Dana's Industrial Driveshaft Operations Receive Largest Ever Industrial Order For Chinese Steel Mill

Toledo, Ohio -- May 04, 2004 -- Dana Corporation’s (NYSE: DCN) Industrial Driveshaft Operations announced that a 2 Million € order was placed at Spicer® Gelenkwellenbau GmbH & Co KG (Spicer GWB™) for a new heavy section rolling mill in Laiwu, P.R. China. 

The order was placed by SMS in Germany, one of the leading steel suppliers worldwide. SMS manufactures hot rolling, cold rolling, wire and tube mills, and section mills.  Spicer GWB has been the preferred supplier of SMS for more than 30 years, having supplied five to six driveshafts for each of 50 rolling mills.  This sale, the largest single order in the history of Spicer GWB industrial business, consists of 16 ultra heavy Spicer 498 Series driveshafts.

The 16 custom designed driveshafts were made to SMS's specifications for its rolling mills in China producing medium sized H-beams.  The driveshaft design has a flange diameter of 800 mm, and three operating angle versions for maximum torque (4.420kNm) and maximum bearing life capacity.  Other advanced design features include split bearing eyes with toothed bearing cap and standard Hirth-serrated flange.

SMS selected Spicer GWB based on its excellent track record of product quality, customization capabilities, and for its technical support.  According to Peter Möller, Sales Manager Industrial Business, “Spicer offers a distinct advantage to our customers: we have a complete support structure throughout the entire process of design, production, and installation.”

SMS saw value in one particular advantage; Spicer GWB works directly with Wuxi driveshaft as its agent for the Chinese market.  Möller says, “Spicer’s unique relationship with our Chinese agent allows driveshafts to be inspected right at the customer’s steel mill, and cross assemblies to be adjusted at the workshop on site.  This value-added service of convenience, reliability and on-site maintenance is what sets Spicer GWB apart from the competition.” 

This order expands Spicer GWB’s existing industrial driveshaft business base in China giving Dana a stronger presence in the region.  Through its dedication to a strategic market focus, Dana has positioned Spicer GWB to have the resources and people in place to continue its growth in this market.  With the demand for steel in China continuing to surge, the company sees considerable opportunity for new business development in China over the next three to five years.

A dedicated unit of Dana, Spicer GWB supplies industrial, mobile, and stationary markets serving industries such as steel processing, railway, marine and paper. Founded more than 50 years ago as GWB, Dana Corporation acquired the company in 2000. Now known as Spicer GWB, the operation is the world’s leading manufacturer of industrial driveshafts and components. Its global service capabilities include a comprehensive line of driveshafts with torques ranging from 1.5 kNm to 17,000 kNm and beyond.  For more information on Spicer GWB’s industrial driveshaft capabilities, visit http://www.gwb-essen.de/index.shtml.

Dana Corporation is a global leader in the design, engineering, and manufacture of value-added products and systems for automotive, commercial, and off-highway vehicle manufacturers and their related aftermarkets.  The company’s continuing operations employ approximately 45,000 people worldwide and reported sales of $7.9 billion in 2003.  Founded in 1904 and based in Toledo, Ohio, Dana operates hundreds of technology, manufacturing, and customer service facilities in 30 countries.

For more information, please visit www.dana.com/offhighway. 

 

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