s thoughts below.

 

Q: Why do you think D&I and/or Allyship are important at TIFS?

Simon Howell (SH): Understanding diversity and Allyship in particular is really important to be able to address it. For many, this is often a blind spot, but from our perspective, having a genuine interest and understanding is fundamental to the success we have as individuals and teams. Working in global teams means it is really important to understand and be empathetic to colleagues.

 

Q: How has this training influenced your perspective on your role as a man and/or senior manager in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion?

SH: Everybody has a role to play – but as a leader, I now have clarity that it is about taking action if I see poor behaviour and correcting myself immediately if I say or do something wrong.

 

Q: Were there any previous misconceptions you had about Allyship that were clarified during the training?

SH: The biggest learning for me in the training – and I heard a few others say this – was around the discussion of “privilege”. This is often included in conversations as a negative and sometimes as an insult. It is more about recognizing what you do have experiences of, and those that you have not had experience of, but others have. The reality of privilege is that it is important to understand perspectives and that individuals may not have certain experiences. So as a leader, I know it is my role to create an environment for others that can help them succeed.

 

Q: What immediate action steps do you plan to implement in your team or department to foster a more inclusive environment as an Ally?

SH: I will listen and seek out diverse ideas and experiences, and ensure that all voices are heard.

 

Q: How do you believe your actions as an Ally can contribute to the overall success of TIFS?

SH: Different perspectives, ideas, and discussion lead to better decisions being made. An environment of innovation and improvement comes from allowing people to speak up with their ideas.

 

Q: What barriers or challenges do you anticipate in your journey as an Ally, and how do you plan to overcome them?

SH: The biggest barrier is often myself. To be an effective Ally, I need to be sure to stop and think about how I am going to say something, how to include or bring people into the conversation in the right way, and how to ask for open feedback. I have previously spent a lot of time in my career understanding and trying to stop microinequities. A practice that I’ve adopted if I say something incorrect is to say out loud “that was wrong, that was a microinequity” and then correct myself immediately. I need to ensure I do this more, and correct others’ microinequities.

 

Q: What advice would you give to other men in management roles about the importance of participating in Allyship training?

SH: This training is one of the best workshops I have been on in recent years. The investment in time is small compared to the positive outcome it can have, not only on colleagues, but in making good business decisions. I am glad I invested the time as I know I will be more successful and a better leader if I keep working on the behaviours that I learned and keep making them a daily habit.

 

 

At TI Fluid Systems, we pride ourselves on our commitment to quality, innovation, and excellence. This commitment is reflected in the numerous recent awards our plants across the globe have received in recognition of their outstanding performance.

These awards not only highlight the individual achievements of our dedicated teams but also underscore TI Fluid Systems’ reputation as a leading global supplier. Here, we celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of our plants and teams in 2023 and 2024.

 

Changchun Plant: Excellence in zero defects and value addition

Awards: Zero Defect Recognition Award for 2023, Value Excellence for VAVE
Plant supplies: Fuel Tank
Notable programs: Toyota 330B, BMW G08

The Changchun plant’s exceptional performance has earned the Zero Defect Recognition Award for 2023 from Toyota, received on 24 January 2024, and the Value Excellence for VAVE award on 24 March 2024.

These accolades celebrate the plant’s performance in maintaining zero defects and its innovative value engineering and continuous improvement efforts for the Toyota 330B and BMW G08 programs.

 

Guangzhou plant: Leading the way in supplier quality

Award: Supplier Quality Award 2023
Plant supplies: Fuel Tank
Notable programs: Toyota 530B, Honda T50/T54, Nissan X02A

Our Guangzhou plant has been recognized with the Supplier Quality Award for 2023 by Guangzhou Toyota. This award received on 24 June 2024, highlights the team’s dedication to producing high-quality fuel tanks for key programs – including the Toyota 530B, Honda T50/T54, and Nissan X02A – and its unwavering commitment to excellence in supplier quality.

 

Hillsdale Plant: Sustaining excellence year after year

Award: 2023 GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award
Plant supplies: Push rods to GM engine plants
Notable programs: DMAX engine for various vehicle platforms

For the seventh consecutive year, the Hillsdale plant has been awarded the GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award. This recognition, received by Plant Manager Kevin Simmers, highlights the plant’s consistent efforts in supplying push rods for DMAX engines across various vehicle platforms.

 

San Jose Campos Plant: Hyundai’s Supplier of the Year

Award: 2023 Supplier of the Year
Plant supplies: Brake and Fuel Products

The San Jose Campos plant has been named Hyundai’s 2023 Supplier of the Year, a prestigious award presented during the Supplier Day in April 2024. This award recognizes the plant’s excellence in supplying brake and fuel products, setting a benchmark for quality and reliability in the industry.

 

Fuldabrück Plant: Sustaining quality for consecutive years

Award: Supplier Quality Award – 2023
Plant supplies: Air Brake tubes for Trucks
Notable programs: General supplier for all DAF programs for the air brake product application

The Fuldabrück plant has achieved the Supplier Quality Award for 2023, marking the second consecutive year of this accomplishment. This award underscores the plant’s excellence in supplying air brake tubes for all DAF programs.

 

Chonburi Plant: Setting the standard for quality

Award: Excellence Quality with Zero Defect
Plant supplies: Fuel Tank & Delivery System
Notable programs: MMC 5F00, Nissan L02D

Recognized for its outstanding performance in quality, the TIFS Chonburi plant has received the Excellence Quality with Zero Defect award. Supplying fuel tanks and delivery systems for the MMC 5F00 and Nissan L02D programs, the Chonburi team exemplifies our commitment to delivering products with zero defects.

 

Reynosa 2 Plant: Achieving back-to-back recognition

Award: 2023 GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award
Plant supplies: Thermal lines and hose assemblies
Notable programs: GM 610 (Express Van) at Wentzville

For the second year in a row, the Reynosa 2 plant has been awarded the GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award. Accepted by Plant Manager Alvaro Escalon, this award highlights the plant’s commitment to quality in supplying thermal lines and hose assemblies for the GM 610 program.

 

Hanil Tube Ulsan Plant: recognized by GM for quality excellence

Award: 2023 GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award

The Hanil Tube Ulsan plant has been awarded the 2023 GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award, celebrating the plant’s outstanding quality performance, and the strong support received from GM’s global supplier quality team throughout 2023.

 

Bielsko Biala Plant: Celebrated for quality excellence

Award: 2023 GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award
Plant supplies: HP Diesel Lines
Notable programs: GM 3.0

Our Bielsko Biala plant in Poland has been awarded the 2023 GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award. This accolade, accepted by Tomasz Szczepankiewicz, highlights the plant’s superior quality in supplying HP diesel lines for the GM 3.0 program.

 

These awards are a reflection of the hard work, dedication, and innovation of our teams at TI Fluid Systems. Congratulations to all our teams for their remarkable accomplishments.

In celebration of Pride Month this June, our U.S. Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Committee organized a special event. We had the pleasure of welcoming Kevin Heard, President of the Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce, for an interactive discussion on understanding intersectionality and its importance.

Kevin led us through a thought-provoking conversation about what intersectionality means and how it impacts every individual we interact with. Intersectionality examines how various social identities—such as race, gender, sexuality, and class—intersect to create unique experiences of discrimination or privilege. This makes it a crucial concept in building an inclusive workplace.

This event, organized by our dedicated U.S. D&I Committee, underscored our commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all employees, including those in the LGBTQ+ community. By exploring intersectionality, we aim to deepen our understanding of diversity and strengthen our efforts to create a culture of equality and respect.

Kevin’s expertise and passion for promoting LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion provided us with valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance our workplace culture. His discussion encouraged us to reflect on our own experiences and consider how we can contribute to a more inclusive environment for everyone.

The event was also hosted on Juneteenth, a significant day in American history. Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and is a reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial equality. Observing Juneteenth alongside our Pride Month celebration highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing the diverse experiences and challenges faced by our colleagues and communities.

Thank you to the U.S. D&I Committee for organizing this important event, and to Kevin Heard for sharing his valuable insights with us. Together, we can make a difference and continue to build a workplace where diversity is not just acknowledged but celebrated.

TI Fluid Systems recently attended the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, commonly known as Auto China, for the first time. Recognized as one of the world’s leading automotive events, Auto China brings together renowned auto and component manufacturers to showcase the latest in technological innovation. This made it the ideal platform to display our cutting-edge thermal management solutions and engage with industry leaders.

Showcasing innovative thermal management

Visitors had the opportunity to explore how TI Fluid Systems is developing efficient and compact thermal management solutions to support the industry’s transition to electrification. We had a range of products on show, including lines, connectors and our innovative TPRL product, in addition to our modular thermal management systems for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), such as our ITMA and ITMR product lines.

Our team had the opportunity to talk to OEMs and business leaders about our latest range of pioneering modular systems and how we’re setting new standards for the efficient and sustainable thermal management of EVs, helping our customers achieve optimal performance.

Commitment to local market needs

Our participation in Auto China not only allowed us to showcase our products and technology, but it also offered an opportunity to deepen our presence and commitment to the Chinese market.

TI Fluid Systems has a rich history and a strong business presence in China, spanning nearly 40 years. We lead the market in several of our product lines and are committed to continuing this leadership position. Our global strategy is heavily focused on enhancing our operations in China, especially through collaboration with local OEMs who are instrumental in defining the next generation of electric vehicles worldwide.

The connections and insights gained from exhibitions like Auto China are invaluable in driving the future of automotive technology and maintaining our competitive edge in the industry. Congratulations to the TI Fluid Systems teams who made the event such a success, and thank you to our customers old and new for visiting our booth.

 

 

 

At TI Fluid Systems, we firmly believe in the power of continuous learning as a cornerstone of success. Why? Because it enables employees to adapt to evolving technologies, industry trends, and job roles, fostering innovation, growth, and resilience within the organization.

Within our six Mindsets for Success, ‘be a continuous learner’ stands to foster a culture of ongoing education and drive our commitment to personal and professional growth. We extend this ethos to all members of our team, actively supporting employees to undertake training and participate in courses to further their learning and enhance knowledge.

An example of this is our leadership training sessions tailored for the US management team. These sessions started in 2023 and serve as a resource for managers to refine their leadership skills and gain insights from industry experts. The sessions are remote, optional to join, and foster a collaborative environment where knowledge sharing thrives.

Led by a trusted external provider, these training sessions feature expert speakers who dive into a diverse range of topics. From fostering diversity and inclusion to navigating complex employment laws, each session is curated to address critical aspects of effective leadership. The team has the opportunity to put forward subjects of interest, and training is developed to meet our needs.

Following the success of the training in 2023, we’re excited to be continuing the sessions on a quarterly basis throughout 2024, with a number of topics already selected and planned for the months ahead. These topics include:

• Leading and working with different personality styles – using the color assessment to identify common themes, superpowers and roadblocks to communication and workstyles.
• Anti-harassment and anti-discrimination in the workplace – applying processes and policies to real world scenarios.
• Technology’s impact on communication – a dive into how technology affects our workplace relationships and assessing its overall effectiveness in various situations.

Fostering a culture of continuous learning is vital for us as we look to empower our employees in their development. We remain committed to ensuring that our team is encouraged to explore new and effective ways of growing on both a personal and professional level.

Last month, TI Fluid Systems hosted its first Global Safety Week from the 16^th to the 20^th October. Marking another significant step forward in our commitment to safety, health, and well-being in the workplace. The week-long event was modeled on our successful European Week for Safety and Health at Work in 2022.

Global Safety Week emphasized the value of safety, health, and well-being among TI Fluid Systems employees. Before the event took place, our Corporate Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) teams unveiled the theme for 2023’s event – Advancing Safety Together. The specific focus of this global campaign was on reducing the incidence of slip, trip, and fall injuries, which are among the most common workplace injuries worldwide.

We set out on a clear mission to foster a positive safety mindset that would enable us to continually enhance our safety culture. Setting up activities that add real value to our global teams, we helped to raise awareness of the importance of safety and well-being in the workplace and celebrate our existing safety successes.

To ensure that our safety messages reached every corner of our organisation, we translated and distributed training materials and information packs to our global teams.  It wasn’t all hard work though; we had over 1700 employees take part in a global safety quiz, with the lucky winners in each region taking home prizes for their engagement and attention to detail.

Safety Week activities were hosted all over the world and included a diverse set of offerings and activities. In Baroda India Safety Week activities included an inaugural speech, igniting the lamp, and a safety oath ceremony. Employees took a hands-on approach throughout the week as they took part in induction training and were rewarded with badges as a symbol of their commitment to safety. Our Bursa Turkey team took on an active role throughout the week, too. The highlight of the team’s efforts in Turkey saw them proactively enhance safety awareness by placing warning signs in high-use areas, which emphasized the risks associated with slips, trips, and falls on stairs. In Mexico City, the management team coordinated safety training and drills with a health event designed to bring health services and vendors directly to the plant to make it as easy as possible for employees to access various healthcare options.

Our Safety Week campaign was built around the core principle of advancing safety together, and it provided us with a platform to highlight the vital role of safety, health, and well-being in the workplace. We look forward to continuing our pursuit of safety, health, and well-being together as one global team. We want to thank all those who participated, and we are excited about making Safety Week at TI an annual global event.

We are excited to announce that TI Fluid Systems (TIFS) has agreed to acquire Cascade Engineering Europe (CEE), a company based in Hungary known for its excellence in the automotive sector.

As a leader in the design and manufacturing of thermal fluid connectors and other complex plastic injection moulded components, CEE has a strong reputation for its technical expertise and product quality – offering design, development, tooling, prototyping and serial manufacturing capabilities.

The acquisition aligns with our long-term electric vehicle strategy to increase our market share in the thermal connector market and increase vertical integration. The acquisition of CEE will also increase the components in the TIFS product portfolio to support the growth of internal content in our innovative Integrated Thermal Modules.

But this move isn’t just about strategy and commercial growth. It’s about people. Soon, we will be welcoming 349 new faces, talents and stories to the TI Fluid Systems family, bringing fresh perspectives and expertise to fuel our collective journey into the future. We’re looking forward to the coming weeks as we offer a warm welcome to the team at CEE and get to know our new colleagues.

Over the years, CEE has not just been a supplier to TI Fluid Systems but also a valuable partner. The company’s reputation for technical competence, particularly in fluid connectors and plastic injection moulded components, is unparalleled, and we have always shared mutual respect and trust.

TI Fluid Systems will take on CEE’s 6,500m² manufacturing facility in Budapest, Hungary, together with its dedicated employees, further strengthening our technical and manufacturing capabilities.

The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval.

TI Fluid Systems has finalised a letter of commitment to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), marking a significant step for our business.  The letter, which has been sent to the body for validation, sets out the internal targets we have set for the business.

In setting ourselves a target to reduce our Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 50% in the coming years and our Scope 3 emissions by 30% by 2030, we are demonstrating our commitment to a future built on greater sustainability.

SBTi is a global body that empowers businesses to set ambitious emissions reduction targets in line with the latest climate science. Its short-term goal is to accelerate a 50% reduction in the emissions of businesses globally before 2030, before achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

The SBTi Commitment is a collaborative initiative between the United Nations (UN) Global Compact, CDP,  the World Resources Institute, the World Wide Fund for Nature, and the We Mean Business Coalition. Its purpose is to define and promote the best practice in science-based target setting, as well as to offer resources and guidance to reduce barriers to adopting these targets, and independently assess and approve the targets set.

This is the latest of many sustainability measures that we have taken in recent years. For example, we have opened three state-of-the-art e-Mobility Innovation Centers in Germany, Japan and South Korea over the last 15 months to help our customers navigate the transition to electric vehicles. We have also worked with the CDP to disclose our environmental data, and have committed to participating in the UN Global Compact.

It is essential that we take tangible steps toward a sustainable future for our business, our employees, their families and our customers. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest forecasts indicate that limiting the global temperature to 1.5°C is still a possibility, although we are moving dangerously close to the threshold. Urgent action must therefore be taken by businesses all over the world.

For more information on the SBTi, go to www.sciencebasedtargets.org.

In recent years, TI Fluid Systems employees in Poland have laced up their boots and taken to the football pitch to represent the company. Consisting of mostly TIFS employees, the team participates in the local business league in Bielsko-Biała and will begin its fourth season in the competition in August. As you can see, the team’s kit is sponsored by TI Fluid Systems, with the company’s logo taking pride of place as the logo of the team.

Last time out, the team achieved a respectable 9^th place finish in the league. In their attempts to be as successful on the pitch as they are in the workplace, our band of footballers have competed in the first division of the league, and have come close to winning a number of tournaments, ultimately finishing second and third.

The team provides TIFS employees with the opportunity to get together outside of their place of work and have fun with their colleagues. With our Polish team consisting of multiple departments, some employees will find themselves lining up alongside people that they don’t typically come across at work.

We are extremely proud of the efforts of our football team in Bielsko-Biała, and we look forward to hearing about their upcoming season. The team is one of many TIFS football line-ups across the world, so keep a lookout for updates on some of the others.