STOCKHOLM, Sweden, April 15, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Haldex and SKF have decided to jointly develop an advanced wheel end system for commercial vehicles, trucks, buses and trailers. The system will be based on Haldex' new generation of disc brakes with a Fixed Caliper Dual Disc concept and SKF's truck hub, bearing and sealing technology.
By integrating Haldex new high performance Dual Disc braking system into SKF proven hub unit technology, a much more compact and efficient product can be created -- offering great potential to improve safety, performance and optimizing vehicle design. This product concept will also give vehicle builders ability to optimizing installation space requirements in the future.
In addition, when compared to today's technical solutions, fleet operators can benefit from longer brake service life time and increased uptime, higher performance in combination with reduced vehicle weight and the potential for increasing payload capacity. The system is also designed to offer easier brake maintenance and replacement.
As the concept is further refined during 2005, the companies will begin to work with interested customers.
Tom Johnstone, CEO of SKF: ``This partnership with Haldex gives us the opportunity to develop an innovative solution that meets the safety and performance needs of our common customers. The partnership with Haldex confirms SKF's ambition to be a leading knowledge engineering company."
Claes Warnander, CEO of Haldex, added: ``The cooperation with SKF is an example of how the strength factors in different companies can be combined to create new business opportunities and shows that Haldex seeks to be in the forefront of braking technology for heavy commercial vehicles."
Haldex (www.haldex.com), headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, is a provider of proprietary and innovative solutions to the global vehicle industry, with focus on products in vehicles that enhance safety, environment and vehicle dynamics. Haldex is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange and has annual sales of nearly 7 billion SEK with 4,400 employees.
SKF (www.skf.com) headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, is the world's leading provider of bearing solutions, and also offers sealing, mechatronics, lubrication systems and reliability services to its customers in over 140 countries around the world. SKF is listed on the Stockholm Stockholm Exchange and had annual sales of over 44 billion SEK with 40,000 employees.
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