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Composites go East
Page 16
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EREIGI IT ROVER'S adoption of GKN composite springs for the latest Sherpas (CM November 2), has been followed by Mitsubishi's announcement that it is about to become the first manufacturer to put them into production on heavier vehicles.
An eight-tonne GVW Mitsubishi ['Iasi), fitted with GKN composite leaf springs front and rear, was on display at the Tokyo Motor Show List week.
It is likely that they will be used on production Fusos, perhaps including those assernhked in Europe, from early next year.
And at Autotech in Birmingham last week, GKN announced a joint venture agreement with Mitsubishi Steel Manufacturing to develop the composite leaf spring market in Japan.
GKN Sankey will hold 60 per Dept of the equity in the new company, to be called Transfite KK. with Mitsubishi Steel hjoiding the remainder.
Traiisiite KK will be set up in Tokyo, initially with a staff of 10, to carry out sales, design aid testing of the spring on beb,alf of and in conjunc tion with Japanese vehicle manufacturers.
Mitsubishi Steel is currently Japan's second largest supplier of steel leaf springs.
Assembly of Mitsubishi Fusos, from the FK415 at nine tonnes GVW to the FM5I5 at 14 comics GVW, began in Belgium and the Netherlands earlier this year.
Mitsubishi is testing the European market in these countries and Finland and exports of husos from their European assembly plants could soon follow.
GKN is developing composite glass fibre and epoxy resin leaf springs for vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes GVW and beyond. Development testing on pre-production heavy truck springs is expected to start within the next two years.