ABOUT INERGY
Inergy Automotive Systems is the leading Tier One supplier of plastic Fuel Systems to the world’s major car manufacturers. The company was founded in 2000 as a joint venture between Plastic Omnium and Solvay.
Headquartered in Paris, France, Inergy Automotive Systems employs approximately 4,500 people worldwide and operates 24 manufacturing facilities in 17 countries.
In 2006, Inergy delivered 12.8 million plastic Fuel Systems, with sales of 1.2 billion euros. One in every five light vehicles produced in the world is equipped by INERGY.
To support the global strategy of its customers, the car manufacturers, Inergy has established Research and Development Centers in the main regions of the world (1 in North America, 3 in Europe and 2 in Asia).
This worldwide presence allows Inergy to meet all new industrial and engineering challenges. Inergy is able to anticipate, adapt and develop high technology solutions, taking into account economic constraints as well as existing and future emissions regulations.
QUALITY CONTROL
Quality Control is part of Inergy’s business philosophy in the path to excellence. Inergy’s global Production System IPS is implemented in all factories and advanced manufacturing and supply sites. Based on the involvement of all associates, the INERGY Production System contributes to enhancing industrial performance levels, as well as safety and quality.
In addition to complying with ISO and TS standards, Inergy ensures ongoing quality control for plastic Fuel Systems manufactured in all factories around the world. To this end, in March 2006, the INERGY Validation Center (IVC) was opened in Brussels, Belgium.
Inergy’s strategy is based on innovation, environmental protection and sustainable development – always working towards a better, cleaner world.
TECHNOLOGY
There are multiple advantages in using plastic for the production of Fuel Systems.
- Plastic material enables to realize the most complex architectures and a high level of function and component integration. Plastic is lightweight and 100% recyclable, whether during the manufacturing process or at the end of the vehicle’s life.
- The corrosion free quality of plastic ensures longer life, and its vapor management flexibility ensures overall cost optimization.
- The light weight of plastic fuel tanks contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions.
- Plastic guarantees optimal safety for the end-user thanks to its excellent shock resistance.
- With its mono- and multi-layer technologies, plastic complies with the most stringent local and global environmental standards of the world, including LEVII, JLEV and PZEV regulations.
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
For INERGY, innovation is a state of mind and an essential factor in market competitiveness, leading its teams towards new heights of success.
INERGY’s research budget has grown for the past three years from 0.9% to 2% of the company’s sales. In addition to responding to the challenge of environment-friendly vehicles, INERGY is dedicated to developing new optimized architectures and concepts.
Several of INERGY’s innovative solutions stand out in the battle for emissions reduction:
- TSBM™ (Twin Sheet Blow Molding)
TSBM™ is the most advanced and cost-effective Fuel System production process available. By combining the advantages of thermoforming and blowmolding, TSBM™ allows Fuel Systems to be produced in a single stage, along with their various functional components. The parison is cut in half when it comes out of the extrusion. A central core supporting the components (baffle, gauge, valves, jet pumps, lines, canister…) is inserted between the two halves before closing and sealing. The result is a low-permeation system, because the vapors have nowhere to permeate from.
- PZEV Fuel System (Partial Zero Emission Vehicles)
California adopted one of the most stringent environmental regulations in the world which requires vehicles to reduce their hydrocarbon emission by a factor of ten, to fewer than 54 mg per vehicle per day – PZEV (Partial Zero Emission Vehicle).
Inergy decided to go one step further and offer a Fuel System that emits less than 20 mg of hydrocarbons per day: INFILM™. One of the many innovations developed to meet this challenge is the laser welding of a multilayer-film above the welded components, thereby creating an additional barrier to the permeation path of hydrocarbons. This technology is extremely competitive, since LEVII Fuel Systems (i.e. the majority of the North-American production) can be easily upgraded to PZEV requirements.
In 2006, INERGY started producing PZEV Fuel Systems with INFILM™ for major OEMs.
- Diesel Emissions Reduction
Most diesel vehicles today are equipped with particulate filters which must be periodically regenerated to avoid clogging and irreversible engine damage.
INSAS™ is INERGY’s solution for Fuel Borne Catalyst (FBC) storage and distribution. A highly accurate pump is able to dose very concentrated FBC for Additive Diesel Particulate Filter regeneration.
Inergy is also a pioneer in the field of reducing NOx (Nitrogen Oxide) emissions. DINOX is a system which integrates all key functions into a plastic urea tank: filling, venting, heating devices, temperature and level measurements, quality sensors, and ensures also the functionalities of distribution and injection of the urea into the catalyst.
- Capless Solutions (INERFILL™ and CLINFILL™)
All cars have to be refueled … an unavoidable and often ungainly operation. In line with its efforts to continuously develop high value-added products for both its customers and their drivers, Inergy developed capless refueling solutions. The system is tight so that when refueling is complete, dust, water and other foreign bodies cannot be introduced into the fuel tank.
These capless systems meet all emission standards, form Euro 4/5 (CLINFILL™) up to LEV II and PZEV (INERFILL™).
