Delphi Secures More Than $700 Million in New Column Business During First Quarter

Delphi Corporation continues to strengthen its position as a leader in the global steering column occupant protection market with nine new business wins during the first quarter of 2004 for vehicles across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. The contracts secured will bring Delphi more than $100 million in annual sales revenue, or more than $700 million over the life of the contracts. Details of the individual contracts remain confidential at the customers' request. "We are building sales momentum throughout the world," said Dan Crishon, business line executive, steering columns. "Delphi's expertise in occupant protection and electrical subsystems integration plays a key role in our ability to satisfy our customers' steering column requirements." Two contracts in Europe and one in North America will feature Delphi's rake and telescope columns. Four contracts won in Asia Pacific include tilt and telescopic as well as rake and standard columns in both floor- and column- shift models. Two other new business wins in North America will feature floor- and column-shift standard and tilt columns. Each of these columns incorporates Delphi's industry-leading energy absorbing technology. "We were the first to introduce energy absorbing steering columns into the market in 1967 and we continue to lead the industry in safety standards today," said Robert J. Remenar, president of Delphi Steering. Steering columns are the primary driver-to-vehicle interface during a collision and are critical to occupant safety. Delphi's active energy absorbing column is designed to help minimize injury by ensuring the column absorption load is well-matched to the driver and crash severity. Today, every Delphi column acts as part of an integrated system for occupant protection, which builds on Delphi's reputation for excellence in helping its customers improve vehicle crashworthiness and provide superior occupant protection. Delphi's portfolio of energy absorbing devices includes ball and sleeve, deformable bending brackets, tuned metal straps and active energy absorbing devices. Delphi's active energy absorbing device uses a pyrotechnic actuator to optimize the energy absorbed prior to a collision by responding to a number of variables that could include driver size, seat position and seat belt usage. The active energy absorbing steering column acts many times in conjunction with a dual-stage airbag as part of an integrated safety system to help protect drivers. "Delphi's advanced energy absorbing expertise is setting industry standards around the world," said Remenar. "With over 90 years of experience and more than 300 column engineers worldwide, Delphi has the technology and vehicle systems expertise to help today's manufacturers solve the most complicated steering column challenges and improve occupant safety."