Delphi expands presence in diesel, collision repair, performance parts
Having been involved in the European diesel market, Delphi also is focusing its diesel solutions on North America, bracing for a diesel invasion. Frank Ordonez, president of Delphi Product & Service Solutions, posits that 10 percent of vehicles will be diesel-powered by 2020.
This trend will follow the lead of Europe, which has had diesel cars in its fleet for some time. In 2007, 53 percent of European vehicles were diesel-fueled, according to Ordonez.
“We are fixing diesels in the aftermarket today in Europe,” he adds.
Ordonez sees diesels as being significant for a number of reasons, one being their fuel efficiency. When regular fueled cars are driven beyond a certain miles per hour, they lose efficiency. However, diesel vehicles operate more efficiently at that same approximate 70 mph rate.
“That’s when the diesel really kicks in in efficiency,” he says. “Seventy miles per hour is when a diesel engine is at its best.”
Many Americans are wary of diesel due to the dirty diesels of the past and the big trucks they encounter on the roads. But the clean diesel systems are far from dirty. In fact, they pass the “white glove test,” says Ordonez, referring to a white glove being placed over the exhaust of a diesel car and the glove remains clean.
At a Tuesday press conference at the AAPEX show, Ordonez outlined the company’s goals of being “safe, green and connected,” along with a number of new compressor, HVAC and powertrain programs.
Also at the press conference, the company unveiled new service training and product lines. DS650 is Delphi’s new, front-of-shop solution for the independent aftermarket, aimed at maximizing a shop’s profit by helping the service writer identify, extract and sell services.
Delphi also is offering flex-fuel compatible components, like modules designed to resist highly-corrosive ethanol fuels, and specifically designed to allow for increased flow capacity for ethanol fuels. Along with ethanol, Ordonez sees a bright future for compressed natural gas (CNG).
The company continues to expound on its advanced technology offerings. “We’ve been talking about the vehicle electronics revolution for a long time,” he says.
Ordonez also discussed hybrids. Delphi makes solutions for all ranges of hybrid vehicles. And he sees the hybrid presence growing significantly. “Today’s hybrid is in the Model T era of the business.”
Delphi continues double-digit growth, with recent annual revenue growing 14 percent, says Ordonez.
With recent expansion into Canada and Mexico, Delphi continues its path to being a fully global company. Thirty-six percent of the corporation is in Europe, and three of the company’s top six OE customers are European.