LAKE FOREST, Ill. Tenneco announced it is supplying key emissions and ride control technologies for the 2012 Ford Focus compact car in China. Together, with its joint venture partner Changan Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA), Ford began production on the Focus earlier this year at its state-of-the-art passenger car plant in Chongqing, China.
“We’re very proud to play a key role in helping Ford achieve a successful launch in one of the most important vehicle markets in the world,” said Patrick Guo, vice president and general manager, Tenneco China. “Our strong manufacturing and engineering presence in China allows us to provide global design solutions, and at the same time, satisfy specific regional requirements for the Focus.”
Tenneco is a strategic supplier to Ford, supporting the Focus platform with global manufacturing and engineering capabilities in key regions around the world, including the United States, Europe, South Africa, Mexico and Russia. Together, Ford and Tenneco engineers have worked together to develop common global designs, testing and manufacturing parameters to minimize development time, cost and complexity.
The Focus launch represents one of the largest and most globally integrated programs that Ford has undertaken. Tenneco is supplying the cold end exhaust system and front and rear shock absorbers for the Focus. The exhaust system is manufactured at the company’s Chongqing, China, plant, and the shock absorbers at the company’s facility in Beijing. Tenneco’s technical centers in Edenkoben, Germany; Sint Truiden, Belgium; Monroe and Grass Lake, Mich., are providing engineering support and system integration on the Focus.