TRW Automotive Aftermarket has beaten stiff competition from major tier one suppliers to top brand awareness polls across key BRIC markets, China and Russia. As the leading ‘Corner Module’ – braking, steering & suspension systems and technology supplier, this news further supports TRW’s position as a well-known and trusted partner to its customers globally.
In China, a GiPA survey which studied data supplied by distributors during 2008-2010 named TRW’s steering & suspension programme as the brand that most people know, while TRW’s brake pads came second. In addition, TRW was voted the most popular automotive parts brand by leading trade publication, ‘Automobile & Parts’ in 2009 and 2011. The Automotive Parts Suppliers Industry Federation of China named TRW in its top 10 international brands in both 2010 and 2011.
Meanwhile, in Russia, which is a growing market in which TRW has seen exponential growth of more than 300 per cent in the past few years, TRW was voted the No.1 braking systems manufacturer in 2012.
The results were derived from an opinion poll that looked at the products of 30 global suppliers in terms of technical features, innovative developments, materials and production and competitive advantage.
Speaking on behalf of the company, TRW’s Marketing Services Manager, Soeren Kristensen, commented: “To be named as the most popular brand in our chosen product areas across the hugely important and growing economies of the BRIC countries is great news for TRW.
“We believe a key factor for success is to understand that these countries are dynamic markets, requiring aftermarket suppliers to be flexible in their offering and quick to respond to changes in the market. We have dedicated time to establishing good working relationships with our customers, not just as a trading business, but as a full service provider for the aftermarket. Alongside this, TRW has invested millions of Euros in research and development facilities across BRIC, including a world class test track in Heihe, China, a new 1,000-engineer-strong technical center in Anting, China and an expansion in the cooperation between TRW’s manufacturing plant in Togliatti, Russia, and vehicle manufacturer AutoVaz. TRW has also recently started production of Electric Power Steering from its facilities in Limeira, Brazil, in support of the company’s expanding South American customer base”, he added.
The BRIC nations are both the fastest growing and largest emerging market economies. They account for almost three billion people, or just under half of the total population of the world. It is estimated that by 2020, all of the BRIC nations will be in the top 10 largest global economies, headed by China, which according to economic projections, will become the world’s biggest economy between 2030 and 2050.
TRW has developed an extensive manufacturing and engineering footprint in Asia Pacific since opening its first plant in Johor Bahru, Malaysia in 1981. Today, the business supports its customers in the region by manufacturing a full range of original equipment and aftermarket products at facilities across Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and India. The business in Asia Pacific is headquartered in Shanghai. In China alone, TRW has 21 manufacturing and engineering sites employing 4,000 people.
Soeren concluded saying: “We are confident that the aftermarket in the BRIC countries will continue to grow due to the increasing vehicle parc, the expansion of outlets offering aftermarket parts and services and the introduction of new technologies and electronics. As the global leader is the manufacture and supply of Corner Module systems, TRW is well placed to support and champion the growth in geographical areas.”