CTS awarded production program for Turbocharger sensors

The sensor will be used to measure vane position in variable geometry turbochargers used on passenger vehicles in Europe. Production will begin in the second half of 2008, with annual volumes ramping steadily to well over one million units per year. Total revenues are expected to be approximately $30 million over the five-year life of the program. The use of turbochargers on passenger vehicles is rapidly increasing to meet ever stricter emission regulations. Almost all of today's diesel engines use a turbocharger, and they are now being used on many gasoline engines. The newer turbochargers incorporate vanes to vary the shape of the intake nozzles, making the turbochargers more responsive at low speeds. Some also incorporate waste gate valves to control the amount of exhaust fed into the turbocharger. Position sensors are used for closed-loop control of these vanes and gates. “The CTS Turbocharger sensor is an extension of our Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Sensor product line," commented Tyler Buchanan, Senior Vice President, CTS Corporation. “As the world's leading producer of EGR sensors, we offer customers years of proven experience with position sensors for high temperature applications such as these turbocharger applications. With our global engineering and production footprint we can support this growth technology in all regions of the world."