SAO PAOLO, Brazil — Magneti Marelli has inaugurated a new production line – with a €10 million investment – in its Hortolândia plant, in São Paulo’s countryside, in order to double its Pico Eco injectors’ production capacity. From this month on, the company will be able to reach a milestone of 6.5 million produced injectors per year.
The Pico Eco injectors were specially developed to be applied in bi-fuel engines. The company says the injectors provide better fuel spraying in the moment of injection, improving fuel burn and consumption and decreasing engine emissions. After the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) – the component in charge of fuel management in bi-fuel engines – this is the second-most technologically driven component developed by the company, and the one that contributes the most to the air-fuel mix inside these new engines.
"We have acquired and set up a new production line in order to meet the increased market demands, which embraced whole-heartedly our latest generation of fuel injectors, launched in early 2009. It is proof that we must constantly and continuously invest in the evolution and development of flexfuel systems in Brazil," said Rogerio Lessa, general manager of the Magneti Marelli Powertrain Brazilian business line.
The injector was named Pico Eco due to its low environmental impact, as it contributes to reduce fuel consumption by up to 3 percent and as much as 20 percent of the emissions in passenger vehicles.
Magneti Marelli has been present in the Brazilian automotive market since 1978, initially with a share in DFV’s carburetors division, operating under the name Wecarbras. Over the years operations have evolved with the development of pioneering technologies and products such as electronic carburetors, ECUs and the first electronic fuel injection system, introducing the Magneti Marelli brand into the country.
The company acquired Brazil’s largest and most well-recognized shock absorbers brand – Cofap, also incorporating the exhausts brand Kadron strengthening its main brand and enhancing its portfolio. Under its Aftermarket business line, the company has sold more than 5 million shock absorbers with Cofap brand, holding the largest distribution chain of the country.
In Brazil, Magneti Marelli is one of the top three automotive suppliers. After Italy, Brazil is Magneti Marelli’s second chief market, in terms of revenue and number of employees, besides encompasses all of Marelli Group’s business lines. Some of the company’s Brazilian business lines comprise almost 7 percent of the revenues.
“Magneti Marelli cultivates a philosophy that promotes local innovation keeping in touch with carmakers in order to listen local market’s needs and better develop its products on some key markets. The company invests in the future by investing in engineering,” said Eugenio Razelli, CEO of Magneti Marelli.
