Honeywell’s variable geometry turbo (VGT) technology was featured on the Audi R15 TDI at 24 Hours of Le Mans, helping Audi claim a clean sweep of the podium stand (first, second, and third place), while breaking the distance record for the race.

The victorious Audi team of Timo Bernhard (Germany), Romain Dumas (France), and Mike Rockenfeller (Germany), completed a total of 397 laps in the 24 hours, covering a record-breaking distance of 5,410 kilometers. 

Honeywell has partnered with Audi Motorsport for the past three years to integrate its variable geometry turbo technology into all of Audi’s R15 TDI V10 Le Mans car engines in order to increase engine efficiency. This year, they were able to increase efficiency 20 percent over Audi’s previous (and larger) Le Mans engine model (Audi R10 V12 TDI). Variable geometry turbochargers are standard in all Audi TDI engines in production vehicles.

VGT turbos help optimize power-efficiency by using moveable vanes around the turbine inlet to match turbo boost precisely to the needs of the engine. At lower engine speeds, the variable nozzle turbine vanes close to restrict the exhaust air flow through the turbine, thereby increasing turbine power and boost pressure. At higher engine speeds, the moveable vanes open to maximize the exhaust gas flow, thereby avoiding turbo over-speed and maintaining the required boost pressure.

For more information, read the press release.

More than 300 of Honeywell’s key customers, partners, leaders, and employees attended Honeywell China’s Technology Day, an opportunity for visitors to learn about the company’s great positions in good industries and differentiated technologies.

Honeywell’s products and solutions related to building and industrial controls, energy efficiency and generation, turbocharging, and aerospace were exhibited and interacted with at the event.

Shane Tedjarati, President and CEO of Honeywell China and India, spoke at Technology Day and emphasized the company’s expanding global presence to bring new product development, manufacturing, and service closer to customers.

“The world is placing great importance on China as the platform for global growth and this offers us good opportunities ahead,” said Tedjarati. “Together with all of you here, we have braved through the difficult times and will definitely do the same to capture the great opportunities that are to come.”

Honeywell’s guests were also invited to the Shanghai World Expo where they were introduced to the Honeywell safety, security, and energy efficiency technologies chosen to protect the properties at the World Expo 2010. A VIP tour was conducted at the USA Pavilion, where Honeywell is a sponsor and is enabling the 6,000 square meter venue to optimize energy efficient technologies for visitors’ comfort and safety.

For more information, watch Shane Tedjarati on CNBC discuss Honeywell’s presence at the World Expo and how China is the fastest growing region for the company.

Honeywell Chairman and CEO Dave Cote is featured as the cover story of the second quarter 2010 edition of NYSE Magazine. The story discusses how today’s Honeywell is a much different company than it was during the 2001-2002 recession because of Cote’s focus on “seed planting” – or investing for the future – in R&D, global expansion, M&A, and opportunities to help employees grow and develop.

“This time our sales were down 15 percent in one year rather than 11 percent over two years, but instead of losing money, we made money, thanks to new efficiencies that were part of our One Honeywell culture. Our free cash flow conversion was more than 150 percent this time, compared with less than 65 percent before. Instead of cutting R&D, we maintained our research budget and kept investing in our enablers and our global strategy.”

Cote says he expects Honeywell will become “bigger and more profitable, generating even more cash” because of its great positions in good industries and ties to key global macro trends, including energy, safety, and security.

Cote also outlines his solutions on “How to Solve the Energy Crisis” and discusses Honeywell’s expansive energy efficiency portfolio, which can reduce U.S. and European energy consumption by 20-25% if immediately and comprehensively adopted today.

For more information, read the full article.

Honeywell launched “Add Honeywell,” a new website that demonstrates how the company’s technologies and innovations are making the world safer and more secure, more comfortable and energy efficient, and more innovative and productive.

Through the use of 3-D animation, dynamic videos and photos, and easy navigation, the site demonstrates Honeywell’s technologies in aerospace, homes, refineries, commercial buildings, automobiles, and a broad range of other sector-specific applications.  “Add Honeywell” features hundreds of facts and statistics about the company’s differentiated technologies.

For more facts and information on Honeywell, visit www.AddHoneywell.com.

Honeywell will launch 15 new technologies and boost more than 100 new engine platforms in 2010, confirming its position as the world’s leading turbo technology partner for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), whether for diesel and gasoline passenger cars, on-highway trucks or off-highway vehicles.

Highlights from this year’s Geneva Motor Show included the VW Polo 1.2L BlueMotion diesel car – the most fuel efficient five-seater in the world, equipped with the latest generation of Honeywell’s iconic small VNT™ diesel turbo – and the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid, the very first turbocharged full hybrid, boosted by Honeywell’s latest gasoline turbos and incorporating new advances in materials, bearings and aerodynamics.

In addition, Honeywell will be announcing many more technological developments in the year ahead, including the introduction across Europe, Japan and the U.S. of its brand-new VNT™ product family for commercial vehicle applications, with unique performance, reliability and engine-braking capabilities, together with tailored off-highway solutions to meet the new Tier4 interim emission standards.

For more information on Honeywell’s turbo launches in 2010, read the press release.

“Honeywell is a very different and much better company today,” said Honeywell Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dave Cote.  “The processes and principles that we’ve adopted have enabled Honeywell to perform well in good times as well as tough economic times.  We are now one company, guided by the same initiatives and behaviors.  This common one Honeywell culture, together with the strength of our global portfolio, allowed us to effectively manage costs last year, rather than simply cut programs or people, which positions us well for growth in the next five years.”

At its February 22nd investor conference, Honeywell discussed important global growth factors, including favorable macro-trends, such as energy efficiency, safety, and security, and key technologies and products like refining processes for bio-renewables, Smart Grid thermostats, low-global-warming-potential refrigerants, air safety technologies, and turbochargers.  

For more information, read the press release.

Honeywell has unveiled its groundbreaking VNT™ DualBoost turbocharger on Ford’s all-new 6.7-Liter V-8 Power Stroke diesel engine. Honeywell’s newest single turbo technology delivers turbo benefits approaching those from dual-stage configuration.

Honeywell’s industry-first VNT™ DualBoost technology extracts more performance from a single turbo package by incorporating a dual-sided compressor wheel that works in a single casing. This innovative design allows a Variable Nozzle Turbine (VNT™) DualBoost turbo to drive ultra-high levels of EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) in line with 2010 U.S. emissions standards while maintaining the ability to achieve higher horsepower. In addition, the variable geometry turbine’s low thermal inertia also improves after-treatment temperature management.

The compact design of the VNT™ DualBoost turbo system also helped Ford achieve an industry first with its “inboard exhaust manifold” design for the Power Stroke engine, improving throttle response, NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) and fuel economy.

For more information, visit Honeywell Turbo Technologies website.

A study of U.S. consumers released by Honeywell shows that as American consumers shift their buying behavior toward more fuel efficient vehicles, turbocharging – already in use by roughly half of new vehicles in Europe – has emerged as the engine technology U.S. consumers “didn’t know they wanted.”

The study found that more than half of those who plan to purchase a vehicle in the next two years believe fuel efficiency is more important than it was during their last vehicle purchase. The study also found that more than 80% of American consumers were more likely to consider purchasing a turbocharged vehicle after learning that the readily available turbocharger helps to increase the fuel efficiency of a gas engine by up to 20% without sacrificing performance or reliability.

While Americans’ prioritization of fuel efficiency is new, their actual purchase preferences are not.

According to the Department of Transportation, nine out of the ten most popular vehicles purchased in the recent ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program were equipped with smaller and more fuel-efficient versions of conventional technology engines.

“The success of the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program shows that a consumer appetite exists for fuel efficient options on traditional engine platforms that don’t sacrifice the power, reliability and price that Americans demand,” said David Paja, Vice President, Marketing for Honeywell Turbo Technologies. “For that reason, almost every major automaker has announced plans to broadly introduce turbocharged engines to the U.S. market in the coming years. We anticipate demand for gas and diesel turbocharged engines in the U.S. market may increase from 5% today to 25% by 2014 and could top 85% by 2020.”

For more information, read the press release or watch a video on Honeywell Turbo Technologies.

Honeywell Turbo Technologies recently won the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) Award for Human Resources (HR) Excellence 2009. The award, instituted by SAIL and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), recognizes ground-breaking contributions in the field of people management processes in the Indian manufacturing sector.

N. P. Thimmaiah, managing director, Honeywell Turbo India, Pune, accepted the award at a special ceremony chaired by Virbhadra Singh, honorable Union Minister for Steel.

“People are our biggest differentiators. The success of any of our businesses is dependent on the talent and skill of our people,” said Thimmaiah. “This was the perfect opportunity for us to revisit our people management processes and assess their relevance and effectiveness. The program helped validate that our processes were on track. We are grateful to the Steel Authority of India and IIM – Ahmedabad for initiating this award.”

Some of the key people practices that set Honeywell apart from other companies included:
- Rigor in implementing various HR practices across the organization;
- Commitment to people management practices;
- A performance development system, which is implemented globally with uniformity; and
- Management resource review processes that are participative, comprehensive and multidimensional, and promote accountability, succession, and retention. 

For more information, read the press release.

Turbo Technologies’ latest variable geometry turbocharger, the GT12 VNT™, will be fitted on the new Volkswagen Golf 1.6L TDI, which was launched recently in Europe. This new 1.6L turbocharged engine will also be fitted on numerous models throughout the Volkswagen group, including the Audi A3, Seat Leon, Skoda Octavia, and Seat Altea. Honeywell’s new turbocharger offers better performance, reliability, and fuel efficiency.

“Volkswagen’s selection of Honeywell to boost their most popular vehicle is an acknowledgement of our leadership in developing the latest turbo technologies to meet and exceed emission standards,” said Alex Ismail, president and CEO, Honeywell Transportation Systems. “We have a long and proven track record of innovative collaboration with Volkswagen and are delighted to partner with them again on this world-leading application.”

For more information, visit Honeywell Turbo Technologies.