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5. J. Eberspaecher GmbH & Co. KG Business Report FY ended Dec. 2014

J. Eberspaecher GmbH & Co. KG Business Report FY ended Dec. 2014

Factor
1) Overall
-FY ended Dec. 31, 2014, net sales increased by 23.4% year-on-year. This growth was primarily driven by exhaust systems for commercial vehicles, such systems as current EPA 2010 emission standards for commercial vehicles in the U.S. and Euro 6 in Europe.

2) Exhaust Technology
-FY ended Dec. 31, 2014, net sales increased by 27.4% year-on-year. The main growth driver was the significant increase in the commercial vehicle business on account of the ramp up of series production at the location Wilsdruff, Germany, and the greatly increased number of call-offs from customers in the U.S.. Another contributing factor was the increased proportion of monoliths that the Company sold.

3) Climate Control Systems
-FY ended Dec. 31, 2014, net sales increased by 0.3% year-on-year. Sales from bus air-conditioning systems increased slightly since last year.

4) Automotive Controls
-FY ended Dec. 31, 2014, net sales increased by 23.6% year-on-year. This increase primarily resulted from the rise in the number of call-offs of on-board power supply stabilization system products by several German passenger vehicle manufacturers in the premium segment. This system is used for modern start-stop systems and prevent a voltage drop when the engine is restarted.

Divestitures

-In September 2014, in line with re-aligning its strategy in the field of electronics, the Company has transferred its wholly-owned subsidiary Eberspaecher Electronics GmbH & Co. KG, based in Goeppingen, Germany, to Star Cooperation Group, based in Boeblingen, Germany, with retroactive effect from August 1, 2014. This location specializes in electronic networks in vehicles, but was not acting as a tier 1 supplier, this divestiture has been decided. Star cooperation combines consulting competence and engineering services for industrial and commercial customers. (From a press release on September 25, 2014)

Joint Ventures

-In February 2015, the 50/50 joint venture Unipart Eberspaecher Exhaust Systems Ltd. in UK, joint venture with Unipart Group, was discontinued with effect from February 1, 2015. Existing business was integrated in Unipart Group and the newly established Eberspaecher Exhaust Technology UK Ltd.

Restructuring

Exhaust Technology Division
-In May 2014, the Company announced that production at its new plant in Wilsdruff, Saxony, Germany has started up completely. The new plant is customized especially to the production of commercial vehicle exhaust systems in accordance with the Euro 6 standard. More than 300 employees produce about 150,000 exhaust systems here annually. The site has more than 25,000 square meters of production space as well as an integrated administration building.

-Restructuring measures started in 2014 will continue also in 2015 at the locations Neunkirchen, Germany and Nykoeping, Sweden.

-Around the end of 2014, the Bexbach and Lebach plants in Germany were closed.

Automotive Controls Division
-As the capacities at the locations in Herxheim and Kandel in Germany were exhausted, construction of a new plant in Landau, Germany started in April 2013. All company functions were moved to the new location by the end of the first quarter of 2014.

Contracts

-The Company announced that the new Volkswagen "e-Golf" features second-generation PTC high-voltage heaters from Eberspaecher catem. The PTC heater is also used in the Volkswagen "e-up!". (From a press release on May 15, 2014)

-The Company and Calsonic Kansei Corporation have been accepted into the select group of top suppliers for the Renault-Nissan Alliance. As so-called Alliance growth partners (AGP) they will thus be core suppliers of mufflers over the next three years. (From a press release issued in April 2014)

-The Company announced that it has equipped the "microMAX" study from the Rinspeed company with its Airtronic E2 bio-ethanol heating unit and PTC heater. A highlight of the Airtronic E2 is that it heats 100% with environmentally friendly bio-ethanol, and functions virtually independently from the vehicle battery. (From a press release issued in February 2014)

R&D Structure

-The Company has approximately 700 experts working in research and development across its various divisions.

R&D Facilities

-The Company has 10 research and development facilities:

• Esslingen, Germany
• Unna, Germany
• Neunkirchen, Germany
• Schwaebisch Gmuend, Germany
• Herxheim, Germany
• Renningen, Germany
• Landau, Germany
• Paris, France
• Novi, USA
• Shanghai, China

R&D Activities

-In 2014, the Company's R&D activities focused on the following products and projects:
Exhaust Technology

• Exhaust systems for passenger cars
• DPF/SCR technologies for diesel engines to meet Euro 6 emission standards
• Lightweight constructions

Climate Control Systems

• Fuel operated heating systems and accessories
• Water pre-heaters
• Electrical heaters for electric vehicles

Automotive Controls

• On-board power supply stabilization systems
• Fast electrical energy storage systems

-Eberspaecher Exhaust Technology UK Ltd. is one of 11 UK-based technology partners involved in the ACTIVE (Advanced Combustion Turbocharge Inline Variable Valvetrain Engine) project, a multi-million pound investment by government and industry. ACTIVE is focused on Ford's 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine and will accelerate the introduction of future-generation low carbon technologies, including advanced turbocharging, advanced combustion system development and variable Valvetrain technology, targeting significant CO2 savings. Ford and its partners will receive a GBP 13.1 million grant for their GBP 100 million program to upgrade the EcoBoost engine. The 11 partners include Ford, Schaeffler UK, Continental and others. (From a press release on May 23, 2014)

Product Development

The third generation of heaters for hybrid and electric vehicles
-Eberspaecher catem has unveiled the third generation of its heaters for hybrid and electric vehicles. With the upcoming high-voltage PTC coolant heater, already the start of production for the third generation of the successful model is planned for 2016. Through comprehensive further development, it has been possible to reduce the volume and weight of the coming device generations by another 30%. Eberspaecher catem has also developed the new Integrated Switch (IS) PTC heater. The integrated switching element in the heater replaces the functions of the external relay box and is already prepared for use in 48-Volt power supplies. (From a press release on October 14, 2014)

Fuel-cell APU (auxiliary power unit)
-The Company has developed a fuel-cell APU (auxiliary power unit) that converts diesel very efficiently to electricity and thereby supplies all on-board consumer components. Whether for the air conditioning system or the refrigerator - the numerous consumers of electricity on board of a commercial vehicle constantly require power. During the journey this need has so far been met via the generator. In stationary periods, a diesel auxiliary power unit or the idling engine takes over the supply of on-board electricity and air-conditioning: the so-called diesel-engine APU usually drives the air-conditioning compressor mechanically - via a belt - and produces electricity. The fuel-cell APU, entirely independent from the engine, revolutionizes energy management in the truck: for electricity generation the load can be taken off the generator and consumption and emissions decrease. (From a press release on July 17, 2014)

Airtronic NG Commercial air heater designed for CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
-Espar North America, a subsidiary of the Eberspaecher Group, has developed the Airtronic NG Commercial air heater, which is designed for CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) and LNG-fuelled commercial vehicles in on-road and off-road operation. The advantage: compared to previous solutions, the engine and the heating can now be supplied from just one tank. This saves valuable installation space and makes the installation easier for OEMs and retrofitting workshops - with noticeably lower installation costs. In the USA, sales are made through Espar Inc. in Novi, Michigan, and in Canada through Espar Products Inc. in Mississauga, Ontario. (From a press release on February 25, 2014)

-FY ended Dec. 2014, contents of the investments in property, plant and equipment are;

• Exhaust Technology Division: 72%
• Climate Control Systems Division: 23%
• Automotive Controls Division: 3%