TI Automotive, the world´s leading supplier of fluid–storage and delivery systems, is restructuring its global business operations, according to Bill Kozyra, the company´s chairman and CEO.
Kozyra said the company will move the headquarters of its Global Fluid Carrying Systems division from Warren, Mich., to Heidelberg, Germany, and streamline the management of its fluid–carrying–systems, fuel–systems and HVAC business units in North America.
The restructuring effort includes the promotion of three key senior executives:
- Joachim Burkhardt, formerly managing director of Fluid Carrying Systems - Europe, has been named president of Global Fluid Carrying Systems and COO - Europe.
- Brian Lindsay has been appointed COO for TI Automotive business operations in North America, in addition to his current position as president of Global Fuel Systems.
- Steve Beckman, previously vice president of the company´s fuel systems division in North America, has been promoted to vice president of the company´s North American operations and will report to Lindsay.
"Shifting the global headquarters of our fluid–carrying–systems business to Europe will help integrate our global product and process design–and–development activities and further strengthen our position as a worldwide leader in fluid–carrying systems and products," Kozyra said. "In the NAFTA region, our focus will be on the integration of operations management across our three business divisions."
The realignment of the company´s NAFTA commercial activities is designed to drive operational excellence, improve efficiency and strengthen customer focus, he noted.
"We already have restructured our European operations and have a solid platform for growth in the Asia Pacific region," Kozyra pointed out. "In North America, however, we´re faced with a growing need for change because of substantial OEM volume reductions and a major shift to smaller, more fuel–efficient vehicles.
"Cost–reduction measures are in place in North America and we´ll continue to manage our business there aggressively. We have to act now to bring our NAFTA operations in line with the realities of today´s marketplace."
As president of Global Fluid Carrying Systems, Burkhardt succeeds Rich Kolpasky, who recently announced plans to leave the company for personal reasons. A native of Germany, Burkhardt joined TI Automotive in 1994 from Robert Bosch GmbH.
Born in Scotland, Lindsay joined the company in 1999 and previously led TI Automotive´s European fuel–systems division, as well as being European and Asia–Pacific commercial director.
Beckman came to TI Automotive in 2005 from Delphi´s Delco Electronics group, where he was a product line manager. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he will be based in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
TI Automotive is the world´s leading supplier of fluid storage, transfer and delivery systems, including brake, fuel and air conditioning applications. With headquarter locations in Warren, Mich.; Heidelberg, Germany, and Oxford, England, the company employs more than 17,500 people at more than 100 facilities in 27 countries on six continents. Annual sales in 2007 totaled approximately $2.8 billion.
Further information is available on the Internet at www.tiautomotive.com.
