Torotrak has received £3.75m from Allison Transmission Inc in accordance with the terms of its Licence and Exclusivity Agreement, signed in March 2009. This brings the total licence payments now paid under the Agreement to £8.44m.

First-ever expanded polypropylene to offer recycled content, utilising post-consumer material with no impact on cost or performance – new pan-European materials recovery network being put in place

A new grade of ARPRO® offering recyclate content with no performance loss or additional cost has been announced by JSP. The first EPP of its kind, it uses 15 percent recycled ARPRO content allowing users to fulfil recycled-material strategies and still enjoy the same strength, durability and moulding characteristics. Recycled Grade ARPRO is expected to be popular in the automotive and packaging industries where legislation and increasing customer demand for more recycled materials already exists.

A new ARPRO customer support office in Moscow will help CIS automotive companies integrate the latest, lightweight materials technologies

A range of materials technologies that reduce weight, reduce manufacturing costs and improve crash performance are now available with local support for Russian and CIS vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers. Opened by JSP, the sole global producer of ARPRO, a new Moscow-based applications support office will make the considerable capabilities of the company’s global network of technical centres available to customers in the region.

New MicroTorq™ seals can directly replace existing seals to provide significant improvement in fuel economy and CO2 emissions

Southfield, Michigan, March 18, 2010… Federal-Mogul Corporation (NASDAQ: FDML), a leading global supplier of technologies that enhance safety and improve powertrain efficiency, has developed an innovative new seal design, called MicroTorq™, that reduces friction by up to 70 percent versus conventional lip-type seals.  The new seal can provide an improvement in vehicle fuel economy of up to 0.49 percent and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 1-2 g/km compared to traditional seal designs.  The seals are also easier to install, more accommodating of shaft misalignment or eccentricity, and require less package space.  The many benefits can be achieved relatively simply, even on existing engines as the new MicroTorq seal can be utilized without changing the design of adjacent components.

Distinctive lightweight forged aluminium wheels reduce unsprung weight to enhance steering, braking and suspension behaviour

Cleveland, OH (March 16, 2010) - Alcoa Auto Wheels is providing advanced lightweight wheels for the V12 Vantage – billed by Aston Martin as its most exhilarating sports car.

"The forging technology behind these wheels enables significant weight savings directly benefiting handling performance, ride quality, acceleration and braking,” explains David Yates, marketing manager for Alcoa Europe. “Our forging process results in a superior metal structure that also improves strength and durability, allowing finer wheel detailing and lighter weight.”

New chief engineer for research and development will help to open new markets for Torotrak technologies

Torotrak has appointed Dr Quanbao Zhou as chief engineer, research and development in the face of growing demand from clients for engineering application work across a diverse range of market sectors. An international figure in powertrain tribology  and advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics  (CFD), Dr Zhou’s experience in friction and parasitic loss reduction will be of particular benefit as Torotrak expands its range of full-toroidal traction drives to include smaller units, suitable for variable-speed supercharger drives, mechanical kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) and other applications where size, cost and efficiency are critical.

Emergency logistics provider Evolution Time Critical has been recognised for its market leading expertise by global market research organisation Frost & Sullivan

Evolution Time Critical has been awarded the Frost & Sullivan 2010 European Logistics Vertical Market Penetration Leadership Award. The award recognises Evolution’s market leading position in the provision of emergency logistics and is presented each year to a company that has demonstrated strong vertical market business growth coupled with a deep understanding of customer needs and excellent performance. It is based on the findings of Frost & Sullivan’s extensive research into best practice among 250,000 companies in over 300 different industries worldwide.

XPart technician Claire Luti has been awarded the MG Motor ‘MG TF personal technician award’ for her expert knowledge of the MG TF

Claire Luti has been awarded the MG Motor ‘MG TF personal technician award’ for her expert knowledge of the MG TF. Claire, an XPart and MG Motor UK Ltd Authorised Repairer technician, successfully completed two years’ training at MG Motor UK’s Cecil Kimber College based at MG Birmingham. Claire completed her training in January 2010, and is among the first technicians in the country to be recognised in all areas of service, diagnostics and repair of the new MG TF. The skills and knowledge gained through her recent training will prove invaluable to MG TF owners keen to entrust their car to a technician proficient in servicing all TF models.

Customers are invited to show their support of Durham-based garage Fred Henderson as voting for the ‘best garage in the North East’ continues until 24th March

Durham-based garage and XPart AutoService centre Fred Henderson has been named among the North East’s top five garages in the national ‘Golden Garages’ competition. Customers from all over the North East region voted for Fred Henderson to appear among the top five due to its excellent customer service and expertise in car service and repair. With the second round of voting drawing to a close on 24th March, customers are being invited to show their support of Fred Henderson as the garage stands to win the title of ‘best garage in the North East’. The Golden Garages competition is run by government-supported body Motor Codes, and aims to promote the high level of technical skill and knowledge found among the country’s best garages.

New Volvo S60 features world-first active safety system with Delphi’s new Electronically Scanning Radar

GENEVA – Delphi Automotive is supplying innovative technology to a large number of new vehicles introduced at this year’s Geneva Auto Show. From clean diesel systems to active safety technology, Delphi is working to help drivers stay safe and remain connected while lessening the environmental impact of the vehicle they drive.