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Aisin Chairman Visits SAE World Congress
Aisin Chairman Kanshiro Toyoda attended the SAE World Congress last month in Detroit. Toyoda-san seemed particularly interested in the drivetrain exhibits, taking pictures of various components with his own camera. The Chairman smiled broadly when he was given the official press kit tote bag of the 2011 Congress, which featured the Aisin logo displayed prominently (the bags were sponsored by Aisin Group).
Aisin Well-represented in Nation's Capital for Toyota Washington Briefing
The eleventh Toyota Washington Briefing (formerly the "Toyota Fly in") was held April 11-13, 2011. The annual trek to the nation’s capitol was well attended by key Toyota officials, including TMMI President Norm Bafunno; TMS President & CEO Jim Lentz; TMMK Chairman Steve St. Angelo; and TMS Chairman & CEO Yoshi Inaba. For the sixth consecutive year, Toyota group companies Aisin, Denso, Toyoda Gosei, Tokai Rika and JTEKT participated in the event. Aisin was represented by Mike Saito, Scott Turpin, John Koenig, John Clark and Mike Lapinski, while Scott Wolfe attended on behalf of ADVICS, and Will Collins represented AW North Carolina. The Aisin contingent presented a group overview and state-by-state summary to inform select members of the U.S. Congress and Senate about Aisin operations, production and investment in North America. The objective of the Washington Briefing: to showcase Toyota U.S. operations and provide Capitol Hill with Toyota’s perspective on important legislative issues. Capitol Hill meetings were organized with members of the U.S. Congress and Senate from 25 states, where Toyota has a presence.
 Strength in numbers: Steve Kovach, Toyota Technical Center (TTC); Terry Helgesen, Denso; Ed Mantey, TTC; U.S. Congressman John Dingell; Linda Campbell, Tokai Rika; and Mike Lapinski, Aisin World Corp. of America gather after a meeting on Capital Hill.
Aisin, Advics Win Big at Showpower Expo
Showpower Expo, one of the top automotive Aftermarket events in the US, presented AWA with "Top 10" awards in two categories at its recent assembly in Indianapolis. In the Top 10 Products for 2010 category, AWA received the award for Water Pump Timing Belt Kits and for ADVICS brand Brake Pads.
The awards are based on input from readers of Undercar Digest, a leading Aftermarket trade publication. For three months, readers cast ballots for the Top 10 in various categories based on user experience. Winners were announced at Showpower at a special luncheon honoring the "best in the business." AWA's Mike Gilpin accepted the awards on behalf of Aisin and Advics. Michelle Dickemann, vice president of MD Publications, publisher of Undercar Digest, said Aisin and Advics were selected because customers like the product availability and related customer service. "Being the 'best in the business' means these companies not only have great products, but they know how to treat their customers," said Dickemann. "Our readers responded convincingly that Aisin and Advics products are high quality, competitively priced, and well represented in the market."
Aisin Remains Active on Auto Show Scene
The 2010-2011 international auto show season has come to a close. After 65 shows in North America, and another 50 or so globally, most events showed a resurgence this year, with several auto manufacturers returning to the show floor after a brief hiatus. Aisin Group is an exhibitor at major motor events, and was at the season opener last fall in Paris, and at the season closer, last month in Shanghai. Aisin President Fumio Fujimori visited Detroit's 2011 North American International Auto Show. While at NAIAS, Fujimori-san had the opportunity to meet briefly with Fiat and Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne, as well as attend several customer press conferences.
  Aisin President Fumio Fujimori, and Aisin Senior Managing Director-Engineering Naofumi Fujie, met with Fiat-Chrysler chief Sergio Marchionne at this year's NAIAS; AWA President Mike Saito had the opportunity to provide a tour of the auto show to Fujimori-san. The NAIAS attracts thousands of media and auto industry leaders from around the world; in recent years NAIAS has been considered as an event to sponsor by Aisin Group.
FTTA Begins Phase Four Development FTTA will begin construction on a new section of track at the 870-acre proving ground. FTTA Vice President Terry Takano said the nearly one-mile straightaway will be four lanes wide and simulate several types of road conditions. “We have been working closely with Aisin Development of America to take measurements and collect data from various road surfaces all over the U.S.,” said Takano. “Our new specific surfaces must be extremely accurate representations of the real thing.” This is the fourth phase of development since the facility opened in 2005. The expansion will also include new garage and office space used to support FT Techno’s burgeoning vehicle evaluation business. In addition to leasing its test tracks, FTTA supports clients by providing turnkey vehicle evaluation services. FTTA Manager of Operations and Administration Mike Benjamin said suppliers and OEMs have shown interest in the site's vehicle evaluation capabilities. "We view this expansion as an opportunity to meet the growing demand, broaden our vision, and stay on the leading edge of vehicle evaluation,” said Benjamin.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently took advantage of FTTA’s 20 acre Vehicle Dynamics Area (VDA) to develop a new test protocol for an advanced safety system. The government agency, which oversees U.S. vehicle safety and fuel economy standards, worked closely with FTTA engineers to develop the new standard. “We’re proud of our relationship with NHTSA and the expertise they have shared with us," added Takano. "This new test will affect the way future vehicles are designed, built, and evaluated, and it was created in our own back yard.” FT-Techno Profile:
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