www.rieter.com

Rieter Automotive Systems

Company background

Rieter Automotive Systems is one of the leading global suppliers of systems solutions in the field of noise control and thermal management as well as interior trim for the automotive industry. The company employs a workforce of around 9,000 worldwide and generated sales of CHF 2.037 billion in 2005. Rieter Automotive Systems is a division of the Rieter Group with its headquarters in Winterthur, Switzerland.

Rieter Automotive in China

Beside a technical sales team based in Shanghai serving both automotive and truck OEMs in China, Rieter Automotive has 2 joint venture companies in the cities of Guangzhou and Tianjin with its traditional partner, the Japanese-based Nittoku. These two units, located in the South and North respectively, develop and manufacture thermoplastic felt for vehicle interior acoustics on Rieter NVH know-how in addition to damping, stiffeners and sealants. Rieter's development plans to further increase its services to customers in China in the near future, include an additional plant in the Western region and an acoustic development centre in Shanghai.

Products and services worldwide

Rieter Automotive Systems is the leading acoustics integrator for the passenger compartment, the luggage compartment, the underbody and the engine compartment by virtue of its core competences of vehicle acoustics, thermal management, design and engineering.

Systems solutions are developed in close cooperation with automotive manufacturers. The RIETER ULTRA LIGHTTM approach makes a major contribution to vehicle weight reduction and as a result of this innovation, Rieter received the coveted PACE award from Automotive News and Ernst & Young. Rieter Automotive Systems operates over 40 production plants in western and eastern Europe, North and South America and India. In other regions of the world such as Japan and Asia in general, the division serves its customers through its joint ventures and partners.

Research and development

Rieter Automotive and its affiliates have 11 acoustic laboratories in Europe, North and South America and Japan. Eight Centres of Excellence are covering material, product and module development while design competences are provided by the Rieter owned I.DE.A. Institute, an Italian styling and engineering consultancy which also has a branch in Shanghai. The modules and products developed by Rieter Automotive contribute to enhance driving comfort by reducing vehicle weight and costs as well as lowering fuel consumption. An example is the Rieter underfloor module with integrated aerodynamic, thermal and acoustic functions. Furthermore, Rieter Automotive Systems, working closely with its customer DaimlerChrysler in Germany and with Manila Cordage Co. in the Philippines, developed an innovative solution for automotive applications as part of an on-going project to use natural fibres in composite materials. This PP thermoplastic reinforced underfloor component received the JEC Composites Innovation Award 2005 in the Ground Transport category.

Quality standards

Rieter Automotive is QS 9000 or ISO/TS 16949 at all its locations, the second standard now being deployed globally. Magee Rieter in the USA received the "Supplier of the Year" quality award from General Motors for the 14th year in succession. To date, only two companies worldwide have achieved this distinction.

Rieter is also implementing an environmental management system according to ISO 14001 and most of our sites are already certified.