July 11, 2007 -- T.Rad is investing about 400 million yen (US$3.3 million) to begin production of motorcycle radiators at its subsidiary in Italy. The Japanese company will install production equipment for aluminum motorcycle radiators at T.Rad Italia SpA. Plans call for the equipment to be brought online during 2008. The site will produce 240,000 radiators annually to supply the European production sites of manufacturers such as Honda Motor Co. and Yamaha Motor Co.

The Italian plant currently makes heat exchangers for construction equipment and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) coolers for diesel passenger vehicles, but EGR cooler production will be consolidated to the Czech Republic by the end of 2008. The vacated space will be used to make motorcycle radiators, which are currently exported to Europe from production sites in Thailand and North America.

T.Rad aims to raise worldwide sales of motorcycle radiators to 10.3 billion yen in fiscal year 2009, a roughly 50 per cent increase from the 6.7 billion yen in sales the business generated in fiscal year 2006. T.Rad will also expand the Italian subsidiary's capacity to produce heat exchangers used in construction and industrial equipment.

Source: Asia Pulse
Source: Factiva