Case Studies

Environmental: responsible product innovation

Gates E3 Drive™ technology

This is a further solution for reducing fuel consumption in passenger vehicles. The two-speed drive system allows accessories such as the air conditioning compressor and alternator to operate at idling speed, (where fuel is used most efficiently by these accessories) while the engine still operates at drive speed. The driver will not notice a difference in vehicle operation but will see fuel consumption reduce by 5% or more.

Green Building Products

Product development efforts in our Building Products group are also focused on environmental protection or ‘green building’ applications. We continuously introduce new products to maintain our leadership role in both residential and non-residential markets. Our brands are well positioned to take advantage of green building initiatives driven by end customers around the world. Our current product line-up includes commercial energy-recovery ventilators for more efficient outside air management, variable-air volume control boxes, free-cooling economisers, outside air measuring and maintenance devices, tight-sealing dampers, permanent building sunshade devices, tighter sealing ductwork and energy efficient fan systems.

Gates H1 Hydraulic Hybrid Drive vehicle

The H1 Hydraulic Hybrid Drive replaces a vehicle’s traditional drive system with a hydraulic pump that drives a hydraulic motor for propulsion. Unlike electric hybrids which store energy in batteries, hydraulic hybrids store energy in hydraulic accumulators. During braking, the drive motors act like pumps to re-charge the accumulators, enabling approximately 70% of braking energy to be recovered instead of being wasted in the form of heat. This technology, developed by Hybra-Drive Systems, LLC of Deerfield, MI and commissioned by Gates for its H1 vehicle, offers potential fuel savings of between 50 – 70%.

Community: local support

Gateway support
Gates in South Dandenong, Australia supports the local sheltered workshop “Gateway”. Mentally and physically disabled youths work in this controlled environment where they package many of Gates’ products. The workshop acknowledges Gates as one of its main suppliers. This has assisted them in obtaining additional government grants for improvements to their facility and further expansion in employee numbers. Extra help from Gates also comes in the form of sponsorship of many of Gateway’s staff social activities.

Gates Unitta India Foundation
A charitable trust in the name of Gates Unitta India Foundation was established in December 2005 with the aim of extending financial and moral support to needy children. Employees of Gates Unitta India, Chennai contribute on a voluntarily basis and the company matches their contributions. In 2007, ten children were given educational grants who, otherwise, would not have had an opportunity to study.

Customers: partnership approach

Lasco Bathware
Lasco Bathware in Moapa, Nevada provides an Installation Certification Programme for the plumbers and builders who buy and install its products. They attend the manufacturing facility to receive training on how to properly install and repair Lasco’s products. Lasco also benefits though decreased time spent on faulty installations.

Environmental: emissions

Gates Corporation World Headquarters subscribed to the Xcel Energy Windsource® Program. By purchasing Windsource blocks Gates is supporting renewable wind energy. This electricity helps preserve our natural resources and is produced without air emissions such as carbon dioxide.

Environmental: waste and recycling

In order to motivate employees to participate in its recycling programme, Schrader Bridgeport, Brazil, sells its recyclable waste and a portion of the income is contributed to a fund to help employees and their families with medical expenses. 46 employees benefited from this scheme in 2007.

HSE Excellence Award: winning formula

The overall winner of the HSE Excellence award presented in 2007 was Dexter Axle’s Albion, Indiana plant. Albion was able to achieve an accident incident rate of only 1.03 and had no lost time accidents during 2006 bringing its total, at the time, to over 1.4 million hours with no lost time accidents. Total waste was reduced by 8%, landfill waste by 10% and a scrap reduction effort was initiated that created a 32% improvement over 2005 numbers. Albion was also involved in 12 separate community projects at various levels of funding and participation.