| PRESS RELEASE |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
JACOBS VEHICLE SYSTEMSTM PRODUCES ITS 2,000,000th JACOBS ENGINE BRAKETM
Leading engine brake manufacturer attributes success to exceeding customer expectations.
BLOOMFIELD, Conn., October, 1999 -- Jacobs Vehicle Systems® (www.jakebrake.com--a wholly-owned subsidiary of Danaher Corporation – NYSE: DHR) announced the production of its 2,000,000th Jacobs Engine BrakeTM kit. This milestone comes just six years after producing the company’s first million kits.
The count started in 1961 when the first Jacobs Engine Brake was sold. "It took 32 years to reach one million units sold," states Scott Fowler, Vice President, Market Development, "and only six more years to produce our two-millionth kit."
Exceeding Industry Standards
In a recent survey of truck fleet managers, 97% said the Jacobs Engine Brake met their expectations, and 89% said they are very likely to continue specing the Jake Brake® brand when they add vehicles to their fleets."
Fowler is quick to note that when fleet managers and owner-operators purchase new equipment, a Jacobs Engine Brake is often on the list of most desired components. "In virtually every driver survey we’ve seen," Fowler says, "our retarder is listed as a premium feature that adds value. And it is often one of the only components mentioned by brand name. The Jacobs engine brake has a terrific reputation for durability. It has always been among the most reliable heavy truck components."
Also behind Jacobs Vehicle Systems’ success is the company that supports the product. Fowler states "In our survey, Jacobs was rated as excellent in six factors dealing with technical support."
Economic as well as safety advantages are among the benefits most often cited for Jacobs engine brake purchases, according to the survey. As trucks have been designed to have less rolling resistance to help increase fuel economy (aerodynamics, tire design, transmission design), truck loads have increased, and so have vehicle speeds. Therefore, the foundation brakes are required to do more work. As a result of using an engine brake, there’s a cost savings from reduced brake wear and maintenance/repair costs, the vehicle is more productive, and there is a piece of mind knowing that you have the ability of the Jake Brake engine brake to help slow the vehicle. In addition, a Jake Brake brand engine brake is one component that adds residual value (usually about $1000).
The Engine OEM Connection Advantage
Jacobs has also benefited from robust truck sales-- 95% of Jacobs Engine Brakes sold are original equipment--and that’s because the company works closely with its engine OEM customers on the development of reliable products. Fowler states "Historically, manufacturers would develop an engine and we’d be asked to design a supplemental braking system towards the end of the design process. Now, we’re involved at the earliest stages in the design of new engines. This involvement assures that the best choices are made to ensure optimum performance and reliability of the engine brake."
Jacobs Vehicle Systems has cross-functional teams that are dedicated exclusively to each EOEM. Working closely with the manufacturers enable Jacobs to design a higher-performance engine brake, while reducing height, weight and costs. Some recent developments have resulted in engine brakes that are 80% lighter, and do not add height and provide 25% more power.
Jacobs is also actively developing core technologies that will be applied to the engine platforms of the future. "It is that spirit of innovation," Fowler says, "that has been at the core of Jacobs Vehicle Systems for nearly 40 years, and has enabled the company to reach one milestone after another."
The Jacobs Engine Brake was recognized as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the first truckling industry product to earn that prestigious award.
Jacobs Vehicle Systems traces its roots to Clessie L. Cummins, founder of Cummins Engine Company, who conceived the idea of an engine brake in 1934 after narrowly averting a serious accident in a runaway truck. By 1959, Cummins and the Jacobs Manufacturing Company had developed a working prototype, and by 1961 the first engine brake kit was sold.
Rewarding the Dedicated Jacob’s Employees
Jacobs honored the people who helped reach the 2,000,000th engine brake kit milestone by hosting a celebration for its employees and their families. "This accomplishment is a reflection of the dedication of everyone at Jacobs," Fowler states.
About Jacobs
Jacobs Vehicle Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR). The Jake Brake® product line is used by all North American heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturers as well as Hino, Hyundai and Mitsubishi in Asia, and Renault V.I. and DAF in Europe. Jacobs Vehicle Systems is headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, where it has a 260,000 square foot design, manufacturing and test facility. Registered to the ISO 9001 standard, Jacobs Vehicle Systems is the world's leading producer of auxiliary braking systems, and can be found on the Internet at www.jakebrake.com.
Contact: Marian Zincke, Director Marketing at (860) 805-5454
Jake Brake®, Jacobs Vehicle Systems™, Jacobs Engine Brake®, and Jacobs Exhaust Brake® are registered trademarks of Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Inc.
###
22 East Dudley Town Road - Bloomfield, CT 06002 - Phone: 860-243-1441
A subsidiary of Danaher Corporation www.jakebrake.com
|
Press Releases