As a longstanding supplier to an internationally operating premium European OEM, Rheinmetall Automotive AG has now booked additional orders in various product segments with a total value of around €200 million. Among these components, for which Rheinmetall is in some cases the sole supplier, there are gasoline- and diesel-engine pistons complete with piston rings sourced from alliance partner Riken for three-, four-, and six-cylinder engines as well as plain bearings, thrust washers, electric pumps, exhaust-gas recirculation and divert-air valves.
For series start-up in 2018, for the same supplier and once more with Riken rings, Rheinmetall Automotive is delivering aluminum pistons for a six-cylinder gasoline engine. Added to this are the pistons for a six-cylinder diesel engine due to go into series production next year and to be produced at Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic. This project alone has a lifetime value of over €110 million.
For a three-cylinder gasoline engine, Rheinmetall Automotive's Chinese joint venture KSHP is the sole supplier of pistons worth a total of over €30 million. Starting 2019 these are again fitted with Riken rings before being shipped out to the Chinese market.
Since 2015/16, Rheinmetall Automotive has been the sole supplier for all the four-cylinder engines of the OEM. The Czech plant at Ústí nad Labem is presently supplying gasoline- and diesel-engine pistons along with Riken rings. The contract is valued at a total triple-digit million euros.
Group-affiliate KS Gleitlager GmbH was recently awarded a contract by the automaker for components of a four-cylinder diesel unit. The affiliate will as from 2020 be supplying the main and connecting-rod bearings as well as thrust washers. The contract is worth over €15 million and will run for six years as from 2020.
Mechatronic components for four- and six-cylinder engines
Internationally positioned group subsidiary Pierburg GmbH is another sole supplier to this premium-segment OEM. This year, divert-air valves worth a total €7 million are going into production at the German Lower Rhine plant for installation in a six-cylinder gasoline engine. For the European market, another German Pierburg plant in Hartha has since last year been manufacturing recirculating-water pumps for a four-cylinder diesel. This contract is worth €10 million. The Abadiano plant in Spain will be producing as from 2019 low-pressure exhaust-gas recirculating valves worth €21 million for a six-cylinder diesel.
The majority joint venture Pierburg Mikuni Pump Technology in China will launch series production this year of a recirculating-water pump with a lifetime sales volume of over €5 million. The pump is destined for a four-cylinder gasoline engine for which Pierburg is already manufacturing in Germany and China divert-air valves worth over €26 million.
