Tucson, AZ, August 12, 2011 - Responding to the growing demand for fuel tanks that meet increasingly stringent clean air standards, Walbro Engine Management is expanding its multilayer fuel tank production capabilities with new facilities and equipment around the world.
Walbro’s
multilayer
fuel tanks
are used in
lawn and
garden,
recreational
and marine
products.
Manufacturers
in these
markets are
transitioning
and
positioning
fuel tank
technology
to meet the
stringent
evaporative
emissions
standards
being
imposed on
their
products.
“As tighter
and tighter
evaporative
emission
regulations
are
implemented
and
enforced,
our
multilayer
fuel tank
technology
provides
customers
with a
reliable
solution
that ensures
compliance
to the end
of a
product’s
life cycle,
using a
variety of
fuels,” says
Tony Martin,
President
and Chief
Executive
Officer,
Walbro
Engine
Management.
“Our
expanding
manufacturing
capacity and
footprint,
coupled with
additional
technical
support
personnel,
will help
ensure that
our fuel
tank
business is
positioned
to bring the
latest
technical
solutions to
our customer
base around
the world,”
according to
Martin.
Walbro
installed
its third
blow-molding
machine in
Cass City,
Michigan at
the
beginning of
this year. A
current
expansion of
the Cass
City
facility is
underway to
house
additional
blow molding
machines,
with the
fourth
machine
scheduled
for
installation
in the
fourth
quarter of
2011.
Additionally,
Walbro has
established
a
blow-molding
plant in
Chonburi,
Thailand in
support of
its
customers in
the
Asia-Pacific
Region. This
facility is
scheduled to
be in
production
by the
fourth
quarter of
2011 and is
positioned
for multiple
machine
installations.
With a
multi-customer
lineup,
further
expansion
within the
region is
forecasted,
aided by
Walbro’s
policy of
extensive
customer
support
including
application
engineering,
validation
capabilities,
certification
assistance
and
production
startup.
Walbro hit
the one
millionth
tank
milestone in
2010 since
installing
the first
machine in
2007. The
Company
expects to
produce one
million
tanks within
2011 with
forecasted
annual
production
rates of two
million
units in
2012, and
over three
million for
2013 as
demand
continues to
grow.
The success
of Walbro’s
non-metallic
fuel tank
line is
based on the
use of
multilayer
co-extrusion
technology.
The tank’s
six-layer
construction
includes a
vapor
barrier that
effectively
contains
hydrocarbon
emissions,
allowing it
to meet
evaporative
emissions
standards.
In addition,
Walbro’s
multi-layer
tanks are
almost
unaffected
by ethanol,
an important
durability
issue,
especially
as the use
of ethanol
fuels
increases in
the coming
years.
While
multi-layer
fuel tanks
are
relatively
new to the
small engine
arena and
these
markets,
they are
established
technology
in the
automotive
industry,
where
evaporative
emissions
standards
first
appeared.
Dating back
to 1992,
Walbro’s
pioneering
efforts in
multilayer
tank
technology
for
automotive
applications
puts the
company on
the leading
edge of
evaporative
emissions
solutions
for today’s
non-automotive
applications
ranging from
small tanks
for
hand-held
trimmers to
larger tanks
for riding
mowers and
recreational
applications
such as
ATVs,
two-wheelers
and
snowmobiles.
“Multilayer
tanks are a
well proven
technology
in terms of
safety,
emissions
and
durability;”
states
Christopher
Quick,
Global Fuel
Systems
Director,
Walbro
Engine
Management.
“Millions of
multi-layer
tanks are
used in
global
automotive
production
annually,
and are
validated to
meet
expected
vehicle life
of up to
150,000
miles or 15
years.”
“Multilayer
technology
is extremely
robust
compared
with other
approaches,
ensuring a
reliable
hydrocarbon
barrier
solution to
meet product
end-of-life
requirements,”
Quick adds.
“Walbro’s
multilayer
tank
technology
provides
consistent
and
repeatable
low
evaporative
emission
performance
throughout
the life of
the product,
which is a
major
advantage as
evaporative
emissions
standards
become more
stringent in
the future.”
“Customers
in the small
engine
markets are
fast
becoming
aware of the
advantages
of
multilayer
tanks versus
other
technologies
and are
driving the
growth of
multilayer
tank
technology,
as was the
case in the
automotive
market,”
says Quick.
”The use of
multilayer
tanks
eliminates a
lot of worry
and
uncertainty,
especially
considering
long term
durability
compliance.
The US
Environmental
Protection
Agency (USEPA)
and
California
Air
resources
Board (CARB)
permit
Walbro’s
multilayer
tank
technology
and our MLT
products to
be certified
without the
need for
extensive,
costly and
time
consuming
tank
testing.”
Walbro’s
product
offerings go
beyond fuel
tanks.
Walbro is a
full service
supplier
that can
serve as a
single
source
capable of
integrated
design,
engineering,
validation
and
production
of fully
assembled
and tested
tank systems
ready for
installation.
Walbro can
provide an
integrated
tank system,
including a
Walbro fuel
pump and
flange
assembly,
filtration,
rollover
valve and
internal
hoses,
resulting in
lower
assembly and
shipping
costs.
Walbro
Engine
Management
is a global
market
leader of
engine
management
systems for
the lawn and
garden,
recreational
and marine,
outdoor
power
equipment,
and
two-wheel
small engine
markets.
Walbro
Engine
Management
manufactures
ignition
systems,
fuel
injection,
air/fuel
management
systems and
fuel storage
and
distribution
systems.
Walbro
Engine
Management
is a global
organization
with
manufacturing
and
engineering
facilities
in China,
Japan,
Mexico,
Thailand and
the United
States, with
headquarters
in Tucson,
Arizona.
Additional
information
regarding
Walbro
Engine
Management
is available
at
www.walbro.com.
